Shops, market stalls in PAP town councils to receive 15% service and conservancy charges rebate

SINGAPORE — More than 26,000 shops, market stalls and food stalls under the purview of People’s Action Party town councils will receive a 15 per cent service and conservancy charges rebate. 

The rebates will be given out from July to October this year and will amount to nearly S$3 million, said Dr Teo Ho Pin, the coordinating chairman for PAP town councils, in a statement on Monday (June 1). 

Service and conservancy charges are costs incurred by Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat owners, as well as shops, offices, markets and food stalls.

Dr Teo, who is also a Member of Parliament for Bukit Panjang, said that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the livelihoods of these operators and their workers — many of whom are HDB residents — have been drastically impacted.

“We hope to provide some relief to these shop operators and hawkers so that they can cope with the challenges posed by Covid-19, and continue their businesses and employment to serve our residents in the heartlands,” he said. 

The rebate will be automatically credited to the service and conservancy charges accounts of the stall owners in town councils under the PAP.

As of May this year, there are 16,008 shops and 10,074 market and food stalls managed by 15 PAP town councils. 

Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC), the sole town council not under the PAP, has waived the fees for late payment of service and conservancy charges for both its commercial and residential units from April to September this year, it said in an email reply to TODAY.

AHTC has also waived rental charges for use of outdoor display areas for shops that have to close during the circuit breaker period without the need for application.

The income from collection of the service and conservancy charges is “essential for AHTC's continued operations”, the town council said.

“AHTC continues its essential operations of estate maintenance, and even more so during this period when cleaning and disinfecting of common areas has been intensified due to Covid-19 concerns.

“Nevertheless, as the government has recently announced a phased lifting of the circuit-breaker restrictions on businesses, we recognise that commercial tenants may continue to be affected,” it said.

AHTC said that it is working on how it can provide further relief to commercial tenants. It is consulting councillors on the matter and will update tenants with more details.