HDB flat owners who sub-let rooms in their flats will, from next month, have to register with the Housing Board within seven days of doing so.

They are also required to notify the HDB when they renew or terminate the sub-letting of rooms, and when there are changes to their sub-tenants’ particulars.

While there has been no need to seek prior approval for sub-letting of rooms, the latest move supports ongoing efforts by the Home Affairs Ministry to eradicate loan-sharking activities, and comes amid changes made to the law to better deal with the problem.

The HDB noted in a statement yesterday that some people used their old addresses to borrow from loan sharks while they rented a room in another HDB flat.

This resulted in the new occupiers of the flat being harassed by loan sharks instead, while the borrowers were untraceable as they moved without updating their addresses.

‘Through this new rule, HDB will be able to capture the particulars of those who rent rooms in HDB flats. With information on the addresses of owners and subtenants, the Ministry of Home Affairs will be able to trace the movements of borrowers,’ the statement said.

In Parliament yesterday, Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, who is Senior Minister of State for Law and Home Affairs, said the move will make it harder for borrowers to remain untraceable when they rent a room in an HDB flat.

In tandem with the HDB’s move, the National Registration Act and Immigration Act will also be amended to empower the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority to obtain information from the HDB to administer and enforce the new requirements more effectively.

Source : Straits Times – 13 Jan 2010