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OrangeTee | Comments on Temporary relaxation of occupancy cap for rental of HDB & Private properties

Government Policies

Comments on Temporary relaxation of occupancy cap for rental of HDB & Private properties

20 December 2023 - The government has just announced that it will temporarily relax the occupancy cap for HDB flats and private residential properties to meet the rising demand for rental properties. 


Who will it impact?

These changes will enable tenants to share a unit with more people, which will help to reduce rental costs and optimize space usage. This relaxation of occupancy cap is expected to benefit lower-income groups, students, blue-collar foreign workers, some Singaporeans and big families. These tenants will have the option of sharing a unit with more people and saving on rental costs.

The changes may affect more than 60 per cent of the HDB rental market. 



How will it impact the property market?

1. Helping Singapore and big families

These changes will help Singaporean families who need to rent temporarily, especially HDB upgraders. These family must sell their flats first before buying a new condo, so as to avoid paying the Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD). With the new changes, such a family profile need not rent two separate units moving forward, which will lower their rental costs. This move will also encourage more families to stay together and take care of their elderly family members.

2. Higher yield for some landlords and more cost savings for tenants

Landlords might increase the median rent for larger units, as they are likely to charge more for a unit with more tenants. For example, a 5-room HDB flat in Bedok that previously charged $4200 for 6 people ($700 per person), may now charge $4800 for 8 people ($600 per person). This benefits both landlords and tenants as the tenants pay less per person while landlords earn a higher overall rent.


3. Helping and retaining essential foreign workers

Allowing more people to share rental units can help reduce the cost of living. This will not only benefit these individuals but also help to attract and retain foreign workers who are essential in supporting sectors like manufacturing, nursing, service, and retail industries.

4. Better market stability

Increasing the occupancy per unit has the potential to mitigate demand pressures within the rental market. In turn, this could contribute towards a greater equilibrium between supply and demand and lower the rate of rental price growth.


5. Optimisation of living space

Furthermore, optimizing living space by accommodating more individuals within a single residence has the potential to enhance space utilization, particularly within larger units such as maisonettes, landed properties, and executive apartments that may be underutilized.


Other market impact

The new changes may lead to some challenges for the neighbours. More people will now be living within the same block, which may result in increased noise levels and more people sharing common facilities like lifts and condo amenities.

Small landlords owning smaller homes may face more competition as some tenants, singles, or students may lease a bigger unit with their friends or colleagues. The overall rental volume may drop slightly due to fewer units being leased, as bigger units can now accommodate more people.

However, on the upside, the resale prices of bigger condos and HDB flats may climb higher, especially older units. This is because such units can now accommodate more tenants and the higher demand may lead to better rents and higher yield, making them a more attractive option for rental income in the future.





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