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mr funny
19-10-10, 17:36
http://www.straitstimes.com/PrimeNews/Story/STIStory_592329.html

Oct 19, 2010

HDB spot checks on property ownership


SPOT CHECKS are in store for Housing Board (HDB) flat buyers, to see if they are breaking the rules on owning private property in Singapore or overseas.

Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan said yesterday the public housing authority will conduct spot checks both locally and overseas, to determine if HDB flat buyers are lying about their interests in other properties.

He was responding to a question from Ms Lee Bee Wah (Ang Mo Kio GRC) who voiced what has been on the minds of Singaporeans: how HDB will trace whether an HDB owner has a foreign property.

The HDB had recently announced that those who buy an HDB resale flat on or after Aug 30 must dispose of their private property - including any held overseas - within six months of the HDB purchase.

Mr Mah explained that at the point of purchase, HDB flat buyers are required to declare any interest or ownership in private property, local or overseas.

Those guilty of false declarations can be liable, on conviction, to a fine of up to $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term up to six months, or both.

If it is discovered before the completion of the purchase, HDB can cancel the application.

If the discovery is made after the sale, HDB can compulsorily acquire the flat.

'For practical reasons, HDB adopts different approaches to check on private property ownership in different countries.

'I am unable to disclose the details to avoid hampering HDB's enforcement work,' said Mr Mah.

med80009
19-10-10, 19:13
Difficult to imagine how this could be enforced.

For eg. if for some reason some Ang Mo PRs from the states with his own property back home decides to buy HDB (doesn't seem to be a common thing i suppose), i doubt their government would reveal his ownership if asked by HDB.

Anyway, i think perhaps there will be(or there already is) some legal clause promising hefty penalty somewhere in the purchase contract when buying a new HDB. In addition, maybe they just wanted to scare the boleh land PRs a little .

BTW no vested interest here...

Condo Collector
19-10-10, 21:29
So native... They says they can check then you believe ah...
Unless you brought oversea property and loan from Singapore "local" bank. Else how to check!

Just to make you feel that you are "fairly" treated!

xebay11
20-10-10, 07:22
They themselves do not reveal other citizen's investing in properties and depositing money here, do you think other Govts would reveal Singaporeans investing overseas?

hopeful
20-10-10, 11:30
well, government is like a magician, they can pull a rabbit out a hat.
They can induce a PR, give him incentives etc to co-operate and then make an example of him. After the hoohaa, then the goat can continue with his life.

1) So no need to check with other countries' government
2) On surface, people will think government so powerful
3) kill 1 chicken to scare the monkeys

DC33_2008
20-10-10, 11:33
Garment should have done their homework before implementing this. Let's wait for first case.