Dr Maliki Osman on helping families in arrears for rental flats

SINGAPORE : Senior Parliamentary Secretary for National Development, Dr Maliki Osman, on Monday said HDB has a pro-active programme to help families in arrears for their rental flats. These include financial counselling and help under ComCare schemes.

However, he said that an eviction order may be inevitable in the case of uncooperative tenants.

Sylvia Lim, MP for Aljunied GRC, asked in Parliament: "What is the trigger point at which the Notice to Quit will be issued to the tenant? How many months of arrears typically, (before the Notice to Quit is issued)?"

In response, Dr Maliki said: "Although the Notice to Quit is issued at the point of the third month, I can assure Ms Lim and members of the house, that many months afterwards, HDB continues to work with the family. HDB continues to help the family. We do not really take any further action until nine months or even several years after the family is in arrears."

He added: "Since 2003, only three cases have been evicted because we try very hard to ensure the circumstances of the family are well understood, and the family is given the necessary assistance.

"We acknowledge that when it comes to rental arrears, it is more than just a housing issue. It is really a social issue that sometimes families are trapped with. And there are social service systems we have put in place and we will galvanise social service systems to help these families."