Woman takes in $50,000 a month offering homestay to foreign students

[MarrickG]

It's big bucks & unregulated. Her gross income is about $50,000 every month. But Mrs Lim is neither a CEO nor an MD; she is a housewife who looks after children.

Lots of them.

They are foreign students who live with her in her semi-detached house or at a rented terrace house.

Mrs Lim is part of a growing trend of Singaporeans who offer homestay to foreign students, providing them with accommodation, daily meals and laundry and guardianship services for a monthly fee.

In Singapore, a foreign student younger than 18 years old who is in a government school requires a guardian.

 

[halsey02]

It's big bucks & unregulated. Her gross income is about $50,000 every month. But Mrs Lim is neither a CEO nor an MD; she is a housewife who looks after children.

Lots of them.

They are foreign students who live with her in her semi-detached house or at a rented terrace house.

Mrs Lim is part of a growing trend of Singaporeans who offer homestay to foreign students, providing them with accommodation, daily meals and laundry and guardianship services for a monthly fee.

In Singapore, a foreign student younger than 18 years old who is in a government school requires a guardian.

This is not NEW...people had been doing this for YEARS!, in the 1970's when the wealthy Malaysian Chinese send their children to study here, people had been renting a room and some even take in a few students, some almost the entire house ( semi-D, terrace etc); and later came the Indonesian Chinese & other Indonesians wealthy people's childrewn who study here...and later Taiwanese...etc

This is not new....you read the news then, IRAS is getting itchy to 'harvest' those missed 'bee hives' for 'honey' ( money)

 

[Dreamer1]

It's big bucks & unregulated. Her gross income is about $50,000 every month. But Mrs Lim is neither a CEO nor an MD; she is a housewife who looks after children.

Lots of them.

They are foreign students who live with her in her semi-detached house or at a rented terrace house.

Mrs Lim is part of a growing trend of Singaporeans who offer homestay to foreign students, providing them with accommodation, daily meals and laundry and guardianship services for a monthly fee.

In Singapore, a foreign student younger than 18 years old who is in a government school requires a guardian.

Are u referring to that Indonesia couple who manages Balestier Hostel at Balestier Road?I heard they grossed S$100,000.00 per month or more,no verification but they drive around in a very grand Jaguar!

 

[chootchiew]

This woman takes about 1.3k each from their parents, and squeezes all the students in a bunk. I find the parents stupid to allow their child to live in this type of condition. Anyway is always ones stupdity that allow another to gain.

 

[Papsmearer]

This woman takes about 1.3k each from their parents, and squeezes all the students in a bunk. I find the parents stupid to allow their child to live in this type of condition. Anyway is always ones stupdity that allow another to gain.

I don't see how this is possible. If she charges $1300 a month (and that sounds like a reasonable amount), she needs to have at least 38 students. How can she squeeze in 38 students into a semi-D and a terrace house, plus her own family members. She and her own family members and the maid will take up at least 3 bedrooms, and than the rest can fit 38 students? Even if she puts 2 to a room, that's too many rooms to be possible.

 

[chootchiew]

I don't see how this is possible. If she charges $1300 a month (and that sounds like a reasonable amount), she needs to have at least 38 students. How can she squeeze in 38 students into a semi-D and a terrace house, plus her own family members. She and her own family members and the maid will take up at least 3 bedrooms, and than the rest can fit 38 students? Even if she puts 2 to a room, that's too many rooms to be possible.

In the reports, it stated as she accomodated 85 students. I guess herself will forgo her privacy and squeeze herself with her own children, maids and hubby in 1 room. Maybe her terrace has 5 bedrooms, 1 taken by herself, then 85/4, per room about 20 students, triple beds type (since terrace has higher ceilings) so 7 rows of 3 decks., like a barrack lo.

 

[shOUTloud]

How can one person be guardian to 85 children!? How does she look after them? I am sure half of them are working in Geylang. Crap

 

[wahlaneh]

wahlaneh...
maybe she also offers those foreign students some "special services" mah.

 

[da dick]

no wonder so many "pei-du" mamas here in sillypore. they no money to pay such rates. or maybe they just smarter. come here with their kid, can dump their loser husband in china and find another ah pek to leech, and rent a cheaper room compared to those shitty student hostels.

 

[numero uno]

I don't see how this is possible. If she charges $1300 a month (and that sounds like a reasonable amount), she needs to have at least 38 students. How can she squeeze in 38 students into a semi-D and a terrace house, plus her own family members. She and her own family members and the maid will take up at least 3 bedrooms, and than the rest can fit 38 students? Even if she puts 2 to a room, that's too many rooms to be possible.

This is basically like indian laboureres overcrowding in a small house. this is agaginst health regulations and the law as it spreads diseases and dengue, malaria , bed bugs , H1N1 flu, cough, TB and what have you.Not to mention noise and air pollution. no wonder so so many cases of epidemics in singapore past few years. somebody should report to ministry of health or Home affairs or NEA>>>>>basically selfish b@stards who breaks the laws. in US or western countries you get jailed or fined heavily. no difference singapore from China where you see 30-40 people stuffed into 1 or 2 rooms sacrificing students health for $$$. still got the gall to say she looked after them..

 

[johnny333]

This is not NEW...people had been doing this for YEARS!, in the 1970's when the wealthy Malaysian Chinese send their children to study here, people had been renting a room and some even take in a few students,......

I see some child care/kindergarten being operated from some bungalows in a residential area. Often wondered if it's legal to run these businesses from a home

If it is legal it must be lucrative if they can afford a bungalow

 

[drifter]

to all the brothers out there .....dont just kpkb about FT coming singapore ...you guys must make use of them to earn some money ..this is the golden chance your PAP has given you ... make full use of those FT . remember , theres always a good way of making money even the market dont favour you .

 

[singveld]

It's big bucks & unregulated. Her gross income is about $50,000 every month. .

that is one big PAP dog, that support FT/FW rule. She will fight for the regime with her life to keep it. In egypt, she basically the one who throw stone at protesters in egypt.

 

[Papsmearer]

In the reports, it stated as she accomodated 85 students. I guess herself will forgo her privacy and squeeze herself with her own children, maids and hubby in 1 room. Maybe her terrace has 5 bedrooms, 1 taken by herself, then 85/4, per room about 20 students, triple beds type (since terrace has higher ceilings) so 7 rows of 3 decks., like a barrack lo.

I think physically its impossible. 20 students per room is way too much. Also, what about things like bathroom. At the most, each house has 3 or 4 bathrooms. They have to line up in the morning or take a number? everyone budgeted 3 mins. for shower? Impossible. In any case, if its 85 students, than each pay about $588 on average. I think if you are a PRC parent and send your kids to study in S'pore and pay $588 per month, I would want to know what kind of accomodations they are getting. This woman is squeezing them in tighter than sardines. I can't see any parent putting their precious single child into this circumstances.

 

[Papsmearer]

This is basically like indian laboureres overcrowding in a small house. this is agaginst health regulations and the law as it spreads diseases and dengue, malaria , bed bugs , H1N1 flu, cough, TB and what have you.Not to mention noise and air pollution. no wonder so so many cases of epidemics in singapore past few years. somebody should report to ministry of health or Home affairs or NEA>>>>>basically selfish b@stards who breaks the laws. in US or western countries you get jailed or fined heavily. no difference singapore from China where you see 30-40 people stuffed into 1 or 2 rooms sacrificing students health for $$$. still got the gall to say she looked after them..

Definitely, and not to mention its a fire hazard too. If the house caught fire, u have many roasted children. I don't know how u can cook nutritious meal for 85 people unless u have a commercial/restuarant syle kitchen. How often are they allowed ot bath? I am sure the bathrooms are perptually occupied.

 

[myo539]

...This is not new....you read the news then, IRAS is getting itchy to 'harvest' those missed 'bee hives' for 'honey' ( money)

Haha, the first sign is to "expose" them with daily news about how this group is making money, then some horror stories about how some of them scooted off with the money, or how unhygienic or overcrowded some of these places; then comes the "regulation" part, finally a quasi-gahment organisation like NTUC will lord over this "industry".

Yes, this guardianship role has been in existence long, long ago. May be the Chinese and Indian PRs sense that money can be made, and they want to make as much money as they can before retiring to their motherland.