Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for National Development (a) in each year of the last five years, what is the average number of complaints of nuisance against tenants of neighbouring units in HDB estates; (b) of these, what is the average number which involves foreign tenants; (c) what is the percentage of cases where penalties are meted out by HDB against such errant tenants; and (d) what is the range of actions and penalties imposed by HDB.
Mr Desmond Lee: Over the past five years, the Housing and Development Board (HDB) received on average about 180 instances of feedback per year relating to nuisance caused by tenants renting HDB flats or bedrooms. This constitutes about 1.5% of the total volume of feedback on nuisance by neighbours. HDB does not track the proportion of feedback involving only foreign tenants.
HDB flat owners are required to seek HDB’s approval prior to renting out their flats or bedrooms. They must also comply with the terms and conditions, which include the requirement to conduct regular checks on their tenants to ensure that tenants do not cause a nuisance to neighbours. HDB may terminate the rental approval if flat owners fail to adhere to any of the conditions within the terms and conditions.
Where friction arises between neighbours, including tenants, HDB adopts a mediative approach and advises flat owners and tenants to be mindful of causing disturbances to others. We have explained in a previous reply in January 2024 that the parties can also tap on Government initiatives, such as the inter-agency Community Dispute Management Framework and the Community Mediation Centre, to reach mutually acceptable solutions. [Please refer to “Rationale for and Impact of Increased Rental Occupancy Cap for HDB Units”, Official Report, 9 January 2024, Vol 95, Issue 118, Oral Answers to Questions section.]
In a separate reply in January 2023, we also explained that the vast majority of such feedback on disamenities were resolved through this mediative approach. [Please refer to “Approvals to Flat Owners to Sublet Entire Property Rescinded due to Nuisance Caused by Tenants”, Official Report, 10 January 2023, Vol 95, Issue 80, Written Answers to Questions section.]
Ministry of National Development
5 February 2024
https://sprs.parl.gov.sg/search/#/sprs3topic?reportid=written-answer-15538
Office of the Leader of the Opposition 