Wednesday, February 9, 2011

EC / DBSS - What is it ?

What is Design, Build & Sell Scheme (DBSS) housing?

  • involves the private sector in the development of public housing 
  • private developers will be responsible for the entire flow of the public housing development process
  • Developers will be given maximum flexibility to design and implement their projects
  • DBSS flats will be offered for sale under similar HDB eligibility rules, 
  • Permanent resident households, high-income households and others currently not eligible to buy new HDB flats will not qualify to buy DBSS flats. 
  • On completion of the development, the developer will hand over the project to HDB for management.
  • HDB will carry out the housing administration functions for DBSS flats. Likewise, Town Councils will manage the common property and maintain the car parks.

Eligibility and Priority Schemes for DBSS / EC

Eligibility and Priority Schemes

Citizenship
You must be a Singapore Citizen
Your family nucleus must comprise at least another Singapore Citizen or Singapore Permanent Resident.

Age
You must be at least 21 years old at the time of application
If you are buying an Executive Condominium (EC) under the Joint Singles Scheme, you must be at least 35 years old

Family Nucleus
You must form a proper family nucleus under one of the following schemes:
(a)  applicant and his spouse and children (if any). An occupier who is married must also include his spouse;
(b)  applicant (single) and both his parents, and siblings (if any);
(c)  applicant (widowed or divorced) and children under his legal custody, care and control;
(d)  applicant and fiancé / fiancée;
(e) orphaned applicant and his single siblings (to submit photocopies of Death Certificates of parents for verification), a single orphan applicant and all his unmarried siblings are to be listed    in the same application.

Income Ceiling
Your gross monthly household income must not exceed $10,000*
*September 2011 - Income Ceiling raised to $12,000
Owning other Private Properties
You, your spouse, any occupiers listed in the Application Form or their spouses must not own or dispose or have an estate or interest in any other flat, house, building or land*
Within 30 months before the date of application, and
Between the application date and the date of taking possession of the EC

* includes but not limited to:
HUDC flats (Privatised and Non-Privatised)
Properties acquired by gift
Properties inherited as beneficiaries under a will or as a result of the Intestate Succession Act
Private properties
Properties owned/acquired/disposed through nominees regardless of properties location

Owners/Ex-owners of HDB flats / DBSS flats / EC units
Each eligible Singaporean household can buy the following housing unit only twice:
a flat from the HDB;
a resale flat with the CPF Housing Grant*;
a DBSS flat from developer;
an EC unit from developer.
     *Only applicable for first-timer applicants

If you have already bought two housing units, you will not be eligible to apply or be listed as an essential occupier in an application.

30-Month Period
In addition, you need to wait out a 30-month period from the effective date of disposal (i.e., date of legal completion of the sale of their Executive Condominium, evidenced by the Notice of Transfer or such other documentary evidence as HDB may require) of the Executive Condominium before you can apply to buy another Executive Condominium directly from the developer.

Essential Occupiers
You or any person listed the application must not be currently listed as an essential occupier of:

    An existing HDB flat bought directly from HDB,
    A DBSS flat bought under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme, or,
    A resale flat bought under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme

However, an essential occupier may apply or be included in an application only if he has stayed in the existing flat for 5 years from the *date of taking possession of the existing flat to the date of application for an EC.
* The date of taking possession refers to:
    The date of key collection, for flats that are bought directly from HDB
    The date of resale completion, for purchase of resale flats from the open market bought with the CPF Housing Grant
    The date of transfer at market value of the flat bought with CPF Housing Grant
    The date of key collection for Executive Condominium/DBSS flats bought from the developer, whichever is applicable.

Divorcees
If you are a divorcee, you may apply to buy an EC or be listed as an occupier after 5 years from the date the divorce is made absolute to the date of application for an EC if your matrimonial flat was:
    Bought directly from HDB,
    A DBSS flat bought under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme, or
    A resale flat bought from open market under the CPF Housing Grant Scheme

However, the 5 years period will not apply if:
    The matrimonial flat was bought from the open market without any CPF Housing Grant
    You are applying for the EC with your parents or new spouse
    Person Who Has Bought an EC/DBSS Flat with CPF Housing Grant
    A person who bought an EC or DBSS flat with CPF Housing Grant and terminated the Sale and Purchase Agreement may apply to buy an EC.

However, this is allowed on the condition that a 5-year period has lapsed from the termination date of the Sale and Purchase Agreement of their earlier EC or DBSS flat purchase, to the date of application date for an EC.

 

 


Application & Cancellation


Application and Cancellation

(DBSS & ECs)

How do I go about buying a DBSS flat / EC unit?
You can submit your application to me, - the Developer Sales Team.
To expedite the processing of your application, please submit all the required supporting documents promptly.
Upon selection of the unit, you will be required to pay a booking fee of 5% of the purchase price of the DBSS / EC  flat by cash/Cashier’s Order or cheque to the developer in exchange for an Option to Purchase.
After you have selected your unit/s, detailed eligibility checks on all persons listed in your application will be conducted. The developer or your solicitors will inform you on or before the signing of the Sale and Purchase Agreement whether you are eligible for the purchase. You must continue to maintain this eligibility even after you have taken possession of your unit

What documents do I need to give to the Developer when I book a unit?
You have to produce documents to the Developer for verification of your eligibility when you book a DBSS /EC flat.
These documents include proof of:


a) identity/citizenship, e.g. NRIC;
b) relationship and marital status, e.g. birth certificate and marriage certificate;
c) Income, e.g. payslip as at date of application or an official letter from their employers stating their gross income as at date of application, Income Tax Return/Assessment; and
d) other documents as required by the Developer/HDB.
For further details on documents required, please refer to the  Application Procedures and Terms and Conditions provided in your selection brochure.

I have submitted an application to buy a direct-purchase HDB flat but have not booked a flat yet. Can I apply to buy a DBSS/EC flat?
Yes, if you have not booked a flat with HDB yet, you can apply and book a DBSS /EC flat directly with the Developer. HDB will cancel your HDB flat application after you have booked a DBSS / EC flat with the Developer.

 I have booked an HDB flat and sign the Agreement. Can I buy a DBSS flat?
  If you have already booked an HDB flat and signed the Agreement but are interested in applying for a DBSS flat, you have to cancel your booking or terminate the Agreement with HDB before you can book a DBSS flat. Upon the cancellation, a financial forfeiture will be imposed by HDB.

 I have been granted an Option to Purchase/signed the Sale and Purchase Agreement for an Executive Condominium (EC) unit or another DBSS flat. Can I buy a DBSS flat now?
If you have been granted an Option to Purchase for an EC Unit or a DBSS flat and have decided not to exercise it, you will have to inform the developer of your decision not to exercise that Option to Purchase before you are allowed to buy  a unit. A forfeiture will be imposed by the developer.
If you have already exercised the Option/signed the Sale and Purchase Agreement for the EC unit or another DBSS flat, you will not be eligible to buy a DBSS flat unless the Sale and Purchase Agreement for your DBSS/EC flat purchase is rescinded. The developer must agree to the rescission and if they allow it, a forfeiture may be imposed by them.

What is the penalty if I were to give up my DBSS flat after I have paid the Booking Fee and obtained the Option To Purchase but before I execute the Sale and Purchase Agreement?
  If you give up your DBSS/EC  flat before you execute the Sale and Purchase Agreement with the Developer, the Developer will impose a forfeiture of 25% of the booking fee paid as provided in the Option To Purchase.

What is the consequence if my purchase of the DBSS flat is terminated after I have executed the Sale and Purchase Agreement?
If your Sale and Purchase Agreement with the Developer is terminated in accordance with the provisions found in the Sale and Purchase Agreement (for example, because you have ceased to be eligible to continue with the purchase of the DBSS flat), the Developer can impose a financial forfeiture amounting to 20% of the flat’s purchase price. Please also check with your solicitor on other expenses related to the transaction in the event of a termination.
It is therefore very important for you to ensure that you remain eligible to buy the DBSS/EC  flat before you sign the Sale and Purchase Agreement. This is because you must be able to maintain this eligibility starting from the point of execution of the Sale and Purchase Agreement and also throughout the period of ownership. HDB also reserves the right to take the relevant action pursuant to the Housing and Development Act (Cap 129) and its prevailing policies.

What are the possible consequences if I were to give up my DBSS/EC  flat due to a break-up in the fiancé/fiancée relationship after I have signed the Sale and Purchase Agreement?
 Under the Fiancé/Fiancée Scheme, you will need to produce your marriage certificate for the Developer’s verification as required under the Fiancé/Fiancée Scheme (for further details on the scheme, please refer to the DBSS/EC Terms and Conditions).
If at any point in time, there is a break-up in the Fiancé/Fiancée relationship, you will become ineligible to continue with the DBSS/EC purchase. In this situation, the Developer can terminate your Sale and Purchase Agreement and impose a forfeiture amounting to 20% of the purchase price paid. If you have received a CPF Housing Grant for your purchase, you and your fiancé/fiancée will be required to return the CPF Housing Grant together with accrued interest. Any shortfall has to be repaid in cash. If the full amount cannot be recovered at that juncture, the outstanding amount will be treated as a debt owed by you and your fiancé/fiancée to the Government.
Both of you will also not be eligible to rent/buy or take over the ownership of another HDB flat, DBSS flat or Executive Condominium unit until you have paid up this debt in full (with interest).