Two lose HDB flats for renting them to tourists

[Jman888]

Two lose HDB flats for renting them to tourists

09/06/2014on mypaper

INCREASINGLY POPULAR: Home-rental websites like Airbnb and Roomorama have become more popular. According to Roomorama, it had some 500 listings for Singapore properties last month, an increase of 30 per cent from last year. (PHOTO: INTERNET)

CONSIDER this a warning for those thinking about making a quick buck from renting their homes to short-term visitors.

Two home owners have lost their flats after the Housing Board found they had let out their units to tourists.

Home-rental websites like Airbnb and Roomorama have become more popular here.

The founder of Roomorama, Ms Teo Jia En, told The Straits Times last month that the website had some 500 listings for Singapore properties, which is an increase of 30 per cent from last year.

A search on travelmob turned up more than 630 local listings, and another portal, Airbnb, has more than 1,000.

But these flout HDB and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) regulations, which state that when a home (HDB or private) is leased out, it must be for at least six months.

Though there have been complaints in the past, and the housing authorities have investigated thousands of cases, this is the first time that HDB has revealed it has taken the step of booting out home owners for the infraction.

While the agency would not say when it took back the executive flat in the east, and the four-room flat in the west, it did say that its investigations proved the owners had leased out the flats to multiple tourists for between $25 and $75 per night.

It also issued a warning to one more flat owner in the central part of Singapore.

According to its spokesman, an errant home owner can also face a financial penalty.

The HDB investigated 184 cases of short-term leasing in public flats last year. It investigated 106 cases the year before.

A spokesman for the URA, which has oversight over private dwellings, said that in the first four months of this year, it investigated 350 cases of "unauthorised use" of private properties.

Last year, it investigated 2,100 such cases, which included instances where home owners turned their apartments into dorms for foreign workers.

Private homeowners who flout the six-month minimum rule face a maximum fine of $200,000 and a jail term of up to 12 months.

Said the URA spokesman: "Some home owners are turning their homes into boarding houses and leasing rooms out for a couple of days to generate quick income from spaces they can spare."

But most other home owners do not want to live among transient strangers, the spokesman added.

An HDB spokesman said other residents felt the frequent change of occupants would pose security concerns.

THE NEW PAPER

 

 

obigood!

[Mockngbrd]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

ORBI gootch!

 

 

 

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*but pls leave the cheekons alone*

Edited June 9, 2014 by Mockngbrd

[Kangadrool]

no worry, rentor salah, rentee no salah.

 

Think this issue is quite prevalent both for private and HDB flats.

 

It's matter they want to crack it down hard or not.

[Wt_know]

clap clap clap ... but chicken farm can rent for 6 months for operation ... lol

then move from estate to estate ... huat ah!

amk is out ... next toa payoh?

Edited June 9, 2014 by Wt_know

[13177]

How they catch? I am sure there are lots more such owners who rent out their flat to tourists or foreigners to earn quick bucks!

[Rainbowbiatch]

just login to airbnb and search..

viola!

 

so many hdb units.

[Hiphiphoray]

Greed has no boundaries.

 

Orbi good.........please catch more of them.

[Windwaver]

If I'm not wrong, losing your flat doesn't mean $0.

 

What HDB does is to return a certain amount (probably valuation) back to the owner's CPF.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong .

 

Another problem is overcrowding due to rental. It's amazing when you see almost half a platoon of different faces go in and out of 1 unit all the time

[Hydrocarbon]

Why orbigood?

 

AirBnB is a great service, really.. Saves travelers money, as well as allow them to meet new people (hosts).. Recently used it when I was traveling Japan, and our host was amazing..

 

While it's against regulations for HDB, in this case, I think the regulations are crap, and hopefully will be changed. Though I have more chance of winning the CNY 10M hong bao than the regulation has a chance of being changed. =S

[Wt_know]

and it takes so longgggggggggggggggggggggg for the authority to find 2 hdb renting to tourists

 

just login to airbnb and search..

viola!

 

so many hdb units.

 

Edited June 9, 2014 by Wt_know

[Ktglfc]

and it takes so longgggggggggggggggggggggg for the authority to find 2 hdb renting to tourists

 

 

 

The owners should rent out permanently to FWs, and earn a steady stream of income.

Why bend the law to rent out to tourists, if you need income?

 

Now, you lose your hdb flat, this is really or-bi-good.

 

Just apply to rent out to FWs, malaysians, etc. Apply to HDB, and you will get approval.

Steady income coming in, and no foul of laws.

Thats what my parents do, after we move out.

A few hundreds dollars income for a room rental out, to supplement my dad's cleaner job. All happy :)

[Jman888]

and it takes so longgggggggggggggggggggggg for the authority to find 2 hdb renting to tourists

 

 

 

 

can't just take away every time they find one, must give 1st warning, 2nd warning then action.

[Count-Bracula]

Home stay by tourists is the trend, what's wrong with renting a day or 2 to tourists?

 

Green-eyed monsters dun like people who make fast buck?

Edited June 9, 2014 by Count-Bracula

[Jman888]

Home stay by tourists is the trend, what's wrong with renting a day or 2 to tourists?

 

Green-eyed monsters dun like people who make fast buck?

 

 

home stay for free? i guess those people are doing it for money and too often (probably avoid income tax, you know they dun like this!)

 

but it is a problem if i see strangers going in and out in my neighborhood.

[Ktglfc]

 

 

home stay for free? i guess those people are doing it for money and too often (probably avoid income tax, you know they dun like this!)

 

but it is a problem if i see strangers going in and out in my neighborhood.

 

All these, are really bao-toh by others.

[Watwheels]

Just say they are your foreign friends and they are staying at your home for a couple of days. Catch what?

 

You know the unofficial rule of NS. Do anything but dunch get caught. Those got caught must be very honest. LoL...

[GongJiaoWei]

If I'm not wrong, losing your flat doesn't mean $0.

 

What HDB does is to return a certain amount (probably valuation) back to the owner's CPF.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong .

 

Another problem is overcrowding due to rental. It's amazing when you see almost half a platoon of different faces go in and out of 1 unit all the time

 

I assume that HDB do not return the valuation amount.. Cos' is like confiscated.. Should be same as crime such as using HDB flat as betting station or casino bah.

 

Same as if one is to use his car to smuggle eg drugs into the SG and ganna caught. .. I dun think custom will return him the car or pay him some $.

[Janling3]

I know a number of HDB owners in CDB area has been reconfiguring the bedroom partition in such a way that it can increase from 3 into 6 air-conditioned bedrooms with a much smaller living room, dining if any at all as a compromise just to optimise the rentable area to tourists. Yet they also live in there with their children. Of course, no privacy .... Is this a way to milk more money out of your only assets or liability? Being creative and business minded gives them substantial steady monthly income.. :)