A resident of the Jinan Yuanyang Fengxi Hanlin community, Mr. Wang, recently reported that the pavement in his complex, which was delivered just over two years ago, has been in a cycle of being repaired only to fail again. "Including my mother, almost ten people have been injured from falls in the last two months due to the damaged floor tiles," he said. The journalist received this plea and investigated why a nearly-new residential area has become a hazard zone, and what the developer and property management have to say about it.

Mr. Wang recounted that shortly after moving in at the end of 2024, tiles began to break. "It hasn't stopped for two years." Another resident, Ms. Zhang, was also injured this June. "I was rushing home and tripped on a broken tile, falling forward." A resident group chat shows over eight reports of tile-related injuries in the past two months. "We just have to be extra careful, especially in bad weather," one resident commented. During a recent visit, the journalist observed widespread damage to the pavement tiles, with the property management currently conducting large-scale repairs, though some tiles were still missing. "The tiles are broken, and the rubber track is also damaged. The whole yard is a mess," another resident lamented, expressing frustration over the endless cycle of repairs.

The Yuanyang Fengxi Hanlin community, developed by Shandong Yuanshun Real Estate Co., Ltd. and managed by the Jinan branch of Yuanyang Yijia Property Services Co., Ltd., was delivered on January 1, 2024. Residents believe the main cause of the widespread damage is substandard tile quality and poor construction. "When you lift a tile, there's almost no solid base underneath. How did this pass inspection?" questioned a resident employed in the construction industry. Another resident, Ms. Li, added, "When one tile is fixed, the ones around it soon break too. This points to a systemic construction issue." A property management staff member confirmed that the tiles have quality problems and that the lack of separate pedestrian and vehicle pathways contributes to the deterioration. The property manager, Li Yongheng, stated he would report to his superiors for a response, but no reply was received within the agreed timeframe.

Lawyer Wu Guanru from Shandong Zhongcheng Qingtai (Jinan) Law Firm explained that the developer and property company have different liabilities. For the developer, if the root cause is substandard tiles or construction, they are delivering a non-compliant facility. "Under Article 617 of the Civil Code, the buyer can demand liability for breach of contract if the delivered item is not up to standard. During the statutory warranty period, the developer must repair, replace, and compensate for losses. If the defect causes personal injury, the resident can also claim compensation under Article 1165. After the warranty expires, maintenance of public facilities requires the use of the special maintenance fund," Wu said. For the property company, public roads are part of the common areas they must maintain. "According to Article 942, the property service provider must properly manage and maintain common areas. If they fail to repair damaged tiles or set up warning signs, leading to injury, they breach their legal and contractual duties." Wu also noted that residents have a duty of care for their own safety. If the damage is minor or the resident is negligent, the court may reduce the liability of the responsible parties. "Residents can sue the developer for quality-based breach of contract and the property company for negligence in fulfilling their duties, thus addressing the root cause of the safety hazard," Wu concluded.