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<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Home > ST Forum > Online Story
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<!-- headline one : start --><TR>Don't make applicants pay again and again in futile bidding for Duxton flats
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I REFER to the report, 'Pinnacle in name, and in pricing too?' (Sept 6).
I read with mixed feelings when HDB launched the Pinnacle@Duxton flats for the third time. As a first-timer, I have balloted for the flats, not once but twice. In the first balloting exercise, my queue number was over 4,300 and I was not given a chance to select a flat at all. This is despite the fact that HDB had more than 1,000 surplus flats in last year's balloting exercise.
I decided to ballot again and I was given a queue number of over 900. We were overjoyed when we received the HDB letter inviting us to select a flat. But the joy was short-lived as HDB sent us a last-minute SMS to say the selection exercise was cancelled because the ethnic quota had been reached.
Now HDB is relaunching the sale for the third time.
With each ballot, I have to pay an administration fee, only to have my hopes dashed.
HDB said that people who were invited to the exercise eventually did not book a flat and thus there was surplus. But in our case, we were not even given a chance to select a flat.
HDB should review its internal procedure to ensure that all applicants in the queue are given a chance to choose a flat if there is a surplus, instead of starting another round of exercise and another round of administrative fee collecion.
Anna Lee (Ms)
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<!-- headline one : start --><TR>Don't make applicants pay again and again in futile bidding for Duxton flats
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->I REFER to the report, 'Pinnacle in name, and in pricing too?' (Sept 6).
I read with mixed feelings when HDB launched the Pinnacle@Duxton flats for the third time. As a first-timer, I have balloted for the flats, not once but twice. In the first balloting exercise, my queue number was over 4,300 and I was not given a chance to select a flat at all. This is despite the fact that HDB had more than 1,000 surplus flats in last year's balloting exercise.
I decided to ballot again and I was given a queue number of over 900. We were overjoyed when we received the HDB letter inviting us to select a flat. But the joy was short-lived as HDB sent us a last-minute SMS to say the selection exercise was cancelled because the ethnic quota had been reached.
Now HDB is relaunching the sale for the third time.
With each ballot, I have to pay an administration fee, only to have my hopes dashed.
HDB said that people who were invited to the exercise eventually did not book a flat and thus there was surplus. But in our case, we were not even given a chance to select a flat.
HDB should review its internal procedure to ensure that all applicants in the queue are given a chance to choose a flat if there is a surplus, instead of starting another round of exercise and another round of administrative fee collecion.
Anna Lee (Ms)
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