Singapore — In a pilot programme of the Joint Singapore Scheme Operator-Run (JSS-OR), singles can now rent a flat without the previously required flatmate.
According to a press release by the Housing and Development Board (HDB), the JSS-OR was launched on Friday (Dec 17), allowing singles to apply for a rental unit without first having to find a flatmate.
The initiative was rolled out to further support lower-income singles needing rental flats, said HDB.
They can apply and be assigned flatmates by the operator, taking into consideration factors such as gender, age, ethnicity and living habits.
“This improves the chances that the tenants will find a suitable living arrangement,” HDB noted.
Under the existing Joint Singles Scheme (JSS), two or more singles may jointly apply for a public rental flat or approach HDB to source for a flatmate.
While a majority of JSS applicants are able to find a flatmate and live together amicably, some may not be able to do so.
The JSS-OR pilot then offers another option for applicants.
The scheme comprises a mix of one- and two-room flats, with partitions installed to accommodate two or three persons per flat respectively.
“These units also come with general household furnishings and appliances such as wardrobes, a water heater, a washing machine and a refrigerator, so that tenants can move in easily,” said HDB.
The operator will handle introducing the tenants to each other and step in to mediate any disagreements.
Details of the first two locations for the JSS-OR pilot are listed below.
Eligibility for the JSS-OR is the same as JSS, wherein the applicant must be a Singapore citizen, single, unmarried, and at least 35 years old. Those who are divorced, legally separated from their spouse with legal documents or widowed or orphaned and at least 21 years old can also apply.
HDB highlighted that the rent charged under this scheme would be similar to the existing JSS, along with each tenant’s share of service and conservancy charges and utilities.
Interested tenants can submit an application through the following link. /TISG
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