Divorcees Applying to Rent or Buy HDB Flats

Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for National Development (a) in each of the past five years, what is the number of divorcees who have (i) applied to either purchase a BTO flat or a flat in the Sale of Balance Flats scheme, or to rent a HDB flat and (ii) purchased a resale flat; and (b) what has been the success rate.

Mr Lawrence Wong: From 2011 to May 2015, about 13,300 divorcees applied for a flat from the HDB under the Build-To-Order (BTO) or Sale of Balance Flats exercises. This translates to between 1,900 and 3,700 applicants each year. Overall, about two in three were invited to select a flat.

From 2011 to 2015, about 13,600 divorcees bought a resale flat in the open market. This translates to between 2,300 and 3,000 transactions each year.

In the same period, about 12,100 divorcees applied for rental flats. This similarly translates to between 1,500 and 3,700 each year. Overall, about one in two were successful in their application.