Authorities flag 2m HDB flat listings as probe is launched

Ad for Sengkang unit is misleading, price for Toa Payoh flat is unrealistic, they say

- Isabelle Liew

The authorities have flagged the listings of two HDB flats that were put up for sale for $2 million - one listing was for two adjacent fiveroom flats in Sengkang marketed as a jumbo flat, while the other was a five-room flat in Toa Payoh with an "unrealistic asking price".

In a joint statement on May 8, the Ministry of National Development, the Housing Board and the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) said CEA is aware of the listings put up by two property agents and is investigating.

The listing on the PropertyGuru platform for a 2,400 sq ft jumbo flat in Block 314C Anchorvale Link with six bedrooms and four bathrooms was "misleading", as there are no such flats in the block, the authorities said.

"The jumbo flat listed is actually two adjacent five-room flats, which are not eligible to be converted into and sold as a single unit," they added.

The authorities said the listing was taken down after CEA brought up the misleading advertisement to the agent's property agency.

"CEA is investigating the matter and will take firm action if any breaches are established", they added.

The authorities noted that fiveroom flats in the precinct changed hands for around $580,000 over the past six months, and that the $2 million asking price is more than $800,000 above the combined value of two five-room flats.