Flat owner embroiled in illegal sublet case

PropertyGuru

2 May 2012 at 6:00 am

By Romesh Navaratnarajah:The owner of a Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat in Geylang has allegedly been caught advertising room rentals for S$60 per night, according to a report in The New Paper.

The advertisement, which was carried in the October 2011 issue of inflight magazine Lion-Mag, showed three photos of rooms for rent, along with the flat's address and highlighted that staff in the house can speak Bahasa Indonesia.

When contacted last week, the owner denied placing the advertisement, adding that it was just a misunderstanding. She claimed that those who came in and out of the flat last year were actually her family members from Indonesia.

"I have a big family from Indonesia. When they visit, they fill up my whole flat. I did not rent my rooms to tourists," said the owner who declined to be named.

The housing board is now investigating the matter, with a spokesman reiterating that HDB flats and bedrooms cannot be sublet to short-term occupants.

"A tourist's length of stay is usually short, and the turnover of such 'occupiers' is expected to be high. This may lead to high human traffic to and from the flat, which will disrupt the pleasant living environment and ambience in our HDB estates," noted the spokesman.

Moreover, HDB emphasised that subletting of rooms to non-approved sub-tenants like tourists is considered a lease infringement.

The spokesman said: "HDB will take stem action against the flat owners, including imposing a financial penalty, or even compulsory acquisition of the flat".

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