URA seeks feedback on proposed requirements for developers to provide information to buyers and amendments to Housing Developers Rules
27 January 2022
From 5 January 2022 to 5 February 2022, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (“URA”) is seeking public feedback on proposed amendments to the Housing Developers Rules (“HDR”). The proposed changes require developers to provide more information to home buyers to help them make better informed decisions and enhance the protection for buyers of incomplete private residential properties.
Developers to provide more information to home buyers
URA proposes to require developers to provide more accurate and detailed information on their housing projects, including their track record, past projects and Construction Quality Assessment Systems and Quality Mark scores and Green Mark certification. Developers will also be required to provide more details in the plans given to home buyers, such as additional information on the location of key communal facilities in the site plan and storey plan of the project. For landed properties, it is proposed to require developers to provide a scaled floor plan showing each storey of the landed property based on the approved building plan. This will be in addition to the current requirement to provide a plan showing the land area. In the case of properties on freehold or 999 years leasehold land that belongs to a landowner, the developers will be required to provide information on the identity of the landowner and the ground rent payable.
URA also proposes to require developers to obtain the relevant authorities’ prior approval for the features of a housing project shown in advertisements.
Proposed changes to standard sale and purchase agreement in HDR
URA also proposes changes to the terms in the standard sale and purchase agreement (“SPA”).
Developers are currently required to compensate home buyers when the actual area in the unit falls short of the area stated in the sale and purchase agreement by more than 3%. With the advancement of building/construction technology, the accuracy and standard of construction has improved. In line with this advancement, it is proposed to reduce the level of tolerance for shortfall in the area of the unit to 2%.
In addition to the approved building plans, it is proposed to require developers to build in accordance with the scaled unit floor plan and site plan provided to home buyers before the acceptance of booking fee.
The 12-month defects liability period and home buyer’s obligation to pay the maintenance charges will also commence closer to the date when home buyers take possession of their properties.
Please refer to Annex A for the details of the proposed amendments.
Reference materials
The following materials are available on the URA website www.ura.gov.sg: