Applications for HDB Loan Eligibility Letter by Singapore Citizens with Spouses on Long-Term Visit Passes

61 Ms Mariam Jaafar asked the Minister for National Development (a) what is the current number of applications for a HDB Loan Eligibility (HLE) letter made by Singapore citizens with spouses holding Long-Term Visit Passes (LTVP) who do not have a CPF account; and (b) whether the income of the spouse holding a LTVP is factored into the housing loan quantum indicated in the approved HLE letter.

Mr Desmond Lee: An HDB Loan Eligibility (HLE) Letter advises flat buyers on their eligibility to take an HDB housing loan and the loan quantum that they are eligible for. From January 2022 to June 2022, HDB received an average of about 400 applications per month for an HLE letter from Singapore citizens with a non-resident spouse. HDB does not keep track of the type of work passes held by the non-residents.

In determining the loan quantum to be indicated in the HLE letter, HDB only considers flat buyers’ incomes because they are the borrowers who will need to service the mortgage loan. The incomes of all occupiers are not considered, regardless of their citizenship and relationship with the flat buyers. Nevertheless, HDB does consider appeals to include an occupier’s income for the computation of the HDB housing loan quantum on a case-by-case basis.