Landlord asks for $500 cash after tenant claims CDC vouchers

SINGAPORE: An elderly woman in Singapore faced a frustrating ordeal when she discovered that her Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers, worth $500, had been mistakenly claimed by her long-term tenant, after she waited in line for two hours to collect the vouchers.

Revealing that it was her first time claiming CDC vouchers, the tenant told 8world that she believed she was collecting them for her new home in Clementi, currently under renovation and expected to be completed this month. Unfortunately, she mistakenly claimed the vouchers assigned to her elderly landlord’s address.

Upon receiving a call from the landlord, Ms Chu offered to print and return the vouchers. However, the elderly woman, unfamiliar with the voucher system, requested $500 in cash instead.

Ms Chu is now advising other tenants and home sellers to be cautious when collecting CDC vouchers to prevent similar mishaps. She emphasized the risk of tenants mistakenly claiming a landlord’s vouchers and the potential for confusion when home sellers have not yet moved out after a property transaction.

Revealing that she plans to collect her household’s CDC vouchers after moving into her new home and applying for a change of address, Ms Chu urged the CDC to implement measures to prevent such incidents, suggesting that only homeowners should be allowed to claim the vouchers.

She also called for improvements to the CDC system, questioning why the system allowed her to claim the vouchers on behalf of the landlord. She suggested stricter verification measures to ensure that only homeowners can claim their respective vouchers.

According to an FAQ provided by the Community Development Council, the claims page should display the name of the person claiming the vouchers on behalf of the household. If the individual belongs to another household at the same address, residents are advised to visit their nearest community center for further assistance.

Since the launch of the $500 CDC vouchers on January 3, approximately 60 per cent of 1.27 million Singaporean households have claimed their vouchers, with about $8 million already spent at participating heartland merchants, hawkers, and supermarkets.