Status and Terms of Tenancy Renewal and Agreements for 26 and 31 Ridout Road

Mr Leong Mun Wai asked the Minister for Law (a) whether the Singapore Land Authority has renewed the tenancy agreements for 26 and 31 Ridout Road in 2024; and (b) if so, what are the terms of the renewal and how do the rental rates compare with other black-and-white bungalow rental transactions in the Ridout Road estate in 2024.

Mr Edwin Tong Chun Fai (The Second Minister for Law): The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) does not typically make public information on the renewal of tenancies for specific residential State properties. Most tenants will consider this private information. Nonetheless, given that 26 Ridout Road and 31 Ridout Road are currently occupied by Minister K Shanmugam and Minister Vivian Balakrishnan respectively and there has been public interest in the matter, relevant information on the renewal of the tenancies of the two properties are set out below.

The house on 26 Ridout Road is subject to a Tenancy Agreement of 3+3+3 years commencing in June 2018 1 . In line with SLA's prevailing guidelines, the tenancy was renewed for a third three-year term commencing in June 2024, with an increased rental that was assessed by SLA's professional valuers based on prevailing market rates. The renewal rental rate, on a per unit floor area basis, falls within the range for renewal transactions for other heritage bungalows in the Ridout Road estate from the third quarter of 2023 to the second quarter of 2024.

The house on 31 Ridout Road is subject to a Tenancy Agreement of 3+3+2 years commencing in October 2019 2 . The second three-year term commenced in October 2022 and has yet to be completed.

Note(s) to Question No(s) 17:

1 This information was provided in Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean's Ministerial Statement on 3 July 2023 on the Review of the Rentals of State Properties at 26 and 31 Ridout Road and Senior Minister Teo's report dated 26 June 2023 on the Review of the Rentals of State Properties at 26 and 31 Ridout Road.

2 This information was provided in Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean's Ministerial Statement on 3 July 2023 on the Review of the Rentals of State Properties at 26 and 31 Ridout Road and Senior Minister Teo's report dated 26 June 2023 on the Review of the Rentals of State Properties at 26 and 31 Ridout Road.