Singaporean Fined Record 600000 Unauthorised Dormitory Accomodation
A map showcasing the Tampines Avenue 11 mixed-use plot reveals its close proximity to two executive condominium sites. One of these sites, located at Tampines Street 62, is currently open for tender, while the other, the 618-unit Tenet, was launched last December. In addition, the upcoming Park Town Residences will also be conveniently located nearby.
In a recent press release from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on June 14, it was announced that a 72-year-old Singaporean man, Tan Hock Keng, was found guilty of converting private residential properties into unauthorised dormitory accommodations. On May 30, he was fined a record-breaking amount of $600,000, with $200,000 imposed for each of the three charges against him.
After receiving a tip-off, enforcement officers from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) inspected several private residential properties associated with Tan and found that the number of tenants exceeded URA’s occupancy cap rules. These inspections took place in December 2017 and March 2018. Subsequent investigations by URA revealed that 15 foreign workers were residing at 1012B Upper Serangoon Road, while 16 and 17 workers were found at 32H and 32J Lorong 22 Geylang, respectively.
According to URA regulations, private residential properties are only allowed to house a maximum of six unrelated individuals. Further probes uncovered that Tan had been providing dormitory accommodations at these premises for about two years. In addition, between 2016 and 2018, he had converted eight other private residential properties into unauthorised dormitory accommodations. The number of occupants in each unit ranged from seven to 23.
During the investigation, Tan admitted that he was aware of the occupancy regulations but still decided to proceed with the unauthorised conversion of the premises. Martin Tan, director of URA’s Development Control Group, highlighted the negative impact of unauthorised dormitory accommodations on both the residential character of the neighbourhood and the vulnerable groups of occupants who may be susceptible to exploitation.
He added that URA will continue to take strong enforcement actions against anyone found to have flouted their regulations on the rental or subletting of private residential properties, including property owners, tenants, and agents. The revised HDB occupancy cap, which affects only a small percentage of rental flats, is one of the measures taken by the authorities to ensure a safe and comfortable living environment for all residents.