Changes to Housing Developers (Control and Licensing) Act effective May 25

SINGAPORE - The Ministry of National Development (MND) announced on Monday that amendments to the Housing Developers (Control and Licensing) Act and subsidiary legislation will be implemented from May 25, 2015, to improve safeguards and enable prospective private home buyers to make better-informed purchasing decisions. In April 2013, Parliament approved amendments to the Housing Developers (Control and Licensing) Act to improve and update legislative safeguards for buyers of uncompleted private residential properties.

The amendments will enhance market transparency by providing the public with more comprehensive and timelier information on the private residential property market.

The legislative amendments, which were finalised through a series of consultations with members of the public and industry stakeholders, are now ready to take effect, MND said.

They are:

1. Weekly collection and publication of transaction data

From May 25, 2015, housing developers must submit detailed transaction information to the Controller of Housing every week. This information will include sales volumes and transacted prices of individual units in their building projects, and the value of any benefits extended to buyers.

Developers will be required to submit this information to the Controller within five days of the end of each preceding week. This information will be published on the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) website weekly from June 5, 2015.

2. More comprehensive information in transaction documents

The Option to Purchase and Sale & Purchase Agreement, which are standard forms prescribed under the Housing Developers Rules, will also be amended to enhance the safeguards for purchasers of private residential properties. For example, developers must indicate the value of any benefits offered to buyers.

The amendments to both forms will take effect on July 20, 2015. This is to provide developers sufficient time to comply with the amendments.

3. Ensuring the accuracy of show units

MND is introducing the Housing Developers (Show Unit) Rules to ensure that all show units provided by developers are accurate depictions of housing units offered for sale.

For example, one rule requires the floor area of the show unit to be the same as that of the actual housing unit. Another rule requires all external and structural walls to be built in the actual unit to be depicted in the show unit.

These Rules will take effect on July 20, 2015, to provide developers sufficient time to comply with the new requirements.

MND Press Release:

Housing Developers (Show Unit) Rules

The requirements on show units are set out in the Housing Developers (Show Unit) Rules and include the following:

a. The floor area of the show unit must be the same as the depicted unit;

b. External and structural walls must be built, unless they need to be removed to provide access to and from the show unit. If these walls are removed, the position, thickness and width of the removed wall must be clearly marked on the floor and labelled;

c. All erected walls must be of the same thickness as that shown in the approved plans;

d. If any internal non-structural wall is not built in the show unit, the position, thickness and width of the removed wall must be clearly marked on the floor and labelled;

e. A drawn-to-scale floor plan of the show unit must be displayed at the entrance to the show unit;

f. Any models of the housing project displayed must be based on the approved plans; and

g. A list of materials, finishes, fittings and appliances which will be provided in the actual unit must be displayed in the show unit.

Exemption

Existing show units which have been erected, set up and made available for viewing before July 20, 2015, will be exempted from the new show unit requirements.

However, the developer must inform purchasers of the differences between the existing show unit and the actual unit as shown in the approved building plan, by prominently displaying a detailed list and description of the differences at the entrance of the show unit and giving purchasers a copy of the detailed list and description of the differences.

The Ministry of National Development announced on Monday that amendments to the Housing Developers (Control and Licensing) Act and subsidiary legislation will be implemented from May 25, 2015, to improve safeguards and enable prospective private home buyers to make better-informed purchasing decisions. -- PHOTO: ST FILE

The Straits Times / Business Published on Monday, 18 May 2015

By Jacquelyn Cheok jaccheok@sph.com.sg@JacCheokBT

Changes to Housing Developers (Control and Licensing) Act effective May 25