Vanda Breeze @ Yishun BTO applicants upset by alleged delays
Applicants of the Vanda Breeze @ Yishun build-to-order (BTO) project have expressed growing frustration over what they claim to be prolonged waiting times.
TikToker @me_lia_lia, a Vanda Breeze BTO applicant, highlighted the issues in a TikTok post on 12 Oct.
In the post, the original poster (OP) shared multiple Google reviews from fellow applicants highlighting their grievances.
@me_lia_lia
Some applicants have reported delays pushing the expected move-in date from 2026 to 2029 or 2030, highlighting personal implications to their lives.
One affected resident claimed that she will only get to move in when her child starts primary school.
She further shared that she and her husband had applied for the BTO before getting married.
“Now I’m a mom & my kid already started schooling but my house isn’t completed yet,” lamented the resident.
Meanwhile, another individual claimed that they only found out about the delay as they were signing the lease.
“HDB still tells me if the wait is too long, I can choose to reject the BTO. You expect us to not accept and apply for another BTO?” asked the applicant.
HDB says no change in waiting time for Vanda Breeze BTO
In response to queries from MS News, a spokesperson for the Housing and Development Board (HDB) said that Vanda Breeze has an estimated completion date (ECD) of Q2 2029.
The project was launched in November 2022, and applicants were given an estimated waiting time of 67 months, or 5.7 years.
“Both the ECD and waiting time were published on the HDB Flat Portal during the sales exercise,” said HDB.
“There has been no delay, and both the ECD and waiting time remain unchanged since the project’s launch in November 2022.”
Frustration amidst announcement of new BTO flats with shorter wait times
The complaints have come in light of the recent announcement that about 3,300 new BTO flats with shorter waiting times will be launched in October.
Many applicants feel overlooked, questioning the fairness of prioritising new projects while older applications remain unfulfilled.
Source: Google Review
Some residents urged more accountability, questioning the reason for such a delay.
“How can a project stretch for seven to eight years when HDB normally finishes in under three years? This is ridiculous,” one review read.
In its statement, HDB said that the construction time for each BTO project varies based on certain factors.
These include design complexity, amount of ground preparation needed and site conditions.
“In the case of Vanda Breeze @ Yishun, it is a thickly vegetated site and located near to a proposed park,” noted HDB.
As such, more time was needed to prepare the site for development.
Flat buyers urged to apply for projects that suit their needs
The social media post has prompted a wave of public discussion about Singapore’s BTO system, with some users sharing their experiences with other projects.
One Urbanville resident, who claimed that they applied for the Woodlands project in 2020, said that their home would not be ready till 2026.
They added that during the time that passed, they already had three children.
Source: TikTok
In light of the recent discourse, HDB advises flat buyers to apply for a project that “best suits their life plans”.
“At each BTO sales exercise, HDB offers multiple housing projects at different locations, with different designs, flat types, prices and waiting times, to better meet diverse housing needs,” they said, adding that the information is available on their website and sales collaterals.
“We advise flat buyers to take all these factors into consideration.”
Also read: MS Speaks: ‘BTO ai mai?’ Romance is dead in practical S’pore
MS Speaks: ‘BTO ai mai?’ Romance is dead in practical S’pore
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Featured image adapted from SRX & Cyrus on Google Review.
