SINGAPORE: The tension between Mr Lim and Mr Yap, co-tenants of a flat under a scheme for singles, was apparent during their interview with TODAY. Mr Yap kept interrupting Mr Lim, sometimes making sarcastic remarks, making the latter hesitant to continue talking. The interview had to be
with about 20 others. These facilities include toilets, kitchens and laundry and activity rooms.
Under this scheme, singles can apply for a rental flat without having to find a co-tenant as they will be paired up with other applicants who are strangers.Though singles who apply under the long-running Joint Single Scheme launched in 1990 are encouraged to find co-tenants to rent with, HDB will provide them with viable single co-tenant applicants if they cannot find any.
While the 10 tenants whom TODAY spoke to come from diverse backgrounds, age, gender, and ethnic groups, the majority of them are either lower-income earners or retired. The tenants were interviewed at their flats in either Bedok North or Bukit Batok West. To make matters worse, the monthly rent for his rental flat at that time went up from S$100 to S$200, which was more than what he could afford. It left him with no choice but to give up the flat and be homeless.
“If anything had happened to me when I was sleeping outside in public, nobody would know. But now in this house, I feel very safe sleeping and it gives me a peace of mind,” said Mr Kalimuthu. “My son kept chasing me out of the house. My family problems were really bad … a ‘critical family case’. So my social worker fought hard for me to get a place under this scheme, even though my income exceeds the cap for rental flats for lower-income singles,” said Ms Chan.
Mr Nizam, a 38-year-old technician and the youngest among the tenants interviewed, said that he had moved out of his parents’ place when he was 20. The 65-year-old moved into his current JSS-OR apartment in January this year, and lives with two other flatmates, Mr Yap, the one who is not on the best of terms with Mr Lim, and Mr Wong.“I applied for the scheme after my parents passed away. My siblings and I had sold my parents’ house and split the money among ourselves.’
She then rented a room at her friend’s place for several years at a monthly rental of S$600, until the woman decided to sell her home last year. Mr Kalimuthu said that his sour relationship with his ex-flatmate reached a point of no return when the latter insulted his mother and threatened his life. The pungent stench of urine was still lingering in his small unit for two when Mr Hadi spoke to TODAY, despite the fact that his co-tenant had moved out about two weeks earlier.“He dirtied the kitchen and the toilet but didn't clean, so I cleaned them. I am a clean person by nature so I cannot stand a dirty living environment,” said the 62-year-old delivery driver.
“My flatmate would slam the door of the flat when he’s angry at me. The social workers helped me to talk to him but it didn't really help much in changing his behaviour. But it’s good to have them around to talk to him,” he said.In response to TODAY’s queries, HDB said that this is possible since the operators are stationed on-site.
Social workers will then attend to the tenant’s feedback by engaging those involved in the dispute, which are commonly about hygiene and cleanliness, usage of common areas or items, and noise. In case of fights and disagreements, office staff are able to head over quickly to offer assistance, he said, contrasting it with the experience of living in other models of rental housing, where “even if you get beaten to death, nobody knows”.Residents like Mr Tan, who spoke positively about the scheme, emphasised the need for mutual respect and to “live and let live”.
“Don’t be so picky and calculative over small things,” he added, referring to doing household chores and mopping the floor. Mr Lim recalled how Mr Wong would often check in with him before leaving the house, to see if the former needed help with buying any items, calling his housemate “very helpful”. This means that even more lower-income elderly singles will need support with their accommodation needs.
Dr Kelvin Tan, who is head of the Minor in Applied Ageing Studies programme at SUSS' S R Nathan School of Human Development, alluded to the benefits of an integrated and intergenerational assisted living housing model. Furthermore, while the system of matching provided by the operator in the current JSS-OR pilot would help reduce the need for singles to find co-tenants, Assoc Prof Kathiravelu said that a trial period - allowing housemates to live together for a few months - could also be considered.
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