RES exam question on HDB Policies: their salesperson tell them
A household of three Singapore Permanent Residents, who own no other property, want to buy a Plus flat on the resale market. They also ask whether they could later let out the whole flat once its Minimum Occupation Period has been served. What should their salesperson tell them?
- AThey may buy, and after the 10-year Minimum Occupation Period they may let the whole flat
- BThey may buy, and after a 5-year Minimum Occupation Period they may let the whole flat
- CThey may not buy, though a Plus owner may let the whole flat after 10 years
- DThey may not buy, as a Singapore Citizen buyer is required, and whole-flat letting is barred anyway
Show answer & explanation
Answer
D. They may not buy, as a Singapore Citizen buyer is required, and whole-flat letting is barred anyway
Explanation
Answer: They may not buy, because a resale Plus flat needs a Singapore Citizen buyer, and whole-flat letting is barred for Plus owners anyway.Watch out: The household fails at the first step on citizenship; even if one member later became a citizen and they bought, whole-flat letting would stay closed.Rule: A resale Plus flat needs a Singapore Citizen buyer with at least one other citizen or Permanent Resident; an all-Permanent-Resident household may buy only unclassified or Standard resale flats. Plus and Prime owners may let bedrooms but never the whole flat, even after the 10-year period.Source: hdb.gov.sg, Couples and Families, read 1 Oct 2026; hdb.gov.sg, Eligibility for Renting Out a Flat, read 1 Oct 2026
Why the other options are wrong
- May buy, then let whole flat after 10 years: An all-Permanent-Resident household cannot buy a resale Plus flat, and the whole-flat bar outlasts the 10-year period.
- May buy, 5-year period, then let whole flat: Wrong on all three counts: they cannot buy, Plus flats carry 10 years, and whole-flat letting is never allowed.
- Cannot buy, but Plus owners may let later: The first half is right, but the Plus bar on whole-flat letting is permanent and is not lifted by the period.
Study the concept behind this question: HDB MOP: How Long Is the Minimum Occupation Period (5 Years)
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