Extensions Granted to Individuals Who Renounced Permanent Residency to Dispose of HDB Flat

Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for National Development for HDB flats required to be disposed of within a six-month grace period by individuals who renounced their permanent residency (a) how many extensions to the grace period for such flats have been granted in each of the past 10 years; (b) what are the reasons for granting the extensions; and (c) how many of such flats have not been granted extensions and are not disposed of within the six-month grace period.

HDB flat owners who cease to be Singapore Permanent Residents (SPRs) are not allowed to retain ownership of their flat and must relinquish their interest in it. Should the flat owner fail to relinquish his interest in the flat, HDB will compulsorily acquire it.

Any request for extension of time will be considered on a case-by-case basis. One example of the reasons for consideration is where incoming owners require more time to raise money to effect the change in flat ownership.

HDB does not track the number of such requests. Nevertheless, as shared with the Member in our reply to his earlier Parliamentary Question, the number of owners who ceased to be SPRs in 2022 and are pending the disposal of their HDB flat remains small, at about 90 flat owners, or less than 0.01% of HDB flat owners.