Written answer by Ministry of National Development on duration of vacancy of flats under Lease Buyback Scheme and under relaunch of Sale of Balance Flats exercise in the past 10 years

Nov 5, 2025

Question No: 558

Question by: Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis

To ask the Minister for National Development (a) what is the median, average, and longest duration between HDB’s repossession of a flat under the Lease Buyback Scheme and the relaunch of the same unit in a Sale of Balance Flats exercise in the past 10 years; and (b) whether HDB has internal KPIs relating to the vacancy period of repossessed flats under the scheme.

Answer:

After flats are returned under the Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS), HDB conducts sprucing works, which typically take up to 6 months depending on factors such as the condition of the returned flat and extent of works required. These flats are then offered for sale as soon as possible under the next Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercise.