# 2-Room Flexi Scheme - Meeting Diverse Housing Needs

- **Source:** Ministry of National Development
- **Published:** 2015-08-19T07:30:00.000Z
- **Author:** Ministry of National Development
- **Original:** https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/view/2-room-flexi-scheme---meeting-diverse-housing-needs
- **Topics:** HDB & Public Housing, Private Residential

## Featured rationale

The scheme may encourage elderly owners to right-size and monetise existing homes, potentially increasing housing mobility while expanding demand for smaller subsidised flats.

## AI summary

The 2-room Flexi Scheme offers eligible elderly buyers leases of 15 to 45 years, with over 70 BTO projects planned within five years.

## Original article

Today, the Ministry of National Development (MND) and the Housing & Development Board (HDB) introduced the 2-room Flexi Scheme, a new housing option to better cater to the diverse housing needs of families, singles and elderly. The new 2-room Flexi Scheme will offer flexibility to accommodate different buyers and allow choice of lease and fittings. It will also support inclusive living. 

2 First mooted by the Minister for National Development, Mr Khaw Boon Wan, at the Committee of Supply debate in March 2015, the new 2-room Flexi Scheme will merge and replace the existing 2-room flat scheme and Studio Apartment (SA) scheme. The design of the new scheme has incorporated feedback and suggestions received from extensive public consultation held over the past few months. 

Flexi Buyers 

3 Under the new 2-room Flexi Scheme, first-timer and second-timer families and first-timer singles will continue to be offered 99-year 2-room Flexi flats. 

4 In addition, elderly citizens aged 55 and above can choose to buy a 2-room Flexi flat on short lease as a monetisation option, regardless of whether they have enjoyed housing subsidies previously or own a private residential property. This includes elderly who are not eligible to buy a 99-year 2-room Flexi flat, viz. first-timer singles earning more than $5,000, second-timer singles, households who have enjoyed two housing subsidies, and private property owners .The purchase and ownership conditions are set out in Annex A. 

Flexi Lease 

5 Elderly citizens aged 55 and above have the flexibility of choosing the length of the lease on their 2-room Flexi flat, based on their age, needs and preferences. They can take up a lease of between 15 and 45 years in five-year increments, as long as it covers them and their spouse up to the age of at least 95 years. The various lease options are set out in Table 1. 

Table 1: Lease options for Short-Lease 2-room Flexi Flats

6 With the short-lease option, the elderly will be able to have a new home for life while monetising more from their existing property. The purchase will have to be financed through cash or CPF savings, and not a mortgage loan, so as not to burden the elderly with debt. The short-lease 2-room Flexi flats cannot be resold or sublet. If the owners do not need the flat, they can return the flat to HDB and HDB will refund them the value of the remaining lease of the flat. 

Flexi Fittings 

7 The 2-room Flexi flats will be available in two sizes, 36 sm and 45 sm. Those who buy 2-room Flexi flats on 99-year leases will continue to have the option of flooring and sanitary fittings under the Optional Component Scheme (OCS). The elderly who buy 2-room Flexi flats on short leases will be able to choose from three new OCS packages specially tailored for them. These will include flooring, sanitary fittings and other items such as built-in kitchen cabinets with gas hob and cooker hood, kitchen sink, window grilles and built-in wardrobe (see Annex B for details). In addition, as the flats on short leases are meant for the elderly, they will be fitted upfront with grab bars. 

Adequate Supply 

8 At least 40% (subject to a minimum of 100 units) of the 2-room Flexi flats in a Build-to-Order (BTO) project will be made available to the elderly. Under a new Senior Priority Scheme to be introduced, half of this quota will be set aside for the elderly who apply for a unit to live near their current flat or near their married child. 

9 All other priority schemes for families applying for 99-year 2-room Flexi flats will remain unchanged. These schemes are the Parenthood Priority Scheme, Married Child Priority Scheme and Assistance Scheme for Second-Timers (Divorced/Widowed Parents). 

10 HDB will launch over 70 BTO projects with 2-room Flexi flats in the next 5 years. These projects will be located all over Singapore to allow choice of locations. 

Affordable Pricing 

11 2-room Flexi flats are priced taking into account the lease tenure and if buyers are first-timers, second-timers, or others. Shorter lease flats will be cheaper than longer lease flats. First-timers will pay less than buyers who have enjoyed a housing subsidy or who cannot buy other subsidised HDB flats, as first-timers get grants and a larger subsidy. (See Annex C for details.) 

More Help for the Elderly 

12 Second-timers aged 55 and above who sold their first subsidised flat before 3 March 2006 and have not paid their resale levy liabilities will be given additional help when they right-size to a new 2-room or 3-room flat. Instead of paying the percentage resale levy with accrued interest, they will pay only the percentage resale levy , with the interest waived. 

13 Currently, SA owners can apply at the expiry of their 30-year lease for a 10-year lease extension. They will soon enjoy more flexibility in lease extension. From 1 April 2016, they can apply to top up their lease by 5, 10 or 15 years at the prevailing market value, at any point of time. This option is also extended to buyers who have yet to collect the keys to their SAs. For flat owners who have taken up the Lease Buyback Scheme (LBS) before the scheme was enhanced on 1 April 2015, they can apply to top up their 30-year lease by an additional 5 years at the prevailing market value, from 1 April 2016. 

14 The elderly who are waiting for the completion of their new flats or SAs can apply for the short-lease 2-room Flexi flat, if they wish to. The forfeiture fees will be waived if they cancel their new flat or SA application before 19 August 2016 and book a short-lease 2-room Flexi flat. Similarly, the forfeiture fees will be waived for those who cancel their new flat or SA application before 1 April 2016 to take up the LBS with their existing HDB flat. This will give elderly buyers sufficient time to find out more about options available and make a decision. We advise them to take time to consider the various schemes and choose one that best meets their needs. 

Implementation 

15 The 2-room Flexi Scheme and the waiver of accrued interest on resale levy for elderly who are right-sizing (paragraph 13) will be implemented from the September 2015 BTO exercise. Those who wish to top up the lease of their SAs or LBS flats (paragraph 14) may apply to the HDB from 1 April 2016. 

16 For any enquiries, the public can contact the HDB Sales/Resale Customer Service Line at 1800-866-3066. 

Issued By : MND & HDB 

Date : 19 August 2015

## Chinese translation

> Translation model: grok_cli

### 两房式Flexi计划——满足多元住屋需求

今天，国家发展部（MND）与建屋发展局（HDB）推出两房式Flexi计划，这是一项新的住屋选择，以更好地满足家庭、单身人士及乐龄人士的多元住屋需求。新的两房式Flexi计划将提供灵活性，以照顾不同买家，并允许选择租约年限与装置配置。它也将支持共融居住。

2 该计划由时任国家发展部部长许文远先生于2015年3月供应委员会辩论中首次提出，新的两房式Flexi计划将合并并取代现有的两房式组屋计划及小型公寓（Studio Apartment，SA）计划。新计划的设计已纳入过去数月广泛公众咨询中收到的反馈与建议。

灵活的买家对象

3 在新的两房式Flexi计划下，首次及第二次购屋家庭以及首次购屋的单身人士，将继续获提供99年租约的两房式Flexi组屋。

4 此外，55岁及以上的乐龄公民可选择购买短租约两房式Flexi组屋作为套现选择，不论是否曾享有住屋津贴或是否拥有私人住宅房产。这包括不符合购买99年租约两房式Flexi组屋资格的乐龄人士，即：月入超过5,000新元的首次购屋单身人士、第二次购屋的单身人士、已享有两次住屋津贴的家庭，以及私人房产拥有者。购买及拥有条件载于附件A。

灵活租约

5 55岁及以上的乐龄公民可按自身年龄、需要与偏好，灵活选择两房式Flexi组屋的租约年限。他们可选择15年至45年之间、以五年为递增单位的租约，只要该租约可覆盖其本人及配偶至少至95岁。各项租约选择载于表1。

表1：短租约两房式Flexi组屋的租约选择

6 有了短租约选择，乐龄人士可在有生之年拥有新家园，同时从现有房产中套现更多。购屋须以现金或公积金存款支付，不可使用按揭贷款，以免加重乐龄人士债务负担。短租约两房式Flexi组屋不可转售或分租。若业主不再需要该组屋，可将组屋交还建屋发展局，建屋发展局将退还组屋剩余租约的价值。

灵活装置配置

7 两房式Flexi组屋将提供两种面积：36平方米及45平方米。购买99年租约两房式Flexi组屋者，将继续可在可选择组件计划（Optional Component Scheme，OCS）下选择地板及卫浴装置。购买短租约两房式Flexi组屋的乐龄人士，将可从三套专为他们量身定制的新可选择组件计划配套中选择。这些配套将包括地板、卫浴装置及其他项目，例如附煤气炉及抽油烟机的内置厨房橱柜、厨房洗涤槽、窗花及内置衣柜（详情见附件B）。此外，由于短租约组屋专为乐龄人士而设，将预先安装扶手。

充足供应

8 每个预购组屋（BTO）项目中，至少40%（且不少于100个单位）的两房式Flexi组屋将提供予乐龄人士。在即将推出的新乐龄优先计划下，该配额的一半将预留给申请住在现有组屋附近或已婚子女附近的乐龄人士。

9 家庭申请99年租约两房式Flexi组屋的所有其他优先计划维持不变。这些计划为育儿优先计划、已婚子女优先计划，以及第二次购屋者（离婚/丧偶父母）援助计划。

10 建屋发展局将在未来5年推出超过70个设有两房式Flexi组屋的预购组屋项目。这些项目将分布在新加坡各地，以提供地点选择。

可负担定价

11 两房式Flexi组屋的定价会考虑租约年限，以及买家是首次购屋者、第二次购屋者或其他人士。较短租约组屋将比较长租约组屋更便宜。首次购屋者所付价格将低于曾享有住屋津贴或不能购买其他受津贴组屋的买家，因为首次购屋者可获津贴及较大补贴。（详情见附件C。）

为乐龄人士提供更多协助

12 55岁及以上、在2006年3月3日前售出首间受津贴组屋且尚未缴清转售抽成（resale levy）负债的第二次购屋者，在换购新的两房式或三房式组屋时将获额外协助。他们只需支付百分比转售抽成，利息将获豁免，而无须支付含应计利息的百分比转售抽成。

13 目前，小型公寓业主可在30年租约届满时申请延长10年租约。他们很快将享有更灵活的租约延长安排。自2016年4月1日起，他们可在任何时候按当时市值申请将租约加长5年、10年或15年。此选择亦延伸至尚未领取小型公寓钥匙的买家。对于在2015年4月1日计划加强前已参加租约回购计划（Lease Buyback Scheme，LBS）的组屋业主，自2016年4月1日起，他们可按当时市值申请将30年租约再加长5年。

14 正在等候新组屋或小型公寓竣工的乐龄人士，如有意亦可申请短租约两房式Flexi组屋。若在2016年8月19日前取消新组屋或小型公寓申请并订购短租约两房式Flexi组屋，罚没费用将获豁免。同样，若在2016年4月1日前取消新组屋或小型公寓申请、并以现有建屋发展局组屋参加租约回购计划，罚没费用亦将获豁免。这将给予乐龄买家充足时间了解可用选择并作出决定。我们建议他们花时间考虑各项计划，并选择最符合自身需要的一项。

实施

15 两房式Flexi计划，以及乐龄人士换购时豁免转售抽成应计利息（第13段），将自2015年9月预购组屋活动起实施。有意为其小型公寓或租约回购计划组屋加长租约者（第14段），可自2016年4月1日起向建屋发展局申请。

16 如有任何查询，公众可致电建屋发展局销售/转售客户服务热线1800-866-3066。

发布单位：国家发展部与建屋发展局

日期：2015年8月19日