Observers welcome Govt's concern over ageing HDB leases

They may be a problem in future and options must be carefully evaluated, experts say

Mr Lawrence Wong said in Parliament on Thursday that there is still value in older HDB flats, noting that "CPF can still be used but under certain conditions to safeguard home buyers' retirement adequacy".
Mr Lawrence Wong said in Parliament on Thursday that there is still value in older HDB flats, noting that "CPF can still be used but under certain conditions to safeguard home buyers' retirement adequacy". ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
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Remarks from National Development Minister Lawrence Wong that the Government is looking into the ageing Housing Board lease issue were mostly welcomed by observers yesterday, even as concerns remained over the fate of older flats.

ERA Realty key executive officer Eugene Lim welcomed the Government's move to "look seriously into more solutions to tackle the ageing lease issue". "The fact that we do not have a big problem now, does not mean we will not have a big problem in the future," he said.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 19, 2018, with the headline Observers welcome Govt's concern over ageing HDB leases. Subscribe