# Additional Temporary Relief Measures for Property Sector due to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic - **Source:** Ministry of National Development - **Published:** 2020-10-08T12:31:00.000Z - **Author:** Ministry of National Development - **Original:** https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/view/additional-temporary-relief-measures-for-property-sector-due-to-coronavirus-disease-2019-(covid-19)-pandemic - **Topics:** Private Residential, Commercial & Industrial, Government & Policy ## Featured rationale The relief may reduce delay-related financial pressure on developers and contractors, while unchanged unit-sale deadlines preserve incentives to complete transactions promptly. ## AI summary Qualifying developments received further six-month extensions for project completion and residential ABSD commencement and completion deadlines because of COVID-19 construction disruption. ## Original article The Government announced today additional temporary relief measures for property developers affected by disruptions to construction timelines resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. This is in addition to the temporary relief measures announced on 6 May 2020. These temporary relief measures do not affect the other existing residential property market cooling measures which remain relevant to ensure that private residential property prices are broadly consistent with economic fundamentals. The additional temporary relief measures, to be implemented with immediate effect, are: (i) Extension of the Project Completion Period (PCP) by a further 6 months for residential, commercial and industrial development projects; (ii) Extension of time by a further 6 months for the commencement and completion of the residential development projects in relation to the remission of the Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) for housing developers[1]; and (iii) Extension of the PCP by up to a further 6 months for residential development projects under the Qualifying Certificate (QC) regime for foreign housing developers. While almost all construction projects have restarted, the full resumption of on-site operations remains a challenge with workers being placed under quarantine if they have come in close contact with a positive COVID-19 case, and worksite practices requiring redesign for safe distancing. These public health measures are necessary to prevent the industry from going into lockdown again, but they continue to affect construction timelines. All qualifying housing developers will continue to be subject to the prevailing ABSD regime, albeit with a further 6-month extension of the remission condition timelines for commencement and completion of the residential development projects. There is no further extension of the remission condition timeline for the sale of all housing units in the residential development project. Contractors and developers have raised concerns regarding the additional costs and financial penalties in contracts between stakeholders that may be incurred as a result of delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With these additional support measures, the Government expects developers to continue to similarly provide relief and support to their main contractors. The Government will also continue to closely monitor the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the progress of work within the construction industry, and on the property sector. The Government will implement additional relief measures to support the stakeholders as necessary, and ensure that no stakeholder bears an undue share of the burden imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Private Residential Development Projects PCP. The PCP for qualifying residential development projects on Government sale sites, or on land which was directly alienated or had their lease renewed by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), will be extended by a further 6 months. The conditions to be met to qualify for the extension of the PCP remain the same (as per the temporary relief measures announced on 6 May 2020), and are as follows: (i) The land was awarded on or before 1 June 2020, or the land was directly alienated or had their lease renewed by SLA on or before 1 June 2020; and (ii) The original timeline for completion of the residential development expired on or after 1 February 2020. Eligible developers will be notified by the respective agencies. No application is necessary. ABSD. Under the ABSD regime, developers are to commence and complete the residential development, and sell all housing units in the residential development project within the specified timelines[2], failing which they will be subject to the ABSD on the purchase of the land. Under the additional temporary relief measures, the specified commencement and completion timelines will be extended by a further 6 months, for qualifying residential development projects. There is no further extension of the specified timeline to sell all housing units in the residential development project. The conditions to be met to qualify for the extension of the specified timelines for commencement of residential development remain the same (as per the temporary relief measures announced on 6 May 2020), and are as follows: (i) The land was purchased on or before 1 June 2020; and (ii) The original timeline for commencement of the residential development expired on or after 1 February 2020. The conditions to be met to qualify for extension of the specified timeline for completion of residential development remain the same (as per the temporary relief measures announced on 6 May 2020), and are as follows: (i) The land was purchased on or before 1 June 2020; and (ii) The original timeline for completion of the residential development expired on or after 1 February 2020. Eligible developers will be granted the extension automatically. No application is necessary. QC. Under the QC regime, developers subject to the QC rules are to complete construction of all housing units in a residential development project within 5 years from the date of issue of the QC or the collective sale order, and dispose of all housing units within 2 years from the issue of Temporary Occupation Permit or Certificate of Statutory Completion. Under the additional temporary relief measures, developers applying to extend their existing completion deadline will be granted a further waiver of extension charges of up to a total of 6 months. This will also apply to other SLA approvals requiring the completion of all units in the residential development. There is no further waiver of extension charges to extend the existing deadline to dispose of all housing units in the residential development project. The conditions to be met to qualify for the waiver of extension charges to extend the completion deadline remain the same (as per the temporary relief measures announced on 6 May 2020), and are as follows: (i) The QC or SLA approval requiring the completion of all units in the residential development was issued on or before 1 June 2020; and (ii) The original timeline for completion of the residential development expired on or after 1 February 2020. Eligible developers can write to SLA’s Land Dealings Approval Unit (LDAU) at SLA_LDU@sla.gov.sg by 1 December 2020 to apply. Developers which had already applied for and obtained an extension of their existing completion deadlines under the temporary relief measures announced on 6 May 2020 will automatically be granted the further 6-month waiver of extension charges, and will be notified of their new deadlines by LDAU. Commercial and Industrial Development Projects PCP. The PCP for qualifying commercial and industrial development projects on Government sale sites, or on land which was directly alienated or had their lease renewed by SLA, will be extended by a further 6 months. The conditions to be met to qualify for the extension of the PCP remain the same (as per the temporary relief measures announced on 6 May 2020), and are as follows: (i) The land was awarded on or before 1 June 2020; or the land was directly alienated or had their lease renewed by SLA on or before 1 June 2020; and (ii) The original timeline for completion of the development expired on or after 1 February 2020. Eligible developers will be notified by the respective agencies. No application is necessary. [1] Details on the remission of ABSD for housing developers are provided under the Stamp Duties (Housing Developers) (Remission of ABSD) Rules 2013 and the Stamp Duties (Non-Licensed Housing Developers) (Remission of ABSD) Rules 2015. [2] The specified timeline for commencement of housing development is 2 years from the purchase of the land for all housing developers. The specified timelines for completion of housing development and sale of all housing units are 5 years from purchase of the land for licensed developers (those who construct more than 4 housing units), and 3 years from purchase of the land for non-licensed developers (those who construct no more than 4 housing units). Under the temporary relief measures announced on 6 May 2020, the specified commencement, completion and sale timelines were extended by 6 months, subject to conditions. ## Chinese translation > Translation model: grok_cli ### 因2019冠状病毒疾病（COVID-19）疫情为房地产行业推出额外临时救济措施 政府今日宣布，为受2019冠状病毒疾病疫情导致施工时间表受阻影响的房地产发展商推出额外临时救济措施。此乃2020年5月6日所公布临时救济措施之外的补充措施。这些临时救济措施不影响其他现行住宅房地产市场降温措施；该等降温措施仍具相关性，以确保私人住宅房价大致符合经济基本面。 即日起实施的额外临时救济措施如下： （i）住宅、商业及工业发展项目的项目完工期（PCP）再延长6个月； （ii）就房屋发展商额外买方印花税（ABSD）的减免而言，住宅发展项目开工及完工时限再延长6个月[1]；以及 （iii）受外国房屋发展商合格证书（QC）制度规管的住宅发展项目，其PCP可再延长最多6个月。 尽管几乎所有建筑项目已重启，但全面恢复工地作业仍具挑战，因与确诊病例有密切接触的工人须接受检疫，且工地作业方式须为保持安全距离而重新设计。这些公共卫生措施对防止行业再次封锁实属必要，但它们继续影响施工时间表。 所有符合资格的房屋发展商将继续受现行ABSD制度规管，惟住宅发展项目开工及完工的减免条件时限再获延长6个月。住宅发展项目出售所有住房单位的减免条件时限则不再延长。 承包商与发展商就因2019冠状病毒疾病疫情延误而可能产生的额外成本，以及利益相关方之间合约中的财务罚款提出关注。在这些额外支援措施下，政府期望发展商同样继续向其总承包商提供救济与支援。政府亦将继续密切监察2019冠状病毒疾病疫情对建筑业工程进度及房地产行业的影响。政府将视需要实施额外救济措施以支援利益相关方，并确保没有任何一方须承担2019冠状病毒疾病疫情所造成的不合理份额负担。 私人住宅发展项目 PCP。政府售地项目，或由新加坡土地管理局（SLA）直接拨地或其租约获续期的土地上符合资格的住宅发展项目，其PCP将再延长6个月。 符合PCP延期资格的条件维持不变（与2020年5月6日公布的临时救济措施相同），如下： （i）土地于2020年6月1日或之前获批，或土地由SLA于2020年6月1日或之前直接拨出或其租约获续期；以及 （ii）住宅发展原定完工时限于2020年2月1日或之后届满。 合资格发展商将获相关机构通知。无需申请。 ABSD。在ABSD制度下，发展商须在规定时限内[2]开工及完成住宅发展，并售出住宅发展项目中的所有住房单位，否则须就购地缴付ABSD。在额外临时救济措施下，符合资格的住宅发展项目，其规定开工及完工时限将再延长6个月。住宅发展项目售出所有住房单位的规定时限则不再延长。 符合住宅发展开工规定时限延期资格的条件维持不变（与2020年5月6日公布的临时救济措施相同），如下： （i）土地于2020年6月1日或之前购入；以及 （ii）住宅发展原定开工时限于2020年2月1日或之后届满。 符合住宅发展完工规定时限延期资格的条件维持不变（与2020年5月6日公布的临时救济措施相同），如下： （i）土地于2020年6月1日或之前购入；以及 （ii）住宅发展原定完工时限于2020年2月1日或之后届满。 合资格发展商将自动获批延期。无需申请。 QC。在QC制度下，受QC规则规管的发展商须自QC签发日期或集体出售令发出之日起5年内完成住宅发展项目中所有住房单位的建设，并自临时入伙准证或法定完工证书发出之日起2年内处置所有住房单位。在额外临时救济措施下，申请延长现有完工期限的发展商，将再获豁免合共最多6个月的延期费用。此亦适用于其他要求完成住宅发展中所有单位的SLA批准。延长现有处置住宅发展项目中所有住房单位期限的延期费用则不再豁免。 符合豁免完工期限延期费用资格的条件维持不变（与2020年5月6日公布的临时救济措施相同），如下： （i）要求完成住宅发展中所有单位的QC或SLA批准于2020年6月1日或之前签发；以及 （ii）住宅发展原定完工时限于2020年2月1日或之后届满。 合资格发展商可于2020年12月1日或之前致函SLA土地交易批准组（LDAU），电邮SLA_LDU@sla.gov.sg提出申请。已根据2020年5月6日公布的临时救济措施申请并获延长现有完工期限的发展商，将自动再获6个月延期费用豁免，并由LDAU通知其新期限。 商业与工业发展项目 PCP。政府售地项目，或由SLA直接拨地或其租约获续期的土地上符合资格的商业与工业发展项目，其PCP将再延长6个月。 符合PCP延期资格的条件维持不变（与2020年5月6日公布的临时救济措施相同），如下： （i）土地于2020年6月1日或之前获批；或土地由SLA于2020年6月1日或之前直接拨出或其租约获续期；以及 （ii）发展原定完工时限于2020年2月1日或之后届满。 合资格发展商将获相关机构通知。无需申请。 [1] 有关房屋发展商ABSD减免的详情，载于《印花税（房屋发展商）（ABSD减免）规则2013》及《印花税（非持牌房屋发展商）（ABSD减免）规则2015》。 [2] 所有房屋发展商的房屋发展开工规定时限为购地之日起2年。房屋发展完工及售出所有住房单位的规定时限，对持牌发展商（兴建超过4个住房单位者）为购地之日起5年，对非持牌发展商（兴建不超过4个住房单位者）为购地之日起3年。在2020年5月6日公布的临时救济措施下，规定的开工、完工及销售时限在符合条件的情况下延长了6个月。