HDB investigates 300 cases for unauthorised subletting

[Taishi Ci]

HDB investigates 300 cases for unauthorised subletting
Posted: 28 July 2010 1037 hrs
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SINGAPORE: The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is investigating 300 cases for unauthorised subletting with four owners losing their units and six fined for illegal subletting so far.

This comes after HDB stepped up enforcement against unauthorised subletting and conducted 2,600 checks on HDB flats in the first five months of this year.

Of the 300 cases, 59 cases are suspected to have infringed the subletting rules.

Meanwhile, the four flat owners who lost their units did not occupy the flats they bought and sublet without HDB’s approval.

Of the 2,600 checks, 1860 were identified from HDB’s routine inspections while the remaining 740 were based on feedback by the public.

The checks were a four-fold increase compared with the 690 inspections carried out from August to December 2009.

Cases where flat owners lock up one room and sublet the rest of the flat without physically staying in the unit will be treated as unauthorised subletting if home owners do not meet the minimum occupation period and did not seek HDB’s approval to sublet their flats.

Flat owners are reminded to seek HDB’s approval if they intend to sublet their flats.

They must also register subtenants if they sublet rooms. - CNA/vm