Streamlining Process for Online Application of HDB Flats with Real-time Information and Level of Subsidy for Each Applicant
Ministry of National DevelopmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim’s inquiry into streamlining the HDB BTO application process and providing real-time information on subsidies and application volumes. Minister for National Development Desmond Lee highlighted existing e-services that assist applicants with eligibility checks and budget estimations while providing indicative prices and resale comparables. He noted that HDB provides regular application rate updates to help applicants improve their chances, emphasizing that a rate below 1.7 generally indicates a good chance of success. To manage high traffic, HDB introduced a virtual waiting room feature in November 2022 that provides real-time wait estimates for online submissions. Minister for National Development Desmond Lee stated that HDB remains committed to reviewing systems and incorporating public feedback to further enhance the user experience.
Transcript
24 Mr Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim asked the Minister for National Development in respect of applications for HDB BTO flats, what are the steps that HDB takes to continually streamline and improve the online application experience for users, including real-time information on the number of applications submitted, and subsidies or grants available to a specific user.
Mr Desmond Lee: HDB strives to provide relevant and timely information to would-be flat buyers, so that they can make informed decisions when applying for a flat in the sales exercises.
HDB provides a range of e-services on their website. These e-services help flat applicants check their eligibility to buy an HDB flat and estimate their housing budget, based on details they provide, before they apply for a flat.
For each Build-To-Order (BTO) sales launch, HDB also provides the indicative prices and details of the projects on the HDB Flat Portal, as well as resale market comparables, to help applicants make a considered decision on the project they could, and wish to, apply for.
Throughout the application period, HDB also provides regular updates on the flat application rates for each BTO project. We encourage flat applicants to refer to the information and apply for a project with a lower application rate to improve their chances of securing a flat. Based on past launches, about 40% of invited flat applicants do not proceed to book a flat. Therefore, an application rate of not more than 1.7 times would give flat applicants a good chance of securing a flat.
We wish to assure the Member that HDB regularly reviews and improves its systems, to enhance user experience. For instance, for the November 2022 sales launch, HDB rolled out a virtual waiting room feature on the flat application webpage. Should there be many applicants accessing the system at once, applicants will be directed to the virtual waiting room and given a real-time indication of how long they would need to wait before proceeding to the next step of their application. This has helped to smoothen the application process and provided more certainty to flat applicants on the estimated waiting time before they can submit their online applications.
As part of HDB’s continuous improvement towards better service delivery, HDB welcomes public feedback on the user experience for the services and information provided. We would be glad to take in useful suggestions from the public to ensure a good service experience for all.