Bedok family can't use S$300 CDC vouchers after previous HDB flat owner redeemed all

Previous flat owner didn't report a change of address for more than 10 years.

Belmont Lay | January 06, 2023, 12:55 PM

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A family in Bedok North was left high and dry after the previous flat owner redeemed all S$300 Comunity Development Council (CDC) vouchers on their behalf.

This was possible as the previous home owner did not report a change of address, despite selling the unit and moving out more than 10 years ago.

The alleged misappropriation of CDC vouchers was reported by Shin Min Daily News.

How it happened

According to the current flat owner, surnamed Liu, 61, who resides in Bedok North Street 3, the unit was sold to him more than 10 years ago.

He is currently staying there with his family of five.

Liu said the previous home owner was a man in his 50s, who sold the unit as he was due to divorce with his wife.

However, the previous flat owner did not change his address ever since he moved out.

This was evident over the years as letters from government bodies addressed to the previous owner were still sent to the residence.

Out of goodwill, Liu would return such mail to the dedicated letter box for uncollected mail.

Liu said: "It is possible to forget to report one's change of address initially, but it is impossible to forget to do so for more than 10 years."

What Liu did not expect was for the former home owner to utilise the S$300 CDC vouchers that his own Bedok North household was entitled to.

The vouchers were disbursed on Jan. 3, 2023.

Every Singaporean household are given a total of S$300 CDC vouchers.

Liu's wife went online to redeem the vouchers at about 7pm on the day they were disbursed only to discover that the vouchers had already been claimed.

The previous owner's name was displayed on the online page showing that he was the recipient.

A message on the page read: "Sorry, the following persons have claimed the voucher on behalf of your household."

Liu said: "Because the former owner didn't change the address, he became one of our family members for no reason, and just took away the vouchers. We are very angry and helpless. We don't know how to contact the former owner."

Liu's son has since made a police report, and the family has reapplied for new vouchers.

How redemption works

Households entitled to the CDC vouchers only require one person who is residing at the address to log in to the redemption page RedeemSG using Singpass.

Only one household member needs to do this on behalf of the household.

The CDC voucher link will be sent via SMS.

The SMS can be forwarded to household members who get to share the vouchers.

Under the National Registration Act, all identity card (IC) holders need to report a change of address within 28 days of moving into a new residence, whether the residence is located in or outside of Singapore.

The penalty for failing to report a change of address is a fine of up to S$5,000 or imprisonment of up to five years, or both.

A man was previously jailed four weeks for stealing 60 Budget 2020 grocery vouchers to spend on himself and burning the unused ones to his late wife as offerings.

Top photos via Shin Min Daily News & FairPrice