Statistics on Wife Retaining Matrimonial Flat or Allocated Rental Flat by HDB Following Divorce
Ministry of National DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns statistics raised by Ms Poh Li San on female divorcees retaining matrimonial flats or being allocated HDB rental flats. Minister Desmond Lee shared that between 2015 and 2019, ex-wives retained the flat in 70% of transfer applications and 43% of resale part-share cases. For those who sold or returned their flats, 37% purchased another flat or became occupiers, and 1,600 rental flats were allocated to those with care and control of children. Minister Desmond Lee noted that HDB does not track individuals moving into private property or family homes but continues to assist all divorcees with their housing needs. HDB remains committed to helping all divorcees who approach the agency for assistance on their housing requirements.
Transcript
13 Ms Poh Li San asked the Minister for National Development in the past five years, of the divorces filed where the couples co-own HDB flats, what is the proportion of (i) the wife retaining the matrimonial flat (ii) the wife allocated a rental flat by HDB and (iii) the wife being unable to retain the matrimonial flat nor be allocated a rental flat.
Mr Desmond Lee: Following divorce, one party may retain the matrimonial flat via a transfer of flat ownership or resale of part-share, subject to meeting HDB's eligibility conditions. From 2015 to 2019, HDB received about 7,200 transfer applications due to divorce, of which 70% (or 5,100) of the flats were retained by the ex-wife. There were also about 580 resale of part-share applications, of which 43% (or 250) were cases where the ex-wife purchased the share of the flat from the ex-husband and retained the flat.
In addition, there were about 6,400 cases where the divorced couple sold the matrimonial flat on the open market and about 300 cases where the couple returned the flat to HDB as they have not met the minimum occupation period to sell the flat. Out of these cases, around 2,500 (or 37%) were cases where the ex-wife went on to purchase another new or resale flat or became listed as an occupier in the flat purchase.
We have also allocated about 1,600 rental flats to female divorcees with care and control of children in the past five years.
There are also cases where the ex-wife may have moved back to stay with family, bought a private property to stay in, or rented a property to stay in. HDB does not track the specific numbers for these groups.
HDB will continue to assist all divorcees who approach HDB for assistance on their housing needs.