ARREARS OF RENT AND MORTGAGE INSTALMENTS

Mr Low Thia Khiang asked the Minister for National Development how many people were in arrears of rent or mortgage instalment payments for at least three months as of September 1998, as compared to the same periods in 1997 and 1996, by types of flats.

Mr Lim Hng Kiang: The statistics for September 1998 are not available yet. Based on August 1998 figures, 10,837 mortgagors (2.4% of total mortgagors) were in arrears of three months or more as compared to 6,740 mortgagors (1.6%) in August 1997 and 5,904 mortgagors (1.5%) in August 1996.

For rental flats, 2,224 tenants (4.1% of total tenants) were in arrears of three months or more for the month of August 1998 as compared to 2,113 tenants (3.6%) in August 1997 and 1,568 tenants (2.6%) in August 1996.

The details by flat types are appended below :-

Sold flats instalment arrears > = 3 months Flat Type As at Aug 96 As at Aug 97 As at Aug 98 1 Room 13 10 16 2 Room 75 79 128 3 Room 2,206 2,271 3,600 4 Room 2,295 2,754 4,491 5 Room 894 1,152 1,838 Executive 421 474 764 Total 5,904 6,740 10,837 % in Arrears >= 1.5 1.6 2.4 3 months Units with 398,377 419,861 450,676 outstanding loan Rental flats instalment arrears > = 3 months Flat Type As at Aug 96 As at Aug 97 As at Aug 98 1 Room 524 671 662 2 Room 774 1,185 1,293 3 Room 250 244 263 4 Room 20 13 6 5 Room 0 0 0 Total 1,568 2,113 2,224 % in Arrears> = 2.6 3.6 4.1 3 months Units managed 59,687 58,127 53,741