The lowdown on rental flats

WHO CAN GET A RENTAL FLAT

• You have to be at least 21 years old. At least one of the occupiers has to be a Singapore citizen or permanent resident.
• Household income cannot exceed $1,500 a month.
• In the family nucleus scheme, the applicant must either be married or living with his or her parents. Applicants who are widowed or divorced and have custody of their children also fall under this category.
• In the joint singles scheme, the flat must be jointly rented by two applicants. Two singles who are at least 35 can jointly apply. This age criterion applies to both unmarried singles and divorcees. Widowed persons and orphans can apply if they are at least 21.

WHERE AND HOW MUCH

• There are a total of 42,000 rental units in Singapore.
• Tenancy is renewed every two years.
• Monthly rent ranges from $26 to $205 for one-room flats and $44 to $275 for two-room ones.
• The units range in size from 280 sq ft to 484 sq ft each.

Rental flats that are currently open for application are:

• Ang Mo Kio: (estimated waiting time is 22.5 to 25 months)
• Bukit Merah/Jurong: (estimated waiting time is 17.5 to 19 months)
• Bedok/Tampines: (estimated waiting time is 20 to 24.5 months)
• Woodlands: (estimated waiting time is 17.5 to 22.5 months)

Information from HDB InfoWEB

Showing prejudice

‘Saying that crime will increase because there are rental flats in the neighbourhood is a prejudice of those who have a vested interest in property values rather than social security.’

PROFESSOR CHUA BENG HUAT of the National University of Singapore’s Department of Sociology

Source: Sunday Times, 14 Feb 2010