https://mothership.sg/2023/10/hdb-hfe-applications-31-percent-21-days/
Over 50,000 flat eligibility letter applications processed by HDB, 31% within 21 working days
Sim also said there were system errors during the May BTO sales launch.
October 04, 2023, 05:20 PM
Since launching the Housing Development Board (HDB) flat eligibility letter (HFE) on May 9, 2023, HDB has processed over 50,000 HFE applications, Senior Minister of State in the Ministry of National Development Sim Ann said on Oct. 4.
31 per cent of these applications were processed within the "service standard" of 21 working days, she added.
To HDB's knowledge, applicants were not made to miss out on the May Build-To-Order (BTO) flat sales launch, even if they received their HFE outcomes after 21 days.
This is due to HDB expediting the processing time for such letters and making "accommodations" on their end.
In addition, resale flat buyers who reached out to HDB, as they have urgent needs and require their HFE applications to be completed so they can finish their transactions, have been helped.
Sim was responding to multiple questions posed by Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh on the number of HFE applicants who were affected by technical issues, the reason for these issues, whether they have been resolved, and how many HFE applications went beyond HDB's stated processing time of 21 working days.
The HFE assesses a buyer's eligibility for flat purchases, CPF housing grants and HDB housing loans.
System errors and high application volume for May BTO launch
Sim added that during the May BTO sales launch, there were system errors and a high flat application volume.
The HFE system was unable to handle "some complexities" in integrating eligibility assessments with data from various agencies.
This resulted in a higher-than-expected proportion of cases requiring manual intervention.
Some home buyers therefore experienced longer processing times for their HFE applications.
"HDB is working hard to process the outstanding applications as quickly as possible, and we seek home buyers' patience and understanding," she said.
HDB also made a transitional arrangement for the May BTO sales launch, which only required an indication of an intention to buy and a preliminary HFE check.
This arrangement has not resulted in buyers missing out on the May sales launch, she noted.
HDB has enhanced their system in the lead-up to the October BTO launch
In the lead-up to the October 2023 BTO sales launch, which runs from Oct. 4 to Oct. 10, HDB has carried out additional "system enhancements" to ensure a smoother flat-buying process, Sim said.
HDB is also committed to ensuring that those who submitted their HFE applications and supporting documents prior to the end of August will also receive their HFE outcomes in time for the October sales launch.
Sim reiterated that Prospective homebuyers are encouraged to submit their HFE applications and the supporting information early — at least a month before HDB sales exercises.
Top left photo by Jiachen Lin via Unsplash, right screenshot via Gov.sg/YouTube
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