Housing & estates — Topics

3 Nov 2020

Breakdown of Purchasers by Age Bands in Five-year Intervals of HDB BTO Flats and Resale Transactions by Flat Size over Last 10 Years

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis requested the breakdown of HDB BTO and resale flat purchasers by age bands in five-year intervals for each flat size over the last 10 years.
Minister Desmond Lee provided the age profile of flat buyers who completed their purchases from 2010 to 2019.
The response includes data for both BTO and resale transactions across various flat sizes.
The breakdown is organized by five-year age bands to show demographic trends.
The information covers a full decade, offering a comprehensive view of purchaser age distribution.

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3 Nov 2020

Annual Breakdown by Marital Status and Age Bands in Five-year Intervals of Singaporean Purchasers of Private Residential Properties over Last 10 Years

Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked for an annual breakdown of Singaporean private residential property purchasers over the last 10 years by marital status and age bands in five-year intervals.
Desmond Lee responded that married purchasers accounted for more than two-thirds of transactions over the period.
Purchasers aged below 55 represented more than 80% of transactions.
The largest share of transactions came from purchasers aged 35 to 39, at around 20%.
The breakdown by marital status and age has remained broadly consistent over the past 10 years.

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3 Nov 2020

Funeral Wakes Held in HDB Void Decks Annually

Between 2010 and 2019, an average of about 8,000 funeral wakes were held annually at HDB void decks and multi-purpose pavilions.
With Singapore's ageing population, resident deaths are projected to rise to around 40,000 by 2040, increasing demand for funeral wake spaces.
The government plans to increase funeral parlour capacity, including redeveloping the Mount Vernon site into a new complex in Bidadari by 2025 and developing four more parlour sites over the next decade.
Agencies will continue monitoring long-term demand for funeral spaces to ensure facilities are ready ahead of need.

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3 Nov 2020

Monitoring Number and Severity of BTO Flat Defects Associated with Particular Contractors

Leon Perera asked whether HDB monitors and accounts for the number and severity of BTO flat defects tied to specific contractors, including during and after the one-year defects liability period, and how such data influences future contract awards.
HDB tracks contractor performance through the Contractors Performance Assessment (CPA) framework, which includes assessments every six months based on construction progress, work quality, and site safety, with defect incidence impacting scores.
Contractors with poor CPA scores, including those linked to high defect rates, may face reduced opportunities to secure future HDB projects, as CPA scores are factored into the Price Quality Method used for tender evaluations.
Most defects are reported during the defects liability period and incorporated into CPA scores; issues reported afterward are investigated, and if due to inherent defects, HDB requires the original contractor to rectify them.

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3 Nov 2020

Recent Demand for Landed and Private Properties in Singapore

The recent demand for landed and private properties is driven by pent-up demand following the reopening of sales galleries and viewings, supported by an accommodative interest rate environment.
Banks scrutinise loan applicants under the current economic climate by maintaining sound credit underwriting standards, considering income uncertainty, and adhering to prudential measures like the Total Debt Servicing Ratio and loan-to-value limits.
The government has implemented cooling measures and macroprudential policies to moderate property cycles and protect households, and it continues to monitor the market to adjust policies as needed to prevent a property bubble.

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2 Nov 2020

Extension of Rainwater Harvesting Systems under HDB Greenprints @ Yuhua Programme to Mature Housing Estates to Minimise Potable Water Usage for Common Area Washing and Watering of Plants

Murali Pillai proposed extending rainwater harvesting systems from the HDB Greenprint @ Yuhua pilot to mature estates to cut potable water use for common areas and plant watering.
Desmond Lee noted the initial pilot was not cost-effective due to separate tanks and treatment systems, but HDB has since developed a more integrated Urban Water Harvesting System (UWHS) that lowers costs and also helps mitigate flooding.
The UWHS is now included in all suitable BTO projects from August 2018, and HDB will pilot it in some existing estates under the Green Towns Programme, with wider rollout if successful.
HDB is working with PUB to identify pilot sites based on cost-effectiveness and technical feasibility, and will continue exploring new water-saving solutions.

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2 Nov 2020

Prioritisation Criteria for Electrical Load Upgrading Programme for Neighbourhoods and Blocks

Sharael Taha asked how the Electrical Load Upgrading Programme (ELUP) for HDB blocks is prioritised and when all upgrades from 30-amp to 40-amp switches will be completed.
HDB prioritises ELUP for blocks selected under the Home Improvement Programme (HIP) and Neighbourhood Renewal Programme (NRP) to reduce inconvenience, and groups nearby blocks to optimise electrical substations.
ELUP upgrades about 1,500 older HDB blocks, with works carried out in phases and an estimated completion timeframe of about 10 years.

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2 Nov 2020

Timeline for Replacement of All Laundry Pole Holders with Elderly-friendly Drying Racks in HDB Flats

Joan Pereira asked if HDB could replace all laundry pole holders with elderly-friendly drying racks immediately rather than waiting for the Home Improvement Programme.
Desmond Lee explained that HDB has already upgraded nearly 450,000 flats with external drying racks and is now rolling out a phased programme for 230,000 older flats over the next decade.
He noted that some flats upgraded under earlier programmes still have the old holders and that HDB is exploring replacement options for them.
In the interim, residents are encouraged to use indoor free-standing drying racks as an alternative solution.

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2 Nov 2020

Average Percentage of Families Living in HDB Rental Flats Subsequently Moving on to HDB Home Ownership

Ms. Nadia Ahmad Samdin asked the Minister for National Development about the average percentage of families in HDB rental flats who later achieve HDB home ownership and the typical duration this takes.
Minister Desmond Lee reported that the number of rental households moving to home ownership rose from about 500 in 2013 to 950 in 2019, representing roughly 2% of all rental households that year, with a median stay of seven years.
He noted an additional 2,000 rental households have booked a flat and are awaiting completion, and HDB actively supports tenants through grants, schemes, the Fresh Start Housing Scheme, the Home Ownership Support Team, and collaboration with MSF under ComLink.

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2 Nov 2020

Profile, Training and Certification of Employees Working for Managing Agents of Management Corporation Strata Titles

Mohd Fahmi Aliman asked the Minister for National Development for a breakdown of employees working for managing agents of Management Corporations Strata Titles (MCSTs) by residential status and occupations, and whether there are mandatory training or certifications required for these employees.
The Minister, Desmond Lee, provided a summary table of employment data from firms providing managing agent services to MCSTs, noting these firms may also service non-MCST clients and offer non-managing agent services.
To enhance professionalism, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) collaborated with property and strata manager associations to develop voluntary accreditation schemes for firms and individuals, with training programs guided by a BCA competency framework implemented since July this year.

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2 Nov 2020

Flexibility to Refinance Private Properties arising Due to Medical Emergencies for Those Aged over 70 Years

Christopher de Souza asked the Prime Minister whether more flexibility could be introduced for individuals over 70 to refinance private properties, especially for medical emergencies or cash flow needs.
Tharman Shanmugaratnam, responding for the Prime Minister, noted existing measures like mortgage equity withdrawal loans not subject to debt servicing limits for loans under 50% of property value, with no age limits set by MAS.
He highlighted that financial institutions still conduct credit assessments and may require joint borrowers or guarantors, with MAS allowing non-owner joint borrowers to facilitate such loans.
The Government encouraged individuals to discuss relief options with financial institutions and mentioned alternative monetisation methods like renting, right-sizing, or the HDB Lease Buyback Scheme.
The Government committed to ongoing reviews to better facilitate housing asset monetisation for retirement needs.

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2 Nov 2020

Cases under Restriction on Re-issue of Option to Purchase for Same Unit to Same Purchaser

The Minister reported that since January 2019, 5,500 private housing units had Options to Purchase (OTPs) re-issued to the same purchasers, with about 70% exercised within an average of less than six months and only 1% lapsing.
From 28 September, URA has prohibited developers from agreeing upfront to re-issue OTPs or re-issuing them to the same purchaser for the same unit within 12 months of the earlier OTP’s expiry, to enhance financial prudence amid economic uncertainties.
To minimise impact, URA will allow developers to honour previous commitments made before the rule change and will grant extensions of OTP validity for purchasers needing more time, avoiding the need for re-issuance.

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2 Nov 2020

Fixing Defects Due to Design or Construction Flaws After Defects Liability Period

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked whether HDB will consider defects identified after the defects liability period but stemming from systematic design or construction flaws by a single contractor to be covered, and whether funds under the Home Improvement Programme can be used for cost-sharing for such defects, especially for those with financial need.
Desmond Lee clarified that systematic design and construction defects are addressed within one year under the defects liability period, while issues reported later are investigated case-by-case; repairs are borne by owners if due to wear and tear, but HDB will rectify if clear evidence shows contractor or design fault.
He noted that HDB’s Home Improvement Programme (HIP) helps older flats with common maintenance issues but is not intended for general design or construction defects, which are handled through a separate process.
HIP is scoped and budgeted for specific items like spalling concrete and wastepipe repairs for blocks completed up to 1997, and is periodically reviewed for relevance.
For financial assistance with repairs, flat owners can seek help from grassroots organisations and Community Development Councils.

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2 Nov 2020

Review on Social Benefits for Lower and Middle Income Households

The Government is committed to building a caring and inclusive society, with social expenditure tripled over 15 years, and a system where lower- and middle-income households receive significantly more in transfers and subsidies than the taxes they pay.
Comprehensive support is provided across education, work, housing, retirement, healthcare, and social assistance, including heavily subsidised education, wage uplift schemes like Workfare, housing subsidies up to $160,000, and healthcare subsidies of up to 80% for hospitalisations.
During COVID-19, unprecedented relief measures were rolled out, including the Care and Support Package, targeted grants for unemployed or income-loss households, and Grocery Vouchers for lower-income households.
The Government regularly reviews social policies, such as enhancing the Silver Support Scheme and forming a Tripartite Workgroup on Lower Wage Workers, to ensure inclusivity and address evolving needs.
Overall, the system redistributes wealth so that those with less receive more, with the bottom 20% of households receiving nearly 30% of benefits while contributing less than 10% of taxes.

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2 Nov 2020

Complaints of Disamenities Caused by Littering, Smoking and Excessive Noise and Smells and Cases Resolved via Mediation

From 2017 to 2019, HDB received an average of 4,400 annual complaints about neighbor disamenities like noise, littering, and smells, with about 735 cases registered yearly at the Community Mediation Centre.
About 70% of registered cases did not proceed to mediation due to non-acceptance or self-resolution, while 30% that mediated had over 80% settlement rate, with around 27% of settled cases requiring further mediation.
The average time from mediation application to resolution is 29 days, and unresolved cases are directed to the Community Dispute Resolution Tribunal as a last resort.
The government regularly reviews and refines the dispute management framework to better handle neighbor disputes and promote harmonious living.

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14 Oct 2020

Ratio of Total Number of Dwelling Units to Pavilions and Total Number of Void Decks to Blocks in Current and New HDB Developments

Desmond Lee explained that newer HDB blocks are taller and more compact, resulting in smaller void decks compared to older designs, but this is offset by purpose-built facilities like precinct pavilions, landscaped carpark roofs, high-rise gardens, and Community Living Rooms.
Since the 1990s, new HDB developments have included precinct pavilions to support community functions, with HDB regularly reviewing norms to ensure adequate numbers relative to blocks and dwelling units.
HDB optimises smaller void decks by introducing Community Living Rooms, pushing columns to edges for more space, and integrating larger communal facilities into carparks or standalone buildings instead of void decks.
The design evolution reflects a shift from relying on void decks for community spaces to a diversified approach with various facilities, supported by resident satisfaction surveys and ongoing reviews.

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14 Oct 2020

Statistics on Wife Retaining Matrimonial Flat or Allocated Rental Flat by HDB Following Divorce

From 2015 to 2019, the ex-wife retained the matrimonial flat in 70% of transfer cases (5,100 out of 7,200) and in 43% of resale of part-share cases (250 out of 580).
In cases where the flat was sold on the open market or returned to HDB, 37% (2,500 out of about 6,700) involved the ex-wife purchasing another flat or becoming an occupier.
HDB allocated about 1,600 rental flats to female divorcees with care and control of children over the same period.
HDB does not track specific numbers for ex-wives who moved in with family, bought private property, or rented elsewhere.
HDB continues to assist all divorcees who approach them for housing support.

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14 Oct 2020

Requests for Deferment of Loan Payment Received by HDB since Start of Circuit Breaker Period and Proportion Approved

Ms Ng Ling Ling asked how many HDB loan deferment requests were received and approved since the start of the circuit breaker period due to rising unemployment.
Minister Desmond Lee stated that HDB provides holistic financial counselling and does not track specific deferment requests, but assisted around 2,500 households from April to August 2020.
Of those assisted, 864 households deferred loan payments and 277 reduced their payments, with the situation being monitored for future adjustments.

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14 Oct 2020

Addressing Bed Bug Infestations and Excessive Hoarding Problems at HDB Rental Blocks

Denise Phua Lay Peng asked HDB for a more effective solution for bed bug infestations and excessive hoarding in rental flats.
Desmond Lee explained that HDB provides pest control treatment on a goodwill basis for bed bug infestations and can transfer tenants to another flat for serious cases.
For hoarding cases, HDB follows a Hoarding Management Framework with coordinated support and may work with agencies to declutter for safety.
HDB collaborates with Social Service Agencies to provide counselling and support for residents with underlying issues related to hoarding or infestations.

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14 Oct 2020

Regular Cyclical Maintenance for HDB Rental Flats beyond Typical Repair Works

Denise Phua Lay Peng asked if HDB would provide regular cyclical maintenance for rental flats beyond typical repairs.
Desmond Lee stated that HDB inspects rental flats annually and repairs or replaces defective items before letting them out.
He added that rental blocks are upgraded through programmes like the Home Improvement and Lift Upgrading Programmes and specific projects such as the Rental Flat Upgrading Project and Project LIFE1.
HDB will continue maintaining and upgrading rental flats, including under HIP II, and will study further programmes as flats age.

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