Additional Ballot Chances for Applicants with More Than Five Unsuccessful Attempts to Buy HDB BTO or Sale of Balance Flats in Non-mature Estates

Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for National Development whether the number of additional ballot chances can be exponentially ramped up for applicants with more than five unsuccessful attempts to buy a HDB BTO flat or HDB Sale of Balance of Flats in non-mature estates.

First-timer families are given two ballot chances when HDB shortlists flat applicants to book a flat under the Build-To-Order (BTO) and Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercises. Those who have been unsuccessful in two or more attempts for a BTO flat in the non-mature estates already receive an additional ballot chance at each subsequent application for a BTO flat in the non-mature estates. This is provided they have not been invited to select a flat for any of their earlier BTO or SBF applications.

As a result, virtually all first-timer families have been successful within their first three tries for a BTO flat in the non-mature estates in recent years. There is no need to further increase the number of ballot chances for these applicants at this juncture.

SBF flats are mainly unsold BTO flats. As the supply of SBF flats is smaller and demand is high, it would not be meaningful to accord additional ballot chances to unsuccessful applicants. Applicants should consider applying for BTO flats in the non-mature estates instead, where the chances of success are higher.