Housing Options For LGBTQ in Singapore
With Singapore’s rising home prices which were indirectly affected by the frequent interest rate hikes by the US Fed since last year, many of us in Singapore are beginning to feel the pinch as we prepare to pay higher for HDBs, private properties and even mortgages. This is even more so for the LGBTQ community as there are limited types of government housing subsidies for them as compared to non-LGBTQ homebuyers.
If you’re part of the LGBTQ community and are feeling clueless on how to buy a HDB flat, Executive Condominium (EC) or even a private property (condominium or landed property), you’ve come to the right place. Let’s take a look at what are the available options for LGBTQ home buyers at the moment.
TLDR Summary: Available Housing Options For LGBTQ (Last updated on August 2023)
- "LGBT" or ("LGBTQ") is used to describe sexual orientation, and this acronym stands for "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" (or "lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning"), with Q (questioning) being less commonly used as compared to the others.
- When it comes to housing options for LGBTQ in Singapore, there are limitations such as lower subsidies and types of homes available for LGBTQ singles and couples as compared to non-LGBTQ home hunters.
- There are two schemes which the LGBTQ community is eligible for — the Singles Singapore Citizen and Joint Singles Schemes, which are available for single LGBTQ Singaporeans to apply for if they qualify for the two types of HDB flats or EC.
- With effect from the second half of 2024, singles including LGBTQ individuals can apply for two-room flexi Build-To-Order (BTO) flats in all locations such as those classified as Standard, Plus and Prime under a new framework, which was shared by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his National Day Rally 2023 speech.
- Foreigners who are LGBTQ are not eligible to buy any HDB flats in Singapore, but they are able to buy ECs which are at least 10 years old.
- LGBTQ singles and couples can purchase private properties too, as long as they meet the minimum legal age requirement of 21 years old.
Rental Of HDB Flats / Private Property
There are many ways you can get a place to call home as a LGBTQ single or couple, and one of the ways can be through rental of HDB flats, EC, private condominiums or landed properties which is easily available here.
Before Section 377A of the Penal Code was officially repealed on 3 January 2023, sexual activities between males was considered an offence in Singapore and may be considered an activity of improper nature under a clause in the standard Tenancy Agreement (TA) used by many landlords and agents.
If you run into landlords or property agents who are more particular about the definition of ‘improper nature’, you and your partner may end up as evicted same-sex tenants. Thus, you’ve got to tread carefully on this aspect.
Tips for the LGBTQ community when renting residential spaces
Be tactful when choosing landlords and property agents
Given that there is a lack of anti-discrimination laws in Singapore which provide protection against discrimination based on LGBTQ sexual orientation, there will be instances whereby you'll encounter prejudice or bias as a LGBTQ.
Be wary of certain landlords or property agents and pick those who are respectful of the LGBTQ community.
Pick suitable neighborhoods
Some neighborhoods in Singapore are known to be more diverse and open-minded than others. Areas like Chinatown, Tanjong Pagar, and Bugis have more LGBTQ-friendly establishments and communities.
Research and visit different neighborhoods to find the one that suits your preferences and lifestyle.
Tap on useful and free tools
Utilize online property platforms and forums to search for rental listings which may be more LGBTQ-friendly. Websites like PropertyGuru, 99.co, and SRX can help you browse available properties and contact landlords or agents directly.
For home loans, you can start comparing home loans interest rates and differences between the various types of housing loans via tools like MoneySmart’s home loan comparison platform, and see which is more suitable for you and your partner.
Stay connected to LGBTQ groups
There are quite a number of social media groups i.e. Facebook, Telegram, Instagram, etc., where you’ll be able to reach out to local LGBTQ organisations or communities for advice and insights, such as Prident and QTown, just to name a few. They might have recommendations for LGBT-friendly landlords, neighborhoods, and resources.
While there are no specific laws protecting against LGBTQ discrimination, you still have rights as a tenant. Familiarise yourself with the general tenancy laws and regulations to ensure you are being treated fairly.
Apply for applicable schemes
There’s the Public Rental Scheme (PRS) which you can apply for as a family or a single LGBTQ, if you have no family support or other housing options and are looking to rent a HDB flat or a room in a HDB flat.
Your application will be reviewed by HDB, with many factors taken into consideration, i.e. household income, household size, housing budget and individual circumstances.
Buying Of HDB Flats Or Executive Condos
In Singapore, whether you’re part of the LGBTQ community or not, you’ll need to be of the minimum age of 21 years old before you can be considered to be eligible for the purchase of a HDB flat (this is only applicable if you’re purchasing as part of a family nucleus), and an EC.
According to HDB’s website, the nucleus can include:
- Spouse and children
- Parents and siblings
- Children under your legal custody (if widowed or divorced)
If you are purchasing a resale HDB flat as a LGBTQ single (unmarried or divorced), the minimum legal age is 35 years old. If you are widowed or orphaned, the minimum legal age is 21 years old.
Singles Singapore Citizen Scheme (SSC) and Joint Singles Scheme (JSS)
Singles Singapore Citizen Scheme
The SSC scheme is designed to help single Singaporean citizens who are at least 35 years old to buy a new Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat. Under this scheme, eligible singles can purchase a new flat in mature and non-mature estates from HDB or on the resale market. The SSC Scheme was introduced to provide single individuals with an opportunity to own their own homes.
As announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his National Day Rally 2023 speech, singles including LGBTQ individuals can apply for two-room flexi Build-To-Order (BTO) flats in all locations such as those classified as Standard, Plus and Prime under a new framework, with effect from the second half of 2024.
Joint Singles Scheme
As its name suggests, the Joint Singles Scheme is an option for two or more single Singaporean citizens, each of whom must be at least 35 years old, to jointly purchase a new HDB flat. This allows singles who wish to live together to pool their resources and buy a larger flat than they might be able to afford individually. Like the SSC Scheme, the JSS applies to new flats in non-mature estates as well as resale flats.
Similar to those who are non-LGBTQ, LGBTQ singles and couples may be eligible for two types of schemes — the Singles Singapore Citizen and Joint Singles Schemes, provided that they qualify for the two types of HDB flats or EC.
If you’re considering taking the Joint Singles Scheme, think twice before you do that. You could be forgoing an investment opportunity of getting rental income every month as getting 2 separate HDB flats allows you to reside in 1 of the purchased HDB flat and rent out the other purchased HDB flat. This is provided that both of you meet the minimum income requirements by HDB.
To read more about this, check out our blog article on “An LGBTQ+ Real Estate Expert’s Top 10 Home Ownership Tips For Queer Couples” here.
Eligibility criteria for the Singapore Citizen Single Scheme and Joint Singles Scheme
| Criteria | Eligibility | |
|---|---|---|
| Citizenship | LGBTQ Singapore citizens or a LGBTQ Permanent Resident (PR), with another owner or occupier who is an SC or SPR. If all the proposed owners are PRs, they and the essential occupiers must have held permanent residency for at least 3 years. | |
| Age | 35 and above (unmarried or divorced) or 21 and above (widowed or orphan) | |
| EIP and SPR quota | A single LGBTQ is required to meet the Ethnic Integration Policy (EIP) and Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) Quota for the block/neighbourhood when submitting the resale application. | |
| Income ceiling | For ECs, your average gross monthly household income must not exceed $16,000. For first-time HDB/BTO flat buyers who are LGBTQ singles aged 35 and older, the maximum income ceiling is $7,000. | |
*Note that the information above acquired is accurate at the time of writing on 11 August 2023, as per the Housing and Development Board (HDB) of Singapore’s website and Central Provident Fund Board (CPF) Board’s website. |
Buying Of Private Property
For purchasing of private properties, the minimum legal age is the same as HDB flats and ECs, which is 21 years old, unless your purchase can be made under a trust (which are reviewed on a case-by-case basis for private property owners who are below 21 years old).
Eligibility criteria for the LGBT Singles and LGBT Couples getting private properties
| Criteria | Eligibility | |
|---|---|---|
| Citizenship | LGBT Singapore citizens, LGBT Permanent Resident (PR) for at least five years, LGBT foreigners with exceptional economic contributions made to Singapore which will be assessed and subject to approval under the Residential Property Act on a case-by-case basis. LGBT foreigners do not require approval under the Residential Property Act to buy private condominium units, strata landed houses in approved condominium developments, or a leasehold estate in a landed residential property for a term not exceeding 7 years. | |
| Age | Minimum 21 years old | |
| MOP fulfilment | This only applies to LGBT singles who own an existing HDB flat. They will need to fulfil the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) before being able to acquire a private residential property, which is calculated based on HDB’s definition here. | |
| EIP and SPR quota | None | |
| Income ceiling | None | |
*Note that the information above acquired is accurate at the time of writing on 11 August 2023, as per the SLA and HDB’s websites. |
Types Of Home Loans Available For LGBTQ individuals
If you’re taking out a mortgage loan to help pay off your HDB flat, EC, or private property, there are various options you can consider. In Singapore, there are two types of home loans, namely the HDB Concessionary Loan (also known as the HDB loan), and bank loans.
For those buying HDB flats or ECs, you’ll be able to use your CPF Ordinary Account (OA) for partial payments of your home loans, provided that you hold a Singapore citizenship or a Singapore Permanent Resident (SPR) status.
HDB Loans
This type of loan is exclusively for the purchase of HDB flats and it offers a stable interest rate, which is suitable for LGBTQ homebuyers who do not have much cash on hand.
Although HDB loans often require a smaller downpayment of 10% of the purchase price (compared to bank loans, which is 25% of the purchase price), you must meet certain income and citizenship criteria set by HDB, i.e. non-LGBTQ and LGBTQ foreigners are not allowed to buy a HDB flat).
Another great thing about the HDB loan is that the downpayment can be paid via your CPF OA, without you having to fork out any cash.
Bank Loans
Bank loans can usually be used for both private properties and HDB flats. Most banks have their own eligibility criteria based on factors such as income, property type, creditworthiness, etc.
Unlike the typical 10% downpayment requirement of HDB loans, the downpayment for a bank loan depends on the property type and the Loan-to-Value (LTV) limit set by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) which usually ranges from 20% to 25%.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I be able to use my CPF savings to buy a HDB or EC?
- Yes, you are only able to use your CPF Ordinary Account (OA) for partial payments of your home loans.
Are LGBTQ singles eligible to purchase a BTO flat?
- Yes, but they can only purchase 2-room flexi flats in a non-mature estate and must meet the necessary income ceiling requirements.
Where can I find the best HDB or EC or private property home loans?
- If you’re looking to compare popular home loans all in one place, online mortgage brokers’ platforms like MoneySmart’s Home Loans page is a great place to start finding the best home loan rates, whether as it is for a public or private housing loan.
Are LGBTQ foreigners able to buy HDB flats in Singapore?
- No. All foreigners, whether part of the LGBTQ community or not, are not eligible to purchase any HDB flats in Singapore,
Am I entitled to the Joint Singles Scheme if I wish to buy an EC with my LGBTQ partner?
- Yes. This is provided that you meet the age requirement of at least 35 years old and have a combined maximum income ceiling of $14,000.