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    HDB warns owner of flat offered as ‘budget hotel’

    By Faris Mokhtar | Yahoo! Newsroom – Thu, Jan 12, 2012

    (Updated: Thurs 6.55pm, adds HDB’s comments; 9:59pm corrects 7th paragraph to say within MOP)

    A warning has been issued to the owner of an HDB flat in Yishun that has allegedly been turned into a “budget hotel”, said the Housing Development Board (HDB) on Thursday.

    A HDB spokesperson said that the agency has investigated the matter, and it has sent a letter of warning to the Singaporean flat owner who had been given approval to sublet his flat on compassionate grounds.

    The owner claims he was unaware his tenant had marketed his flat for transient accommodation and has since terminated the rental agreement, the spokesperson disclosed.

    “HDB takes a stern view against the infringement of housing regulations. HDB and the other authorities are prepared to take firm action against the flat owners and the individuals involved who contravene such rules,” the spokesperson said.

    While HDB flats are meant primarily for owner-occupation, owners are allowed to sublet their unit after completing the required Minimum Occupation Period (MOP).

    This provides flexibility for owners who might be in financial difficulty or retirees who need to supplement their retirement income, and it also helps to meet the demand for market-rental flats, HDB explained.

    However, those wanting to rent out their flats within the MOP will only be considered under “extenuating circumstances”, it added.

    The spokesperson said, “For this particular flat in Jade Spring, which was completed in 2011, the flat owners, a Singaporean household, was given approval to sublet the flat for a limited period of time. The approval had been given on compassionate grounds, as the flat owners needed to take care of a sick parent who is living in another location.”

    HDB’s response came after advertisement of the flat as a “budget hotel” surfaced on various online and social media sites including Facebook. One ad read, "Hi, we have transient rooms and bedspace for rent for Filipinos, located in Yishun."

    Those interested were asked to get in touch with a person known as “Elena Gonzales” who had also listed her contact details on one of the sites.

    Attempts by Yahoo! Singapore to contact Gonzales were unsuccessful.

    According to the ad, the apartment comes equipped with different amenities for a comfortable stay and that a night's stay at the unit costs S$25 per head, which is cheaper than that of budget hotels in Singapore.

    Members of the public who spotted the ad managed to download photos of the unit before the account was deleted, helping others trace the flat to Block 450 in Jade Spring along Yishun Ring Road. It is also understood that the Build-to-Order (BTO) flat was only completed about six months ago.

    Under the Hotels Act (Chapter 127), section 7(1) states, "No person shall keep or manage any premises for the purposes of a hotel unless he is the holder of a valid licence granted in respect of the premises in accordance with the provisions of this Act."

    Moreover, Section 16(7) declares that, "Any person guilty of the offence shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$2,000 and, in the case of a second or subsequent offence, to such fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both."

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    • Kimgold
      Kimgold  •  4 months ago
      HDB had actually cock up its housing policies by MBT. He should be sacked long ago and I cannot understand why he is still around in Parliment. Now we citizens have to suffer for all his wrong housing policies. He is being cursed by by many people. His face is very thick SKIN.
      • Melrose
        Melrose 4 months ago
        He's needed there as an there " office boy " , with salary of course , couldn't bear to part with it .
      • yahooing
        yahooing 4 months ago
        MBT's f****** face needs to be punch, I find him the most irritating to look at especially his f****** mouth.
    • Kimgold
      Kimgold  •  4 months ago
      So many problems. We have no confidence in PAP any more. Better cut another 30% of Ministers pay.
    • Kimgold
      Kimgold  •  4 months ago
      Minister in hiding with millions $pay.
    • Manu
      Manu  •  Singapore, Central Singapore  •  4 months ago
      HDB did its part. Now, what action has STB taken against the Pinoy for flouting the 'Hotels Act'? We Singaporeans follow all the "Rules & Regulations", but do these foreigners get to flout these same "R & R" with impunity?
      • Samurai
        Samurai 4 months ago
        if go court she will say Sir I don't know your law here no body tell me in Philippine we can do anything if you rent a flat
      • love
        love 4 months ago
        the big question is IF. There is almost no way the pinoy will be arrested. All those cases involving foreign trash either have the trash leaving the country "read - diplmats and angmoh fighter" and not returing or ask the singaporean to get your own lawyer
      • s
        s 4 months ago
        Samurai and Love, talk with sense please. ignorant of law is not an allowable excuse. And you think the philipino can put down a big bond and just disappear, if she is only charging $25 per room per night? I think HDB and Police should investigate. May be owner also involved, who knows?
    • Tommyz
      Tommyz  •  4 months ago
      HDB should be FINED, because they are the ACTUAL owner of the flat, we lease it from them.
      • Ong Ling
        Ong Ling 4 months ago
        I fully agreed with Canny Lim!
      • teo
        teo 4 months ago
        A lot of wayang wayang; come 2016 KICK them all OUT!
      • shiva
        shiva 4 months ago
        hahaha...you have good sense of humour...Gave me a good laugh..
    • observers
      observers  •  4 months ago
      The flat was completed only last year. Has the owner met the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) before HDB gave approval for leasing out?

      Will the tenant be taken to court for operating a Hotel without a licence.?
      • sian
        sian 4 months ago
        MOP only come in if u want to sublet the whole unit, however this case is subletting of 1 room.
      • sbAngel
        sbAngel 4 months ago
        actually a special approval was given to the owners on compassionate grounds so they were subletting the entire flat.
        "the flat owners, a Singaporean household, was given approval to sublet the flat for a limited period of time. The approval had been given on compassionate grounds, as the flat owners needed to take care of a sick parent who is living in another location.”
      • John
        John 4 months ago
        sorry 'observers' i not actually disagree with u. But this time round the owner got a special approval to subletting the entire flat for a period of time.''as the flat owners needed to take care of a sick parent who is living in another location.” Its just his luck to meet that kind of FTrash which turn his house into a motel... It should punish that FTrash act as a warning to other Fthrash which are doing this kind of monkey business. Not just letting that Ftrash off that easy. So in this case is a sign of telling those trash which are doing the same thing not to worry its ok cos once u get caught, it's only a warning letter so pls carry on!! Thanks to our gov lor...
    • Skyman
      Skyman  •  Singapore, Central Singapore  •  4 months ago
      Should stop this filiphino permit and send her back....
      • L-Pop
        L-Pop 4 months ago
        agreed! as much as we need and try our best to welcome foreigners, a tougher act from the govt. got to be put in place to remove those "black sheeps" out of the country.
      • Jack
        Jack 4 months ago
        yes
      • ron
        ron 4 months ago
        correct
    • 团结就是力量
      团结就是力量  •  4 months ago
      Warning to flat owner if he is not part of the deal.

      The tenant should not be just let off so easily.
      She should charged and bring to task.

      HDB too lazy to do the work?
      You should do something about it to make it a deterent for other similar case that may be already going on or will happen in the future.

      START WORKING !!!!!
    • Otacon
      Otacon  •  4 months ago
      Why does it come as a surprise that it's a foreigner again,and no real punishment has been meted out? While our people are finding it hard to find a proper home to live in,these jokers convert it into some pathetic hotel.
    • sally
      sally  •  Singapore, Central Singapore  •  4 months ago
      FTs = Foreign Troubles?
    • Amazing126
      Amazing126  •  Singapore, Central Singapore  •  4 months ago
      HDB HAS LOOPE HOLES. I heard a Foreigner converted her father to citizen in order to buy a five room flat and immediately rent out to foreign friends thru contacts for short stay in Singapore. Her well off father doesn't stay in Singapore at all. Deprived many Singaporeans from getting their flats.
    • Jonn
      Jonn  •  Singapore, Central Singapore  •  4 months ago
      Such an abuse of privilege, a direct result of Government Mass Immigration Policy. Can't blame HDB alone... It's the whole Cabinet from 2003 to 2012 who has to answer for this.
    • Tommyz
      Tommyz  •  Singapore, Central Singapore  •  4 months ago
      HDB wayang as usual, vote PAP out!
    • pedo
      pedo  •  Singapore, Central Singapore  •  4 months ago
      so we all know the culprit is Elena Gonzales. fine or jail her
    • Joker
      Joker  •  Singapore, Central Singapore  •  4 months ago
      they are really courteous to FTs...... warning only???!!! If local citizens, die liow!
    • Tommyz
      Tommyz  •  4 months ago
      Why should we pay HDB property tax, when we are lease and dont own the HDB flat, HDB is the owner and shoulld pay property tax, not us
    • sally
      sally  •  Singapore, Central Singapore  •  4 months ago
      There are definitely more of such cases... but not exposed! Tt Pinoy main tenant is damn goondu to think that her advert will only be seen by another Pinoy. DUH?! MOre than a warning letter, this person should be stripped of her PR or EP or Work Permit status and be booted outta the country for good. Isn't "kill one to warn a hundred" been always the rule of the ruling thumb?
    • elyo
      elyo  •  Singapore, Central Singapore  •  4 months ago
      The owner received a warning from HDB, but HDB is the one that is collecting the levies from him and had given him the approval. I am sure he has to submit the particulars of the intended tenants to HDB for their approval and this was approved!!!! MY TAKE IS THAT HDB SHOULD ALSO GO FOR THE TENANTS and not let her go free. If she get to go scott free then HDB should answer to the public as they are the approving body for this landlord and also the tenants.
    • sharing
      sharing  •  Singapore, Central Singapore  •  4 months ago
      Singaporean wants to buy HDB so difficult!
      Foreign get the flat and used it for hotel and it is just warning!
      I think this is not fair to Singaporean!
      HDB has rules and regulations for Singapore but not PR or Foreign.
      Sigh.......
    • future singaporeans
      future singaporeans  •  4 months ago
      Legal System of Justice is Dead!
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