As a couple who has just officially become first-time HDB tenants homeowners, we can imagine how excited you are when you receive the official HDB letter for key collection... After all, this is the last hurdle between you and your very own new home!
For us, we had a very smooth collection process because of the help we received from others, and we hope that everyone can have the same pleasant experience as well. Hence, we have compiled this guide for HDB Key Collection:
1. Ensure that you bring ALL the necessary documents... Better be kiasu than be sorry!
Follow the list indicated in your official HDB letter, or follow HDB's online guide.
Typically, it will consist of both applicants' original NRIC, marriage cert*, latest CPF statements**, and GIRO form***. If you have applied under priority schemes such as 'Married Child Priority Scheme', or 'Parenthood Priority Scheme', please note the additional verification documents you would have to produce as well.
* Do note that the submission of marriage cert on or before key collection is a must if you have applied for the Additional CPF Housing Grant (AHG) or Special CPF Housing Grant (SHG). If not, you can submit your cert before the estimated Delivery Possession Date of the flat (BTO) or within three months after you have taken possession of the new flat (resale/ completed flats as at application), whichever is later. You will have to submit a copy to your HDB branch before the stipulated deadline.
** If you have submitted your CPF statements previously and have authorised HDB to access your CPF details, you do not need to bring your latest CPF statements again.
*** This is only necessary for applicants who intend to pay your HDB monthly loan instalment by cash (partial or full).
2. Purchase HDB Fire Insurance right before your key collection appointment
It is compulsory to produce Etiqa's Certificate of Insurance when you are collecting your keys. The premium (less than SGD10 as at 1 Aug 2015) covers your house for five years and it covers damages caused by fire to the internal building structure, fixtures and fittings provided by HDB and its approved developer.
It is important to note that the compulsory fire insurance covers only the house itself and not the content. You will need to separately purchase fire insurance that covers other content such as renovated items, household contents, burglary, etc. You can choose to purchase directly from Etiqa at any point of time (SGD80 per annum as at 1 Aug 2015), or source for your own insurance provider.
i. Enter HDB Office from Biz 3 Lift lobby 1, and locate the escalator right behind the lifts.Go up to level 2.
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| Biz 3 Lift Lobby 1 |
ii. Look for the Etiqa Counter (see arrow in grey), and take a queue number. Produce your NRIC and HDB Appointment letter for processing. Payment can be made in cash or by NETS.
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| Etiqa Counter at HDB Hub |
iii. You will receive two copies of Certificate of Insurance and you can then proceed for your key collection.
3. The moment you have been waiting for... KEY COLLECTION!
i. From Lift Lobby 1 again, take the lift to level 8 directly.
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| Floor Guide at HDB Hub |
ii. Take a queue number from the orange self-help kiosk on the left.
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| Reception and Self-Help Kiosk |
iv. Now here's the exciting moment. The officer will ask for the necessary documents and tally them against the thick file they have created for your application. You will then have to sign various documents, such as declaration form for CPF Home Protection Scheme, home deed and legal documents.
This is also the time where you confirm the HDB monthly instalment amount to be paid. If you are unsure of the amount you should be paying every month to pay off within a certain number of years, check out the cool HDB Instalment Calculator! We have used this before the appointment to estimate the number of years required for us to pay off the full amount through CPF.
4. Payment of Service & Conservancy Charges like a real homeowner!
After everything is confirmed and signed, you have to head down to level 3 to pay your very first Service & Conservancy Charges (S&CC).
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| Signage from the Lift Lobby |
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| Make your first S&CC Payment here |
5. Collect your KEYS
You can now go back to level 8 and collect the signed documents and keys from the officer. Confirm that the keys issued to you are in full sets before leaving.
6. Activating Electricity and Water supply in your unit
You would have to open an account with SP Services for electricity and water supply. Note that you do not need to do this on the same day, but we decided to do so because we were heading down to the house on the same day. The counter is located on level 2.
Activation is immediate; you will be able to switch it on on the same day. Also, utilisation of electricity and water is free on the day of activation.
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| SP Services at HDB Hub |
You can open an account online as well, but we heard from our neighbours that they encountered some issues with the activation. Queuing at the counter directly with your HDB appointment letter is one of the easiest and fastest method in my honest opinion.
And ta-dah! You are now the proud owner of your new house! The whole process took us less than two hours, and we had sufficient time left for a celebratory late lunch before heading over to the new house.
We do hope that the guide is useful to all new homeowners, as much as it helped us previously. Do share with us what are some of the issues you have faced for key collection, or share this guide with anyone who may need it!
