Question No: 197 

Question by: Mr Ng Chee Meng 

To ask the Minister for National Development whether there will be updates on when HDB will complete its review to remove the 15-month wait-out requirement for private property owners downgrading to HDB flats. 

Answer: 

This answer will provide a combined response to related questions raised by Mr Liang Eng Hwa (question 289), Ms Valerie Lee (question 190), Ms Yeo Wan Ling (question 148), and Mr Alex Yeo (question 179), which are scheduled for subsequent Sittings. 

As part of the property cooling measures introduced in September 2022 to promote sustainable conditions in the property market, private property owners need to wait 15 months after the disposal of their properties, before buying a non-subsidised HDB resale flat. To better support the retirement needs of seniors, Singapore citizens aged 55 and above are exempted from this waiting period if they move from their private residential property to a 4-room or smaller resale HDB flat.  

Since 2022, HDB has processed about 1,800 appeals annually from private property owners to waive the 15-month wait-out period. This number has been stable over the last few years. HDB acceded to about 1 in 4 appeals, mainly for households in financial difficulties or extenuating circumstances, who have no alternative housing options.  HDB does not track the appeals by the flat type that the appellant seeks to purchase.  

We will continue to monitor the resale market and when conditions allow, we plan to remove the 15-month wait-out period.