HOUSING Board flats that are fully sublet to non-citizens will no longer be eligible for rebates on utility bills.
The ruling - it comes into effect today - is similar to one that already applies to HDB flats owned by non-citizens. These are also not eligible for the rebates.
The move by the Finance Ministry makes clearer the distinction between citizens and non-citizens and will ensure that Government utility rebates reach Singaporeans as intended.
About 800,000 Singaporean HDB households will receive $106 million worth of U-Save rebates this year, the ministry announced yesterday.
The rebates are part of the GST Offset Package announced in the 2007 Budget to help Singaporeans, especially low- and middle-income households, cope with the tax increase.
They are restricted to flats owned by locals but there has been an increase in the number of Singaporean-owned HDB homes that have been fully sublet to non-citizen tenants in recent years.
--ST