The price of illegal subletting
Source: TODAY Online
The couple’s four-room flat was repossessed after they were found to have sublet it out illegally – but that’s not the only thing the Housing and Development Board (HDB) discovered.
The couple, identified as Mr Poh Boon Kay and his wife Madam Khoo Kim Cheng, also owned five private properties. Mr Poh, a registered real estate agent, had bought the flat from the open market on June 1, 2007, for $150,000 without any loan.
This case was highlighted as the HDB gave an update on Friday on its enforcement action against illegal subletting: 56 such flat owners faced penalties that ranged from fines of $1,000 to $21,000, and in the Pohs’ case, repossession of their flat.
It is understood that HDB will return Mr Poh his $150,000 less penalties, which were not disclosed. Property agents told MediaCorp the flat could have fetched about $320,000, at today’s market prices.
Mr Poh is the first to have his flat compulsorily acquired since the HDB tightened rules against unauthorised subletting in February, which require flat owners who sub-let rooms in their HDB flats to register with the board within seven days of doing so. They are also required to notify the HDB when they renew or terminate the sub-letting of rooms. Prior to Feb 1, there was no need to seek prior approval for subletting of rooms.
Mdm Khoo was listed as the flat’s occupier when,in fact, it was illegally rented out to three Burmese couples for $1,900 a month.
When the HDB learned of this in November, it told Mr Poh to evict his tenants immediately, otherwise his flat would be seized. But the Pohs allowed their tenants to remain.
A Notice of Board’s Intention was served on Dec 23 to compulsorily acquire the flat.
The next day, the Pohs appealed to the HDB against the acquisition.
When the HDB interviewed the Pohs on Jan 5, they claimed that they did not know that they needed HDB’s approval for subletting.
The HDB found out that Mr Poh is linked to two other cases of unauthorised subletting: One, as an agent for his wife’s aunt, whose flat in Bukit Batok had been sublet to Burmese monks for use as a meditation centre at a monthly rent of $1,400 since July 2009. Mrs Poh’s aunt was not living in the flat.
In the second case, Mr Poh’s daughter had sublet her Telok Blangah flat without approval, for $900 a month. She too did not live there.
According to the HDB, the cases belied Mr Poh’s claims of being unaware of its rules. He also showed a “persistent disregard” of its rules. As such, the HDB said it would be taking legal action to compulsorily acquire both flats.
Dear Sir
In the inspection of Housing Administration Department, the owner of BLK 81 Commonwealth Close #10-105, Mdm Liu Toong Ling is illegal to sublet the flat to innocent tenants.
I am one of the victims who rent this flat through the agency, when I find out the truth by been told from the other lawful co-owner Mr Ho which this is indeed illegal subletting by Mdm Liu’s herself, at the meanwhile Mr Ho has the rights to lock up the units.
I am scared to keep staying in house. I told the owner Mdm Liu I wanna call off this tenancy agreement because of the illegal subletting. I think she has violated the original intention of this tenancy agreement which should be built on lawful conditions. So she should return me my deposit.
But she refused to return me back the deposit, and yelled at me and forced me to move out immediately by the day itself. I reported my case to police station, because she said she will throw all my stuffs out if I am not moving out and also there is not a penny refund.
According to the record of Housing Administrative Department, I am not the only victims ever rent this flat innocently. And My Ho, the other co-owner has been always against Mdm Liu’s illegal subletting behavior; there were not less than 4 people got trapped by renting this flat. I have no idea how much they lose. And till yesterday 26 Mar 2010, Mdm Liu still brought people who are looking for houses back. I think this is not only illegal subletting behavior, but more like a real fraud case! If the Housing and Development Board is still not taking an action, there are MORE AND MORE VICTIMS. Please, I don’t want to see people went through what I have been through. Would you please considering repossessing this HDB flat on your enforcement action against illegal subletting to stop Mdm Liu from defrauding money?
Please do a good deed!
Regards
Ivy Ma
Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Do retain all documents e.g tenancy agreement & receipts(evidence). Agency/agent is at fault too. It’s impossible to deny any eligibility to sublet knowledge. HDB would have issued letter of approval.
My husband is renting one small room for 600 SG, also same race Filipino. This Couple we meet them in Philippine Embassy, they seems so nice and kind. that we become friends. and latter offer us to rent one room on there place Block 603, 10 th floor no. 61 Senja, Bukit Panjang. we pay full respect because they are PR in singapore, and he is an outlet Manager of 7 Eleven. at first they want us to share the house they are going to rent, which is 3 rooms and 1 hall, but my husband dont want to take risk becuse salary is just enought to rent a 1 room for us to stay. and we are also renting 1 whole house in Johor, Bayu Puteri 3, formerly my husband was working in Malaysia, quite long and move, found a job in Singapore.This family even came to visit us in our place in Johor, because weekends my husband come back to visit us.Latter,offerd us to rent 1 room in thier place which is Bukit Panjang. they ask for one 1 month deposit and 1 month advance in all is 1,200 SG, and they tell that the other room got 2 people renting. we give the downpayment first week of May co’z they keep on asking for it. we move in June 2, and we found out that 3 people are renting the next room and 2 people transient as what they tell 12 SG a day so aa total of 12 of us staying together in one house, and before that they took my husbands Fin No. Passport, and name. the worse thing is they over charge us with the PUB Bills 2.15 SG a day each one of us. I dont like the way they treat us, cheating, and blaffing. middle of June we inform them that we are going to move, nearby Marina because my husband work is in marina. now, they tell my husband if possible can you moved on the end of this month? because there is somebody who wants to rent the room, my husband told them, the house i am going to rent is available by Aug. 2 right now, the house owner is stiil there. sounds disrespectful, unethical as a Manager,of 7 Eleven, Qeenstown outlet, as far as i know, there is also a former Sub-tenant before, they stay in Marsiling Woodlands, make a Police report on them because of disrespectfrul, unfair treatment, taking advantage ,using as in order for them to pay thier house rental. honestly, they cannot afford. I dont want more Filipinos be a victim of these kind of situation, these Couple and thier 2 children is not worth, dont deserve to stay and live in Singapore, they are doing Money Making Illegal without the knowledge of the House Owner, not scared of violating Singapore HDB By Laws. or any Goverment Law of Singapore. As PR holder they must show full obedience with the Singapore Laws. I pray that your good Office will take action on this….
Yours faithfully,
Maria D. Abris
I asked a reciept of our room rental, they never give, many times but the wife says cant give any reciept because we are the main tenant. i dont have any evidence to show, but what i am telling now is true….
These kind of people are very wise in Money Making for thier ownn comfort zone.
Again, thank you for giving attention on these matter.
Hi, with regards to this case, is it true that YPAP leader Mr Sinha Shekhar was given special dispensation on his renting of his HDB flat while living in a private property. If this is correct, is this the practice of HDB?
Ms Maria, a curious question:
Since you know they are filipino, it is not fair to blame the system: simply it is the case of make-as-much money thing.
I also heard the same experience, with some person renting in 661 Choa Chu Kang Crescent, 7th floor flat, and same story. So many people and when confronted the landlord replied that he is here to make money, and the terms and conditions are imposed as like yours.
Sad – we learn, but we have to be careful
The landlord in 661 Choa Chu Kang Crescent, #07-03 only had this to say: well, I make more than my monthly salary by subletting – so it is a form of business.
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Stop subletting of hdb rooms