A Singaporean man has been charged by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) after he sublet private residential units to house migrant workers in unacceptable accommodation.

42-year-old Lau Liang Thye's actions were discovered on Dec. 3, 2018, when MOM and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) conducted a joint inspection.

39 people including 22 migrant workers

The authorities found 39 people housed at two three-storey shophouses at 32 and 34 Lorong 23 Geylang.

Further investigations revealed that Lau had rented the second and third floor of both premises from another Singaporean man, 58-year-old Tay Kim Kiat, and sublet it to other tenants including 22 migrant workers.

Additionally, Lau allegedly sublet partitioned rooms on the rooftop of the shophouses without Tay's knowledge.

Under URA's regulations, there is an occupancy cap of six unrelated persons at each private residential property, and the 39 occupants at both premises far exceeded this cap.

According to MOM, the employers of the migrant workers were ordered to relocate them to proper and approved accommodation within two weeks, after the joint inspection.

Employed worker illegally

Lau also allegedly employed one of his tenants as a housekeeper and rent collector in exchange for paying less rent.

The tenant is a 46-year-old Chinese national, Zhu Guangpeng.

Zhu did not have a valid work pass to carry out these duties.

Both men charged

Lau was subsequently charged with 11 counts for abetting employers to house migrant workers in unacceptable accommodation, and one count for illegally employing a migrant worker without a valid work pass.

URA has also charged Lau with three counts of unauthorised development of private residential units into unauthorised dormitory accommodation.

Similarly, Tay with charged with three counts of unauthorised development of private residential units into unauthorised dormitory accommodation, and for permitting Lau to provide dormitory accommodation at another two units.

Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower (Work Passes) Regulations 2012, employers are required to ensure that their migrant workers reside in acceptable accommodation that complies with the various statutory requirements.

According to MOM and URA, employers who fail to do so would have committed an offence under the EFMA.

If convicted, employers can be fined up to S$10,000, or imprisoned for up to 12 months, or both, for each charge.

Top photo from Google Maps streetview