What happens if renovation work is unauthorised?

Unauthorised renovation in an HDB flat

If HDB finds unauthorised works in your flat, it will require you to discontinue, correct or remove them and reinstate the flat to its original condition. Where the work is allowed to be retained, you pay an administrative fee instead. Both points are set out on HDB's renovation permit page, which does not give the fee amount.

Two kinds of work count as unauthorised, according to the same HDB page: works that need a permit but were done without one, and works that do not comply with the set guidelines. Informally, people often call this illegal renovation in an HDB flat, though HDB's own term is unauthorised works.

What happens next is HDB's decision, not yours or your contractor's. Some works may have to come out and the flat reinstated, while others may be allowed to stay with the administrative fee paid. The permit page covers both outcomes.

The simplest way to stay clear of all this is to check whether your job needs an HDB renovation permit before any work starts, and to have every permit or approval in place before the first tool comes out.

Fines and prosecution

Unauthorised works can also carry legal risk. HDB's important information on renovations says you may face prosecution if you fail to engage contractors from the Directory of Renovation Contractors (DRC), or if you contravene the Housing and Development (Renovation Control) Rules. It gives unauthorised demolition or hacking as an example of contravening those rules.

The DRC requirement is broad. The same HDB page asks you to engage only DRC contractors, including for works that need no approval. So even a job that needs no approval should still go to a contractor from the directory.

Before you sign anything, ask the contractor to confirm they are listed in the DRC, and check that the company name on your quotation matches the listing.

Works that commonly need approval

Several everyday jobs need approval, a permit or a particular kind of worker. Check these before work starts:

• Hacking and demolition. All demolition and hacking of walls, partial or complete, needs HDB's prior written approval, according to its important information on renovations. Read hacking walls in an HDB flat before you plan any layout change.
• Floor finishes. HDB's building works guidelines say replacing existing floor finishes needs a permit, while laying new finishes over existing ones does not. The HDB floor tile rules guide explains this further.
• Electrical work. HDB asks you to use an Energy Market Authority (EMA) Licensed Electrical Worker (LEW) for electrical work, as its renovation permit page states. EMA has guidance on engaging licensed electrical workers. EMA says electrical work in an HDB flat needs a Licensed Electrician, the class of LEW approved for loads of up to 45kVA.
• Aircon. The same HDB permit page asks you to engage a Building and Construction Authority trained air-conditioner installer for aircon work.

Owners are responsible

Responsibility sits with you. HDB's important information on renovations states that flat owners are responsible for the renovations in their flat, and you must ensure your contractor does all work in line with the guidelines. So agree the scope in writing, and check the work as it progresses rather than only at the end.

Work must also stay within the permitted hours, which HDB asks owners to comply with strictly. The same page sets them: general works from 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, noisy works such as heavy drilling from 9am to 5pm on weekdays only, and DIY works from 7am to 10.30pm. See HDB renovation hours for more.

If you are unsure whether a job needs a permit at all, run it through the renovation permit checker before you agree a start date.

Buying a flat with past works

This section is practical advice, not an official rule. When you buy a resale flat, any past renovation comes with it, so it is worth asking about before you commit.

Ask the seller what renovation was done and whether permits or approvals were obtained. Walk the flat looking for walls that seem to have been hacked or moved and floors that look newer than the rest, and ask about each one. The resale flat inspection checklist sets out what to look at during a viewing.

If you plan your own works after you move in, start with the pre-renovation checklist so permits and approvals are sorted before any contractor begins.

Questions