BT : HDB steps up checks on unauthorised sub-letting

Business Times - 29 Jul 2010

HDB steps up checks on unauthorised sub-letting

THE Housing and Development Board has cracked down on unauthorised sub-letting. Almost four times as many checks were carried out in the first five months of this year - 2,600, versus 690 between August and December 2009.

About 70 per cent of the 2,600 checks were routine inspections. The others were carried out after public feedback.

HDB said it has taken compulsory acquisition action against four flat owners this year and fined six others for unauthorised sub-letting.

Those whose flats were repossessed were not staying in them and had sub-let without HDB approval.

Owners are allowed to sub-let whole flats only after occupying them for at least five years if they are subsidised flats, or three years if they are non-subsidised.

Owners must also obtain written approval from HDB before sub-letting an entire flat. Different flat types have different limits on the number of sub-tenants allowed. One and two-room flats are allowed four sub-tenants, three-rooms are allowed six and larger flats are allowed up to nine sub-tenants.

Approval is not required for sub-letting of rooms, but flat owners must let HDB know within seven days of doing so.

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