I refer to the report “Stricter rules for PRs subletting flats” (July 12), about the Housing and Development Board stepping up enforcement against unauthorised subletting.
I wish to ask: Do its officers carry out enforcement work if no one blows the whistle on offenders? Does HDB have other ways to catch offenders? How often does it conduct checks?
A few years ago, an older woman and a younger man moved in as neighbours to a friend of mine in Woodlands. Soon after, a Singaporean couple who wanted to rent the flat for a few months, until their private property renovations were ready, moved in.
My friend began to chat with the couple, who seemed to realise that the owners had lied about the minimum occupation period.
My friend did not tip off the HDB. The couple did not create any nuisance and he worried that they and the owners might suspect him if he did so. I cannot help but feel that HDB may not have the means to effectively come down on unauthorised subletting.
From Edmund Lim Chuan Yang
Source : Today – 2012 Jul 13
See : HDB has stepped up its efforts against illegal subletting
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