Homebuyers refunded billions after complaints over housing quality and delays

According to the committee, more than 1,700 appeals were filed in 2025 concerning the purchase of apartments in residential complexes. Of these, 76% were resolved in favor of consumers, resulting in recalculations and refunds totaling UZS 22.1 billion.

The majority of complaints were linked to construction quality and infrastructure issues. Specifically, 42.9% of appeals concerned the poor quality of interior finishing, while 40.8% related to problems with utility and communication networks. A further 16.3% of complaints involved delays in the handover of completed housing units.

In reviewing nearly 130 contracts between developers and consumers, the Competition Committee identified widespread contractual shortcomings. Many agreements lacked clear provisions on recalculation mechanisms, delivery deadlines, penalties for delays, warranty periods, and developers’ obligations to remedy defects.

Significant deficiencies were also found in contract termination clauses, which in most cases were drafted exclusively in the interests of developers. In particular, refund periods following contract termination were often set at unjustifiably long timeframes, ranging from 30–180 days to as much as 24–36 months.

The committee also uncovered violations in contracts concluded through agents or commercial representatives, where agreements were formalized without being signed by the developer responsible for construction. Such practices, the regulator noted, leave consumers unprotected and effectively shield non-performing developers from legal liability.

In a separate review of advertising practices, the committee examined promotional materials for 120 residential complexes. It found that a number of construction projects were advertised without the required permits or inclusion in the electronic registry. As a result, financial penalties were imposed on construction companies and advertisers, and orders were issued to eliminate the violations.

In addition, warning letters were sent to media outlets and advertising agencies, urging them to refrain from promoting construction projects that lack proper authorization.