Foreigner runs cheap hotel from new HDB flat

[PN]

Wah Lau - HDB become a Hotel. Money making business.


Foreigner runs cheap hotel from new HDB flat

Property Guru – 23 hours ago





A new HDB flat at Yishun has been converted into a "budget hotel" by a Filipina, who advertised her transient home service on various websites, including Facebook.

As it was an affordable place to stay, many short-term visitors and job-hunters, mainly Filipinos, started making enquiries.
One advert read, "Hi, we have transient rooms and bedspace for rent for Filipinos, located in Yishun."

It also stated that the new apartment comes equipped with different amenities for a comfortable stay. Much cheaper than regular budget hotels in Singapore, a night's stay at the unit only costs S$25 per head.
However, some netizens who spotted the ad have reported it on various online and social media sites. Photos of the unit were also downloaded, before the account was deleted, which helped others trace the flat.

The flat was found to be located at Block 450 in Jade Spring on Yishun Ring Road, which is close to several shopping and commercial amenities.
The BTO unit was completed about six months ago, which means only Singaporeans are eligible to purchase a unit. It is unclear whether the foreigner was a new citizen or was renting it from a Singaporean.

However, she was unlikely to have been granted any license to operate a hotel out of the HDB flat, as the Hotels Act (Chapter 127), section 7(1) states, "No person shall keep or manage any premises for the purposes of a hotel unless he is the holder of a valid licence granted in respect of the premises in accordance with the provisions of this Act."

Moreover, Section 16(7) declares that, "Any person guilty of the offence shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$2,000 and, in the case of a second or subsequent offence, to such fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both." Related Stories:Foreigners account for one in five private home buyersPotong Pasir flats move closer to privatisation HDB resale flat prices moderating

[solsys]

I think the owner just got screwed by his master tenant.

[mcmlxxvi]

I think the owner just got screwed by his master tenant.

Gahmen encourages Enterpreneurship right... Our FTs are taking the advice very seriously and diligently...

[maisonjai]

HDB warns owner of flat offered as ‘budget hotel’
By Faris Mokhtar | Yahoo! Newsroom

A warning has been issued to the owner of an HDB flat in Yishun that has allegedly been turned into a “budget hotel”, said the Housing Development Board (HDB) on Thursday.

A HDB spokesperson said that the agency has investigated the matter, and it has sent a letter of warning to the Singaporean flat owner who had been given approval to sublet his flat on compassionate grounds.

The owner claims he was unaware his tenant had marketed his flat for transient accommodation and has since terminated the rental agreement, the spokesperson disclosed.

“HDB takes a stern view against the infringement of housing regulations. HDB and the other authorities are prepared to take firm action against the flat owners and the individuals involved who contravene such rules,” the spokesperson said.

While HDB flats are meant primarily for owner-occupation, owners are allowed to sublet their unit after completing the required Minimum Occupation Period (MOP).

This provides flexibility for owners who might be in financial difficulty or retirees who need to supplement their retirement income, and it also helps to meet the demand for market-rental flats, HDB explained.

However, those wanting to rent out their flats within the MOP will only be considered under “extenuating circumstances”, it added.

The spokesperson said, “For this particular flat in Jade Spring, which was completed in 2011, the flat owners, a Singaporean household, was given approval to sublet the flat for a limited period of time. The approval had been given on compassionate grounds, as the flat owners needed to take care of a sick parent who is living in another location.”

HDB’s response came after advertisement of the flat as a “budget hotel” surfaced on various online and social media sites including Facebook. One ad read, "Hi, we have transient rooms and bedspace for rent for Filipinos, located in Yishun."

Those interested were asked to get in touch with a person known as “Elena Gonzales” who had also listed her contact details on one of the sites.

Attempts by Yahoo! Singapore to contact Gonzales were unsuccessful.

According to the ad, the apartment comes equipped with different amenities for a comfortable stay and that a night's stay at the unit costs S$25 per head, which is cheaper than that of budget hotels in Singapore.

Members of the public who spotted the ad managed to download photos of the unit before the account was deleted, helping others trace the flat to Block 450 in Jade Spring along Yishun Ring Road. It is also understood that the Build-to-Order (BTO) flat was only completed about six months ago.

Under the Hotels Act (Chapter 127), section 7(1) states, "No person shall keep or manage any premises for the purposes of a hotel unless he is the holder of a valid licence granted in respect of the premises in accordance with the provisions of this Act."

Moreover, Section 16(7) declares that, "Any person guilty of the offence shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$2,000 and, in the case of a second or subsequent offence, to such fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both."

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/hdb-warns-owner-of-flat-offered-as-%e2%80%98budget-hotel%e2%80%99.html

[teddybear]

Renting out of HDB flats are rampant!
You complain 1 then they investigate 1, save effort for them but the rest can heck care?

HDB warns owner of flat offered as ‘budget hotel’
By Faris Mokhtar | Yahoo! Newsroom

A warning has been issued to the owner of an HDB flat in Yishun that has allegedly been turned into a “budget hotel”, said the Housing Development Board (HDB) on Thursday.

A HDB spokesperson said that the agency has investigated the matter, and it has sent a letter of warning to the Singaporean flat owner who had been given approval to sublet his flat on compassionate grounds.

The owner claims he was unaware his tenant had marketed his flat for transient accommodation and has since terminated the rental agreement, the spokesperson disclosed.

“HDB takes a stern view against the infringement of housing regulations. HDB and the other authorities are prepared to take firm action against the flat owners and the individuals involved who contravene such rules,” the spokesperson said.

While HDB flats are meant primarily for owner-occupation, owners are allowed to sublet their unit after completing the required Minimum Occupation Period (MOP).

This provides flexibility for owners who might be in financial difficulty or retirees who need to supplement their retirement income, and it also helps to meet the demand for market-rental flats, HDB explained.

However, those wanting to rent out their flats within the MOP will only be considered under “extenuating circumstances”, it added.

The spokesperson said, “For this particular flat in Jade Spring, which was completed in 2011, the flat owners, a Singaporean household, was given approval to sublet the flat for a limited period of time. The approval had been given on compassionate grounds, as the flat owners needed to take care of a sick parent who is living in another location.”

HDB’s response came after advertisement of the flat as a “budget hotel” surfaced on various online and social media sites including Facebook. One ad read, "Hi, we have transient rooms and bedspace for rent for Filipinos, located in Yishun."

Those interested were asked to get in touch with a person known as “Elena Gonzales” who had also listed her contact details on one of the sites.

Attempts by Yahoo! Singapore to contact Gonzales were unsuccessful.

According to the ad, the apartment comes equipped with different amenities for a comfortable stay and that a night's stay at the unit costs S$25 per head, which is cheaper than that of budget hotels in Singapore.

Members of the public who spotted the ad managed to download photos of the unit before the account was deleted, helping others trace the flat to Block 450 in Jade Spring along Yishun Ring Road. It is also understood that the Build-to-Order (BTO) flat was only completed about six months ago.

Under the Hotels Act (Chapter 127), section 7(1) states, "No person shall keep or manage any premises for the purposes of a hotel unless he is the holder of a valid licence granted in respect of the premises in accordance with the provisions of this Act."

Moreover, Section 16(7) declares that, "Any person guilty of the offence shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding S$2,000 and, in the case of a second or subsequent offence, to such fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to both."

http://sg.news.yahoo.com/hdb-warns-owner-of-flat-offered-as-%e2%80%98budget-hotel%e2%80%99.html

[maisonjai]

PR converts apartment in Lucky Plaza into Budget hotel

Jan 13, 2012 - PropertyGuru.com.sg
Following PropertyGuru’s report on a new HDB flat in Yishun being advertised as a “budget hotel”, a similar story has emerged, this time in the prime shopping and entertainment district of Orchard Road.

According to a source, several private apartments in Lucky Plaza are being used for cheap lodging , catering mostly to Indonesians seeking medical treatment in Singapore.

The source, who did not want to be named, said that the apartments, located on a high floor belong to a doctor, an Indonesian permanent resident (PR) who has two to three units in Lucky Plaza. He added that Indonesians were being employed to stay in the units and manage the business.

Last year, when he decided to visit Singapore during the F1 period with his wife and son, a friend recommended him to stay there.

After booking a room, which was being offered at S$100 to S$120 a night, he had a chance to survey the condition of the apartment.

He cancelled his booking upon seeing that there were “two or three additional rooms created using plywood partitions”. Furthermore, only one room had a bathroom, leaving all the guests in the apartment “to share the bathroom”.

When contacted, the owner refused to comment. According to the Hotels Act (Chapter 127), it stipulates that “no person shall keep or manage any premises for the purposes of a hotel unless he is the holder of a valid licence granted in respect of the premises in accordance with the provisions of this Act.”

Meanwhile, it seems that more units in the area are being run as cheap hotel rooms, with another online advert saying, “Rooms at Lucky Plaza on average are slightly older but it is still ok to stay. Also, the location is convenient.”

[maisonjai]

From Yishun to Orchard, rooms are hot.

[land118]

read this on another forum:

http://forums.asiaone.com/showthread.php?t=47303#1

British expat “CEO” living upstairs in HDB flat giving me hell
British expat “CEO” living upstairs in HDB flat giving me hell

TR Emeritus

For the last three years a Brit who claimed to be a CEO rented unit above my flat, and he’s been giving me HELL with his decadent style of living of days been nights and nights been days.

Eve of holidays, weekends and eve of weekends coming back at 3 to 4 am in the mornings in his drunken stupor and banging on the floors with his call-girls and Filipina girlfriends for sex.

Went upstairs to have a word with him and he raised his hands to strike me. Had to defend and fought with him. Minutes later, he called SPF to complain that I had assaulted him.

Complained to HDB and the owner of flat flatly denied that he was making excessive noises. A HDB Senior Estate Officer told me that this is part of HDB living and must bear with him.

Quote:
Official reply from HDB:

Your Ref :
Our Ref :
Date : 9 Jan 2012
TEL : 62486411/55611
FAX : 62720219
EMAIL : [email protected]

Mr (*name deleted*)
Blk 106 Spottiswoode Park Road
Singapore 080106

Dear Tan,

FEEDBACK ON NOISE FROM NEIGHBOURS

We refer to your email of 27 Dec 2011.

We have re-examined your case. We wish to inform you that we have completed our investigations on the alleged noise nuisance from your upper floor neighbour. We are satisfied that there is no excessive noise generated by your upper floor neighbour.

However, if you are of the view that the noise problem remains unresolved, you are encouraged to seek the assistance of the Community Mediation Centre.

Yours sincerely,

SENIOR ESTATES OFFICER
HOUSING ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
This freak does outdoor sports like wake and skate boarding and twice, had plaster cast on his foot due to falls. Twice he drove his car with his plastered foot endangering the public.

Set up a coffee table with ash trays near the lift lobby to have his smoke and drinks. I referred the matter to NEA who said that they will not summon him as they have not seen him smoking themselves.

One fine night after I had called the SPF to complain of his noises, he came down to confront me with a cigarette in his hand. Took photos and gave to NEA who told me that they couldn’t summon him as they did not see him smoking at the lift lobby.

However, when the NEA officer went to his place to question him, the white tr**h refused to open the door. The NEA officer simply told me to forget about the incident.

[ysyap]

No wonder that CEO chose to stay in HDB instead of condo coz condo management has much lower tolerance for noise pollution within condo... he knows his activities would render him homeless in no time...

[ysyap]

This is what they call foreign talents!

[avo7007]

This is what they call foreign talents!

They should be call foreign terror.

[mcmlxxvi]

Most complaints to hdb fall into black hole. I ever complain lessee who illegally sublet and cheated me of deposit together with agents. Also no resolution. I dont even remember they responded. What you expect from a govt outfit who cant even manage simple demand and supply dynamics in such a freaking tiny island with stagnant birthrate.

[august]

foreign terror will only become terror when the authorities chose to turn a blind eye and do nothing despite complaints. It takes two hands to clap.

[mygeemeel]

Has anyone ever wondered how many foreigners actually kena summon for traffic offences etc and successfully made them pay the fines? I am just curious.

Anyway i love foreigners, especially those who only know how to teach the new generations how to be liberal in dress sense and thoughts rather than teach them proper manners, upbringing and cultures.

I recently kena slapped left right centre for being uneducated by a Angmo or angmo wannabe. So pardon my post.

[ysyap]

Has anyone ever wondered how many foreigners actually kena summon for traffic offences etc and successfully made them pay the fines? I am just curious.

Anyway i love foreigners, especially those who only know how to teach the new generations how to be liberal in dress sense and thoughts rather than teach them proper manners, upbringing and cultures.

I recently kena slapped left right centre for being uneducated by a Angmo or angmo wannabe. So pardon my post.

Still sour grape? Ai yah.. don't lah... Cheers!

[mygeemeel]

Still sour grape? Ai yah.. don't lah... Cheers!

Hahaha. Not sour grapes... i'm just feeling sour nia. hahaha. I think Geylang OKT kena handcuff by mata. Nowadays (or is it nowsaday) don't see him post on forum liao.

[ysyap]

Hahaha. Not sour grapes... i'm just feeling sour nia. hahaha. I think Geylang OKT kena handcuff by mata. Nowadays (or is it nowsaday) don't see him post on forum liao.

Yup.. devilplate's activities are also greatly reduced...

[latour]

Yup.. devilplate's activities are also greatly reduced...

i think they are busy chionging the stock market, and buying/negotiating before property prices goes even higher.

[land118]

experienced Talent..., super "keng" and know how to "siam"