Written Answer by Ministry of National Development on statistics on wife retaining matrimonial flat or allocated rental flat by HDB following divorce

Oct 14, 2020

Ms Poh Li San: To ask the Minister for National Development in the past five years, of the divorces filed where the couples co-own HDB flats, what is the proportion of (i) the wife retaining the matrimonial flat (ii) the wife allocated a rental flat by HDB and (iii) the wife being unable to retain the matrimonial flat nor be allocated a rental flat.

Answer:

Following divorce, one party may retain the matrimonial flat via a transfer of flat ownership or resale of part-share, subject to meeting HDB’s eligibility conditions. From 2015 to 2019, HDB received about 7,200 transfer applications due to divorce, of which 70% (or 5,100) of the flats were retained by the ex-wife. There were also about 580 resale of part-share applications, of which 43% (or 250) were cases where the ex-wife purchased the share of the flat from the ex-husband and retained the flat.

In addition, there were about 6,400 cases where the divorced couple sold the matrimonial flat on the open market and about 300 cases where the couple returned the flat to HDB as they have not met the minimum occupation period to sell the flat. Out of these cases, around 2,500 (or 37%) were cases where the ex-wife went on to purchase another new or resale flat or became listed as an occupier in the flat purchase. 

We have also allocated about 1,600 rental flats to female divorcees with care and control of children in the past five years. 

There are also cases where the ex-wife may have moved back to stay with family, bought a private property to stay in, or rented a property to stay in. HDB does not track the specific numbers for these groups.

HDB will continue to assist all divorcees who approach HDB for assistance on their housing needs.