SINGAPORE - Another 800 temporary flats will be available next year under an existing scheme for couples who are waiting for their new Housing Board flats to be built, National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan announced in a blog post on Friday morning.

Starting from November 1, couples will also have the option of co-renting these flats to share the rental costs.

In January last year, the Parenthood Provisional Housing Scheme (PPHS) began with 1,150 flats available for rent to first-timer married couples with children younger than 16, while they wait for their Build-to-Order flats to be completed.

In April, it was extended to include those without children, and in September, to married couples comprising a first-timer and second-timer, as well as divorced or widowed parents with children.

"This is a good scheme which has been well received," said Mr Khaw. He highlighted young couple Mr and Mrs Heng Wang Xing, who moved into a PPHS flat Bedok early this year and had a baby boy in August.

So far, 110 babies have been born in PPHS flats - "Not bad at all," said Mr Khaw.

To do more, the HDB is adding another 800 flats to the scheme. These are mainly three-roomers and include units in the popular mature estates of Bukit Merah and Queenstown. HDB is now retrofitting them and will roll them out from early next year.

In addition, from November 1, both new applicants and existing tenants under the scheme can apply to co-rent and co-pay for PPHS flats to reduce their rental expenses. A maximum of two families can share each flat.

"This will be useful for those who feel that they do not need a whole flat, especially if it is four- or five-room," said Mr Khaw. The few vacant PPHS flats are of this size, he added.

Co-tenants will need to work out the co-renting details privately. This includes how much each tenants will have to pay and how the bedrooms will be divided.