Cockpit Hotel becomes history

 A man died after hitting his head on the bottom of a waist-deep pool at Pebble Bay condominium in Tanjong Rhu Road on 9 May 2004. Mr Tan Teck Chong, 39, had gone there with his girlfriend for a barbecue. (Straits Times 11 May 2004) (H2)

Housing agents without at least 3 'O' Levels have to sell at least two homes in the preceding 12 months before being allowed to sit for the Common Examination for House Agents (Ceha) held here between April 2004 and March 2005. The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras) said, "The waiver of three 'O' Levels will not be extended beyond March 2005. (Straits Times 18 Feb 2004) (H2)

The 457-room ANA Hotel in Nassim Hill will shut down in March 2004 as owners CapitaLand plan to put up a condominium on the 11,386 sq m freehold site. All 200 staff members will be retrenched. The hotel was known as Century Park Sheraton Singapore before it was renamed in 1990. (Straits Times 12 Feb 2004) (6)

  82 home offices in restored conservation shophouses in China Square Central have been granted the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) live/work permits. The permit allows people to conduct small-scale businesses that do not involve a lot of traffic, and which are not noisy or pollutive, from their homes if these are within zones that allow for mixed use. (Straits Times 31 Mar 2003)(H5)

  Complaints to the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) against real estate agents climbed from 200 for the whole year of 2000, to 277 between January and October 2002. It received 213 such complaints in 2001. (Straits Times 14 Jan 2003)(H4) 

  The Housing and Development Board (HDB) will build studio flats for the elderly in the same blocks as 3-, 4- and 5-room units. The change follows a HDB survey which showed that people prefer not to have the studios built in separate blocks. Those polled comprised 193 already living in studio flats, 316 potential buyers aged 55 and older, and 290 singles aged between 35 and 54. (Straits Times 14 Jan 2003) (3)

  The Housing and Development Board (HDB) did not repossess a single flat last year although around 4 per cent of borrowers, with about 21,800 families, were considered to have defaulted on their loan instalments for three months or more. (Straits Times 14 Jan 2003) (3)

  The new Build-To-Order (BTO) programme in which flats are built only when there is demand for them replaces the five-year-old queueing system at the HDB. The HDB launched the new scheme yesterday with the sale of 1,466 four-room HDB units in Punggol 21 and Sengkang. No deposit is required under the new BTO system, but applicants who have cancelled a previous booking must pay up the registration deposit still owed before trying again. (Straits Times 16 Dec 2002) (H5)

     Extension of 2001 Off-Budget Measures - Property Tax Rebate and Petrol Excise Duty Reduction

  Minister in the Prime Minister's Office LIM Boon Heng yesterday said that Singapore's executive condominium (EC) scheme should not be scrapped, but work could perhaps be slowed down in view of present market conditions. (Straits Times 11 Nov 2002) (3) 

  The 11-member Land Working Group panel has called for a review of the immensely popular Executive Condominium (EC) Housing scheme - an upmarket hybrid of the Housing Board flat but more affordable than private condos - saying "its continued relevance" has come into question given the falling prices of private residential properties. (Straits Times 7 Nov 2002) (H2)

  From January 2003, a person who wishes to sell his flat bought with bank loans and without a Central provident Fund (CPF) housing grant must have lived in it for at least one year, instead of the present 2½ years. This will also apply to those who had bought resale flats without housing grants, and who choose to refinance their mortgages with a bank loan. These owners will also be allowed to sublet their entire flats, if they have occupied the flats for 10 years or more. (Straits Times 1 Nov 2002) (H3)

  New housing financing rules from 1 Sep 2002

  Five floors of concrete corridors collapsed at a JTC flatted factory in Toa Payoh North yesterday morning. No one was hurt. The service corridors were used as a fire escape and to hold the air-conditioning units. Developer JTC Corporation said that while its engineers had found the building to be structurally sound, it was arranging to relocate the 22 affected companies to its other flatted factories. (Straits Times 28 Aug 2002) (4)

  The Public Utilities Board (PUB) confirmed yesterday it had written to the Real Estate Development Association of Singapore, to inform it that developers will be required to provide a dedicated pipe system in all new commercial and industrial projects to accept Newater. For those locations where the Newater pipeline network will only be available after 2011, companies need to set aside space for when the new pipelines are laid. By January 2003, more than 68 million litres of Newater will be produced daily. It will go up to more than 250 million litres a day by 2012. (Straits Times 27 Aug 2002) (1)

  From next year, 90,000 HDB flat owners now paying off HDB loans at market rates can also refinance their mortgages with banks. Home loan rates offered by banks are now at a record low, with some offering rates of around 1.5 per cent for the first year, and a second year rate that is lower than 3 per cent. This compares favourably with HDB's market rate of 3.75 per cent a year. Five banks - DBS, UOB, OCBC, Stanchart and HSBC - have said they would only recall such loans as a last resort. (Straits Times 21 Aug 2002) (3)

  The Government will not allow HDB flat owners to use their homes as collateral to take out more loans to increase their cash flow for business or personal use. This is to prevent people from abusing the heavily subsidised public-housing system when the more relaxed rule, which allows some HDB flat owners to turn to banks for loans, starts in January 2003. "We would not like to see anybody borrowing extra, or over the amount required for the flat, to buy a car or go for a holiday," said National Development Minister MAH Bow Tan yesterday. (Straits Times 12 Aug 20020 (1)

  An overseas student was found motionless in the deep end of the pool at Parkview Condominium on 26 Jun 2002. Chinese national ZHANG Yuhua, 22, was pronounced dead at the National University Hospital. (Straits Times 28 Jun 2002) (H2) 

  Hoping to attract more guests, seven hotels in the Havelock area have come together to provide free shuttle services to guests from their hotels to Orchard Road, Chinatown and Shenton Way from Monday. The service which uses 45-seater buses will be offered for two years by: Novotel Apollo Singapore, Copthorne King's Hotel, The Gallery Hotel, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, Concorde Hotel, Miramar Hotel and Riverview Hotel. (Straits Times 26 Jun 2002) (H4)

  Starting 24 Jun 2002, property developers can submit their building progress reports and even apply for an extension of their construction schedule via the Internet. These are some of the 14 new online services which will be launched by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on its website, www.ura.gov.sg today. (Straits Times 24 Jun 2002) (A19)

  The resale market for three-room HDB flats is hotting up, with buyers willing to pay as much as S$30,000 above the HDB's valuation, especially for flats in places like Ghim Moh, Commonwealth Avenue and Holland Village, which are prime spots for singles. This is despite the current property slump sending the prices of bigger flats sliding. There are more than 223,000 three-room HDB flats islandwide. Supply on the open resale market is limited as the board does not build such flats anymore. (Straits Times 5 Jun 2002) (H1)

  A new Straits Times survey of 500 people between the ages of 20 and 49 has found that two out of three Singaporeans think they are investing too much money in housing. They also want the Central Provident Fund (CPF) scheme to be changed to ensure they have more cash when they retire. (Straits Times 13 May 2002) (4)

  A man who cheated two Chinese nationals out of S$3,450 in rent was jailed for seven months yesterday. TOH Tien Sze, 48, who is unemployed, pleaded guilty to deceiving Ms CHEN Yiting, 17, and Ms SHAO Ye, 38. (Straits Times 17 Apr 2002) (H7)

  LOKE Kim Eng, 34, an undischarged bankrupt, was charged in a district court yesterday with criminal breach of trust. She is the woman who allegedly cheated 70 students from China of nearly S$280,000 in a rent scam. A building construction foreman, CHONG Kim Siap, 41, was also charged yesterday with assisting her in the alleged offence. Both cases will be mentioned again on Friday (Straits Times 14 Apr 2002) (28)

  Recent government pronouncements that Singaporeans were putting too much money into housing has brought about much speculation resulting in a property market on tenterhooks. Some buyers are speeding up their purchases in case the amount of CPF money which they can use gets cut, while others are waiting for a good deal if property prices are driven down by the recommendations. Deputy Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong said in Parliament on 4 Apr 2002 that some of the Economic Review Committee's (ERC) recommendations on the CPF scheme will be ready in "a couple of months". "We understand that because of the property factor, it's not good to have a long period of uncertainty," he said. (Straits Times 14 Apr 2002) (1)

  A 34-year-old Singaporean woman has been arrested for allegedly cheating 70 students from China of nearly S$280,000 in a rent scam that bears an uncanny resemblance to two recent cases. Police arrested her and a man at a Pasir Ris chalet on Thursday. (Straits Times 13 Apr 2002) (3)

  Only 3,200 out of 16,900 unsold HDB flats in new estates have been taken up by the 11,000 flat-buyers in the Housing Board's queue. The remaining 13,700 flats will now be available to anyone who qualifies for a new HDB flat. They can simply walk in and book a flat without queueing. This month, there will be 1,600 four-room and larger units on offer in Sengkang - tomorrow and on 20 Apr 2002. (Straits Times 9 Apr 2002) (6)

  Landlords and businesses can now verify the identity cards of their tenants or customers through the Internet. The iCHECK facility at the Singapore Immigration and Registration's website (www.sir.gov.sg) allows users to make enquires. But the users must provide some of their particulars. They will also need the other party's identity-card number, the card's date of issue and the person's date of birth. The facility will tell the user whether the identity card is valid or invalid, or whether it has been reported lost. (Straits Times 3 Apr 2002) (H3)

  A hefty fall in two of Singapore's largest expatriate communities in recent years has compounded the woes of the already ailing private home rental markets - with rents diving around 10 per cent last year alone. Figures from the Japanese Embassy show that the number of Japanese expatriates - the biggest expatriate community here - fell to 23,174 last year, down 13.2 per cent from a peak of 26,684 in 1997. And according to the American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham), the number of US-owned companies which are Amcham members has shrunk from 550 just two years ago to 480. The number of Americans registered with the American Embassy is about 16,000. (Straits Times 30 Mar 2002) (S10)

  The number of Chinese students allegedly cheated of rent by a Singaporean woman in a scam is now believed to exceed 100. The woman is believed to have rented more than 20 properties, mainly in the Orchard, River Valley and Bukit Timah areas. A Chinese Embassy official said the embassy has engaged a lawyer to help the students recover their money. (Straits Times 25 Mar 2002) (6)

  More than 20 Chinese students have fallen prey to a Singaporean woman who offered them choice accommodation at cheap rates. They had paid up to 18 months' rent in advance, but later found out that she had not paid the landlords, who were then forced to evict them. A Chinese Embassy official said he had received 12 similar complaints since September last year about the same woman. The students, who were aged about 17 to 18, lost about S$35,000. (Straits Times 19 Mar 2002) (6)

  Now you can check instantly the immigration status of your prospective tenants online. The new Verifi system at Singapore Immigration and Registration's (SIR) website, www.sir.gov.sg , provides immediate verification of a foreigner's status. To do a check, enter your relevant details and those of the foreigner and then click the 'submit' button. In less than a minute, a reference number is given and the outcome can be printed out by the enquirer as proof of your checking. (Straits Times 9 Mar 2002) (H2)  

  From today, the four-star Merchant Court Hotel, located along Clarke Quay, will be known as Swissotel Merchant Court Singapore. The hotel has 476 rooms. (H5)

  The Government plans to review its housing policy in the next one to two years, including its long-term target of having 70 per cent of Singaporeans living in public housing and 30 per cent in private housing. (Straits Times 23 Feb 2002) (1)

  After a two-year refurbishment costing S$40 million, former tourist-oriented Copthorne Harbour View Hotel at Anson Road is now known as M Hotel, with 416 rooms and 44 fully-furnished service offices. M Hotel, now styled as a "new-generation business hotel" opens officially on 22 Feb 2002. (L4)

  A study by property consultants Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL) shows that the number of properties "repossessed" by banks and then put up for sale more than tripled to 1,400 this year, compared to the last downturn in 1998. In last year's brighter economic climate, the number of forced sales, also known as mortgagee sales, was 1,102. (Straits Times 27 Dec 2001)(3)

  The latest available Urban Redevelopment authority figures show a rise of about 25.6 per cent in property sales during the period from July to September. There were 2,827 units sold compared to the April-June period when 2,251 units were sold. The sales figures are nowhere near the number of transactions in 1996 when 16,570 homes were sold during the first three quarters of the year. From January to September this year, just 7,395 homes were sold. (Straits Times 30 Nov 2001)(H2)

  Come January, The Chinese High School will open the doors of a new condominium-style boarding house which will accommodate 1,200 students - almost three times the number in Hua Zhong Hostel, the 15-year-old facility it replaces. Boarders will be looked after by ten full-time and 34 part-time boarding masters. The 5-ha complex, consisting of seven six-storey blocks, was built at a cost of S$39.8 million. It will take in students from primary to post-graduate level, most of them foreigners. Boarders do not have to be enrolled at The Chinese High School. Room rates range from S$7,000 a year for a four-bedded room to S$10,000 for a single room. (Straits Times 29 Nov 2001) (4)

  Last year, the Inland Revenue Authority, (Iras), which licenses real-estate agencies, received 237 complaints against housing agents. Between January and October this year, it received 194 complaints. (Straits Times 19 Nov 2001)(H5)

  The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) yesterday relaxed its 20 per cent down payment policy for private home purchases - effectively allowing half of the upfront payment to be deferred until the project is completed. This comes about a fortnight after the Monetary Authority of Singapore said that it had no objections to a deferred payment scheme. (Straits Times 12 Nov 2001)(S14)

  Some housing agents are harrassing clients and lying to them in order to seal deals and secure a commission of 2 per cent in the current weak property market. Mr Edmund Baker, chief executive officer of the Institute of Estate Agents (IEA) says that these agents are resorting to "dirty tactics". He added that some agents also lie to their clients, claiming that the 2 per cent commission is mandatory when it is really negotiable. The Inland Revenue Authority (Iras), which licenses real-estate agencies, received 237 complaints last year, and 194 complaints from January to October this year. (Straits Times 10 Nov 2001)(H1)

  "Presently, each Permanent Resident is limited to one Singapore dollar loan, to purchase a residential property in Singapore for owner-occupation. Foreigners who are not PRs and non-Singapore companies are not allowed to obtain housing loans in Singapore dollars. These restrictions will be lifted with immediate effect. Over the last few years MAS has progressively lifted restrictions on Singapore dollar lending to foreigners which are not critical for stability reasons, and this restriction on Singapore dollar housing loans is one of the few remaining." said DPM LEE Hsien Loong in Parliament on 12 Oct 2001.

  According to the latest figures from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS), tax collection for the first five months of the year rose 7 per cent to S$7.85 billion compared to a year ago. Compared to the previous year's increase of 35 per cent to S$7.3 billion over the same period, the latest jump in tax dollars represents a sharp slowdown. GST collections declined 14 per cent, while stamp duty collections plunged 42 per cent, reflecting the sluggish stock market and lifeless property sector. Tax income from betting rose 24 per cent to S$740 million. Income tax revenue rose a modest 9 per cent to nearly S$4.8 billion. Property tax collections surged 66 per cent to cross the S$1 billion mark for the first five months of the year.(Straits Times 25 Jul 2001) (S12)

  Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong yesterday said the Government would let balconies