Dear Mr Tay,
Thank you for very much for your email.
It's good that you have the records of my applications correctly. I would like to clarify that with regards to the Oct 2008 Half-Yearly Sales Exercise, it was not possible for me to have selected a flat because 2 days before my appointment, there was only 1 available 5-room unit left. Even though there were more than 80 units of 3-room to 5-room flats available, the likelihood of me selecting the 1 available 5-room unit is pretty slim. Therefore, my "claim" stands.
In addition, the Oct 2008 Half-Yearly Sales Exercise was the first (or second) of my attempt to buy a flat from HDB out of five times since Oct 2008 [excluding my latest application under HDB's Jul 2010 Build-To-Order (BTO) Exercise]. In other words, it is almost 2 years of trying to buy a home. Our preference is to stay in Jurong West near my mum's place, something our government has recommended, further encouraged with the Married Child Priority (Fiance/Fiancee) Scheme.
For the Boon Lay Grove Exercise in Feb 2010, the availability of 150 units of 5-room flats resulted in 1451 applications, giving me a 1-in-10 chance at best to select a flat, assuming everyone had only one chance each. Of course, some may have 2 chances, some may have 4 or more chances. Likewise, for the Punggol Waterway Exercise in Jun 2010, I only had a 5.2% chance of selecting a flat.
I do not wish to do random applications by going for all BTOs that come up and later on choosing not to select when called up. On average, for all the 1951 units of 5-rooms launched in all the sales exercises for 2010 to date, there were 15940 applications, giving me a 12.2% chance at best to be able to select a flat. If the 95% quota for first-timer applicants is factored in, I would only have a 11.6% chance. (Assuming every applicant only had 1 chance.)
Therefore, even though you have offered nearly 10,000 BTO flats in Jan-Jul 2010, and will offer another 6,100 BTO flats in Aug-Dec 2010, my chances are limited to (1) selected category of flat like 4-room or 5-room flat, (2) 95% quota set aside for first-timers and (3) the low probability of being balloted for a very low queue number.
The replies I have been given so far from HDB has been very unhelpful to find a possible solution for my fiancee and I as standard replies are being provided every time. Your organisation's vision of being an outstanding organisation with people committed to fulfilling aspirations for homes and communities all are proud of is something I can't identify with.
If you need further clarification, please feel free to respond.
Best regard,
Haffis Salim
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Fw: Appeal to Buy a Flat
To: haffis@hotmail.com
From: tkq1@hdb.gov.sg
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 11:34:58 +0800
Our Ref : 2355716I
Date : 1 Sep 2010
Tel : 6490 3734
Fax : 6490 3777
E-mail : lal2@hdb.gov.sg
Mr Mohamed Haffis Bin Salim
haffis@hotmail.com
Dear Mr Mohamed Haffis
APPEAL TO BUY A FLAT
We refer to your e-mail of 7 Aug 2010, addressed to the Minister for National Development.
2 You have applied to buy a flat from HDB five times since Oct 2008 [excluding your latest application under our Jul 2010 Build-To-Order (BTO) Exercise]. Among these applications, two applications were for a 5-room BTO flat in the non-mature estates in Jurong West and Punggol. The other three applications were for a flat in our other sales exercises and you were invited to select a flat under the Oct 2008 Half-Yearly Sales Exercise. However, you did not select a unit even though there were more than 80 units of 3-room to 5-room flats available. Hence, it is inaccurate for you to claim in your e-mail that you had been unsuccessful in your flat applications.
3 For your latest application for a 5-room new flat at Corporation Tiara under our Jul 2010 BTO Exercise, you will be given a total of five chances in the computer ballot. These chances comprise two chances for your first-timer status, two chances under the Married Child Priority Scheme and one chance for the past two BTO applications. We regret that we are unable to accord you more priority for this application so as to be fair to the other flat applicants.
4 We would encourage you to continue participating in our BTO Exercises in the non-mature estates. We have offered nearly 10,000 BTO flats in Jan-Jul 2010, and will offer another 6,100 BTO flats in Aug-Dec 2010. There will also be new housing units offered by private developers under the HDB's Design, Build and Sell Scheme and the Executive Condominium Housing Scheme.
5 We have just launched a BTO project offering 1,408 new flats in Yishun and 1,624 balance flats in 10 non-mature towns/estates under the Sale of Balance Flats Exercise. More details of the BTO project and the Sale of Balance Flats Exercise are available in our HDB InfoWEB at www.hdb.gov.sg. If you are interested in the flats offered, you may apply on-line by 13 Sep 2010for either the Aug 2010 BTO Exercise or the Aug 2010 Sale of Balance Flats Exercise.
6 If you need further clarification, please contact our Customer Service Manager, Ms Loh Ai Ling, Lynn at 6490 3734(Monday - Friday: 8.30am to 5.30pm).
Yours sincerely
<
TAY KOON QUIE
DEPUTY DIRECTOR (SALES)
ESTATES ADMIN & PROPERTY DEPT
