<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>May 2, 2009
LEASE BUYBACK SCHEME
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Cut the red tape, my granny's 75
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->IN MID-MARCH, I accompanied my grandmother to the HDB Tampines branch office to apply for the Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) for her three-room flat. We had earlier gone through the list of conditions to confirm her eligibility. She is the sole owner of the flat, after my grandfather died 10 years ago. She does not work and is living on her own.
On her second visit with her daughter for the financial counselling session, they were told to provide an income statement from my aunt as her name appears as a tenant. My aunt is married and has been living in Perth for the past 20 years.
We asked the officer in charge if proof of income was still required, given the fact that my aunt was a housewife in Perth. We were told we had to and my aunt had to contact the officer to do so.
Yet another hitch cropped up after my aunt settled the proof of income query. We were told that my grandmother could not proceed with the application as her HDB block is undergoing lift upgrading works.
She was told that she would have to wait for at least another year for the upgrading to be completed. She would then have to settle the bill for upgrading, and fill the LBS application form again.
I also understand that it takes about six months to receive the first payout, from the time of application, should it be successful.
I asked the HDB officer whether the bill for upgrading work could be offset by the first payout, as it was basically a matter of transferring amounts from one HDB-related account to another.
The polite officer understood my rationale but replied: 'It cannot be done now.'
The LBS was created to look after the retirement needs of low-income elderly Singaporeans in three-room and smaller flats.
My grandmother is 75 years old. Shouldn't application procedures be simple, clear and swiftly processed?
The HDB should cut the red tape if the scheme is to serve its purpose.
Phyllis Tan (Ms)
LEASE BUYBACK SCHEME
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>Cut the red tape, my granny's 75
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->IN MID-MARCH, I accompanied my grandmother to the HDB Tampines branch office to apply for the Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) for her three-room flat. We had earlier gone through the list of conditions to confirm her eligibility. She is the sole owner of the flat, after my grandfather died 10 years ago. She does not work and is living on her own.
On her second visit with her daughter for the financial counselling session, they were told to provide an income statement from my aunt as her name appears as a tenant. My aunt is married and has been living in Perth for the past 20 years.
We asked the officer in charge if proof of income was still required, given the fact that my aunt was a housewife in Perth. We were told we had to and my aunt had to contact the officer to do so.
Yet another hitch cropped up after my aunt settled the proof of income query. We were told that my grandmother could not proceed with the application as her HDB block is undergoing lift upgrading works.
She was told that she would have to wait for at least another year for the upgrading to be completed. She would then have to settle the bill for upgrading, and fill the LBS application form again.
I also understand that it takes about six months to receive the first payout, from the time of application, should it be successful.
I asked the HDB officer whether the bill for upgrading work could be offset by the first payout, as it was basically a matter of transferring amounts from one HDB-related account to another.
The polite officer understood my rationale but replied: 'It cannot be done now.'
The LBS was created to look after the retirement needs of low-income elderly Singaporeans in three-room and smaller flats.
My grandmother is 75 years old. Shouldn't application procedures be simple, clear and swiftly processed?
The HDB should cut the red tape if the scheme is to serve its purpose.
Phyllis Tan (Ms)
