Singaporean fined record $600,000 for unauthorised dormitory accomodation
Following up on the MOM inspections, which took place in December 2017 and March 2018, URA’s inspections exposed that 15 foreign people were staying in 1012B Upper Serangoon Road. One more 16 and 17 foreign employees were discovered to be staying in 32H Lorong 22 Geylang and 32J Lorong 22 Geylang, respectively.
More examinations unearthed the reality that Tan had been supplying dormitory rental at those premises for approximately two years, which he had transformed eight other private houses to unauthorised dorm lodging in between 2016 to 2018. The quantity of tenants in each unit differed from seven to 23.
Enforcement police officers from the Ministry of Manpower had assessed exclusive homes associated to Tan and discovered that the number of tenants living there had drastically gone beyond URA’s occupancy cap rules.
“Unauthorised residence hall lodgings not just adversely influences the housing personality of the community, but also negatively influences the residents, who might be from more vulnerable groups that are at risk to exploitation,” claims Martin Tan, head, Development Control Group, URA.
URA says that Tan confessed that he knew the tenancy laws yet opted to wage the unauthorised conversion of the premises anyway.
He includes: “URA will definitely continue to take strong enforcement acts facing criminals, involving land owner, lessees, agents and any individual discovered to have flouted URA’s laws on the rent or subletting of personal houses”.
URA policies specify that exclusive houses can just house up to six unrelated individuals.
According to a URA announcement on June 14, a 72-year-old Singaporean male, Tan Hock Keng, was convicted of three counts of converting personal residential properties to unauthorised dorm lodging. On May 30, he was penalized a record $600,000, with the highest penalty of $200,000 imposed for each fee.
