SINGAPORE: In the first such prosecution in Singapore, two men were charged on Tuesday (Dec 5) with renting out four units at a condominium for short-term accommodation via online homestay network Airbnb.
The minimum rental period for private homes in here is three months, meaning typical short-term lettings on platforms like Airbnb are prohibited.
Terence Tan En Wei, 35, and Yao Song Liang, 34, face four charges each under the Planning Act.
Both are expected to plead guilty to the charges in January.
They are accused of letting out the units situated in three different blocks at D’leedon Condominium at 9 Leedon Heights in the Farrer Road area without the permission of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).
The premises “was occupied by the same person(s) for a period of less than six consecutive months in return for the payment of rent,” in breach of regulations, court documents stated.
Between 2014 and 2016, URA investigated more than 1,000 private residential properties for breaching the minimum stay duration. This equates to an average of about 330 properties a year.
In contrast, URA has already investigated about 600 properties from January to September this year, almost double the number investigated for each of the past few years.
Under the Planning Act, it is an offence to convert the use of a property for short-term accommodation without URA’s approval. First offenders may be fined up to S$200,000, and in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine of up to S$10,000 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues after conviction.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/two-charged-for-short-term-rentals-via-airbnb-9470250
The minimum rental period for private homes in here is three months, meaning typical short-term lettings on platforms like Airbnb are prohibited.
Terence Tan En Wei, 35, and Yao Song Liang, 34, face four charges each under the Planning Act.
Both are expected to plead guilty to the charges in January.
They are accused of letting out the units situated in three different blocks at D’leedon Condominium at 9 Leedon Heights in the Farrer Road area without the permission of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).
The premises “was occupied by the same person(s) for a period of less than six consecutive months in return for the payment of rent,” in breach of regulations, court documents stated.
Between 2014 and 2016, URA investigated more than 1,000 private residential properties for breaching the minimum stay duration. This equates to an average of about 330 properties a year.
In contrast, URA has already investigated about 600 properties from January to September this year, almost double the number investigated for each of the past few years.
Under the Planning Act, it is an offence to convert the use of a property for short-term accommodation without URA’s approval. First offenders may be fined up to S$200,000, and in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine of up to S$10,000 for every day or part of a day during which the offence continues after conviction.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/two-charged-for-short-term-rentals-via-airbnb-9470250
