Written Answer by Ministry of National Development on elderly parents chased out of their flats and rendered homeless

Oct 2, 2018

Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar: To ask the Minister for National Development in the last five years, how many cases have been brought to HDB’s attention of elderly parents who have been rendered homeless after their adult children chased them out of their flats even though the flats owned by these adult children have been bought initially with the proceeds from the elderly parents’ sale of their own flats.

Answer:

HDB does not have data on the number of elderly who sold their flats, used the proceeds to help their adult children buy another flat, but were eventually chased out and rendered homeless.  

Elderly parents whose children are not willing to support them may seek the assistance of Family Service Centres or the Office of the Commissioner for the Maintenance of Parents. If mediation is not successful, they can consider making an application for maintenance at the Tribunal for the Maintenance of Parents.   

For elderly parents who are unable to obtain support from their children, HDB looks into their individual circumstances and will allocate a rental flat to those who have no other housing option.