Home buyers who could not apply for a Build-To-Order (BTO) Housing Board flat this month because of the circuit breaker will be able to do so in three months, as the flats originally scheduled for launch this month will be combined with the August BTO exercise.
This is even as the HDB said yesterday that some BTO projects are expected to be delayed by up to six months due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The HDB will offer about 7,800 BTO flats in Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Choa Chu Kang, Geylang, Pasir Ris, Tampines, Tengah and Woodlands in August.
Another 5,700 flats in Bishan, Sembawang, Tampines, Tengah and Toa Payoh will be offered in November.
Of these, the flats in Choa Chu Kang and Tampines North from the August launch, and those in Tengah from the November launch, will have shorter waiting times, the HDB said.
The update comes after the HDB said in April that this month’s BTO exercise would be postponed until further notice. This month, about 3,700 BTO flats in Choa Chu Kang, Tengah, Pasir Ris and Tampines and about 160 assisted living flats for seniors in Bukit Batok were supposed to be launched.
He said: “I was a little disappointed when the May BTO exercise was delayed but, of course, it is understandable, given the Covid-19 situation.
“Young couples who are keen (to apply for a flat) are already looking at a pretty long runway before we can actually move into our flats, so I am relieved that HDB has been quick to inform the public that the exercise will be held in August.”
Flat buyers will be informed of the revised probable completion dates through their My HDBPage account.
The HDB said the delay is also because of “strict safe management measures that need to be put in place at work sites to prevent major Covid-19 outbreaks”.
Services that will resume include the booking of flats and key collection for new flats and rental flats.
From June 8, the HDB will schedule appointments for other services progressively, including the signing of tenancy documents.
source:straitimes
