What happens when the lease of an HDB flat expires

When an HDB lease in Singapore expires, the ownership of the flat and the land it sits on reverts to the state—specifically, the Housing & Development Board (HDB) or Singapore Land Authority (SLA), depending on the land title. The homeowner loses all rights to the property and must vacate; the flat’s value becomes zero at that point.

Residents cannot continue to live in the flat once the lease is up. The flats will typically be cleared and demolished, with the land intended for future redevelopment and new public housing. There is no financial compensation for owners when the lease runs out, and the flat cannot be sold or inherited once it expires.

No HDB flats have yet reached the end of their 99-year lease, but this process has applied to other residential leaseholds in Singapore, such as the terrace houses at Geylang Lorong 3. Flats with less than 99 years remaining also face steadily decreasing value, limited resale demand, and increasingly tight restrictions on using CPF savings and obtaining home loans as leases shorten.