Penang-based Aspen Group, a property development and real estate investment group, is looking into developing a digital platform for the Vertu Resort residential development management team in Batu Kawan, Penang to prevent their units from being used for AirBnB.

The Vertu Resort, a resort-inspired residential development, is one of Aspen’s current ongoing residential development projects in Batu Kawan.

Group president and chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk M. Murly today said that the platform would be used to compile a database of registered tenants for the residential development properties, which would be convenient for the management team to identify which units are occupied or vacant.

“The residential units in Vertu Resort are only for tenants who have registered to stay for at least six months, not to be used in AirBnB for short-term stay,” he told Bernama at Vervea Trade and Exhibition Centre (VTEC) Batu Kawan here.

He said that the platform would also be used to verify residents who enter the premises through sophisticated security systems such as optic retina scan, thumbprint scan and radio-frequency identification (RFID).

He also said that an eConcierge app would also be available for the residents there to make reservations for inbound e-hailing services, book public facilities and make e-payments with the residential development management team.

“What we are trying to do is not to constrain (the residents) too much, but to make a quick and convenient way for the management,” he said.

Earlier, Murly introduced several lifestyle enhancements for Vertu Resort aimed at providing residents a more enjoyable and wholesome living environment.

According to him, the enhancements focus on four main pillars, namely technological advancements, sustainable practices, innovative breakthroughs and security upgrades.

“All these lifestyle enhancements will be standardised throughout Aspen Group’s future residential development projects,” he said.

He said that one of the biggest challenges in introducing the enhancements was the cost, as approximately RM15 million had already been invested in them.

However, he believed that the future value would make the investment in Vertu Resort worthwhile.

“As a new (Bandar Cassia) township in Batu Kawan, we would want to give a compelling reason for the home buyers to call it a home.

“Despite all these added enhancements, there will be no additional maintenance fee incurred for the residents,” he said, noting that an additional fee would be charged if the residents use on-demand facilities.

The Vertu Resort key handover ceremony is expected to be held by the end of 2020.

Source: Bernama