Pamphlets touting this place as hotel

Some time ago, we met a couple just outside who showed us a pamphlet and asked if this is the right place they're looking for. It seems like some company is advertising this place as a kind of hotel and actually getting toursists to check in. Can't really confirm because we didn't enquire very much into details.

Nevertheless, I do often see people coming into City Square carrying lots of luggage. Perhaps it is true that units here are being rented out to tourists?

Like I said, I cannot confirm. But hopefully the management and the guards can be on the alert. Whenever they see people coming in with lots of luggage, do ask and find out if they are the owners or if they are renting and if they are renting, is it for days or even weeks.

I wouldn't want City Square Residences to be turned into City Square Hotel.

Hello,

This is the letter I gave to the management on the 19th of May about this issue. Never had a reply. I am working from home and I see tourists walking in with their luggage everyday...

Dear Sir or Madam,


I am writing to raise serious concerns about City Square unit owners renting out their properties on a daily basis, as if it was a hotel. This is illegal and directly affect the quality of life of the other residents as such transient occupiers do not have the same concerns in respecting public areas and facilities than legitimate residents.

The URA position on this is very clear: “'For properties approved for residential use, they are intended for long-term residential stay,' said a URA spokesman, adding that the use of such properties for transient accommodation is similar to how hotels operate. 'The leasing of such properties on a daily, weekly or monthly basis is not permitted.”

These are some examples from website http://singapore.gumtree.sg and they are many more all over classifieds and the Internet.

Ad ID: 128873006
Date Listed: 19/05/2009
Rooms for Rent in City Square Residences.
From S$60 - S$70 per day for vacation stay.
call: (65) 9101 9922 agent

Ad ID: 128874102
Date Listed: 19/05/2009
Master & Common Rooms in City Square-$1200 include utilities!!!
Short term at S$80 per day min one week.

I would urge the management to protect the interests of the residents and notify all owners against such detrimental practice. Failing that I will contact the URA directly.

JoelCere wrote:Hello,

This is the letter I gave to the management on the 19th of May about this issue. Never had a reply. I am working from home and I see tourists walking in with their luggage everyday...

Dear Sir or Madam,


I am writing to raise serious concerns about City Square unit owners renting out their properties on a daily basis, as if it was a hotel. This is illegal and directly affect the quality of life of the other residents as such transient occupiers do not have the same concerns in respecting public areas and facilities than legitimate residents.

The URA position on this is very clear: “'For properties approved for residential use, they are intended for long-term residential stay,' said a URA spokesman, adding that the use of such properties for transient accommodation is similar to how hotels operate. 'The leasing of such properties on a daily, weekly or monthly basis is not permitted.”

These are some examples from website http://singapore.gumtree.sg and they are many more all over classifieds and the Internet.

Ad ID: 128873006
Date Listed: 19/05/2009
Rooms for Rent in City Square Residences.
From S$60 - S$70 per day for vacation stay.
call: (65) 9101 9922 agent

Ad ID: 128874102
Date Listed: 19/05/2009
Master & Common Rooms in City Square-$1200 include utilities!!!
Short term at S$80 per day min one week.

I would urge the management to protect the interests of the residents and notify all owners against such detrimental practice. Failing that I will contact the URA directly.

omgee... this is serious... will bring this up with MA and CDL on Friday next week. Thanks forthe notification Joelcere.

can we pose as a would-be visitor and arrange to find out which unit/s are guilty of this? personally i have been looking closely at blk 6 06-11 - backpacker types coming in and out of that unit

Location: Singapore
Date Listed: 15/08/2009
Dear Tenants
1) 3+1 unit @ City lights
fully furnished / near lavender mrt
immediate
2) 3+1 unit @ City Square Residences
fully furnished / near farrer park mrt
immediate
3) 2+1 unit @ river valley road
bare unit if preferred furnished can be discuss
immediate
contact me @ 8333 8492
P.S : agents share tenant comm

---

short term rental accommodation available ,studio /2 bed room / 3 bed room full furnished , internet , full ac , condo / without condo / city area, city square res , orchard/ jalan besar / afforadable / luxurious / budget , plse call 65 83998321 , 65 63361111 , email:info@seagullresidence.com

Found 1 of the culprits... Blatantly displaying this place as a serviced apartment/ hotel...

SEAGULL RESIDENCE (http://seagullresidence.com/)
14 kitchener Road , # 17-27
Singapore –207223
Phone: 65-63361111
Mobile: 65 83998321, 65 82659722

Services
Our Apartments or Houses come with the following services with NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE:

* weekly cleaning
* Cable TV subscription
* Wireless internet
* Normal maintenance and repair costs
* Utility subscriptions


All our Apartment or Houses are fully equipped with:

* TV
* Washing machine
* Dryer
* Microwave oven
* Refrigerator & freezer
* Cooker
* Bedsheets
* Towels

Free Services for patients

* Appointment for Health screening package at any hospital desired by client
* Appointment with medical specialist at any hospital desired by the respective client

Check out this photo omg... they even renamed this placE!

Wow, this is scandalous. Did you send that to the management office? I am going there tomorrow about it.

JoelCere wrote:Wow, this is scandalous. Did you send that to the management office? I am going there tomorrow about it.

Any news regarding this?

I havent been able to see the management about this as I have been quite busy to pop by to see the MA about this.

I delivered a letter to the management about it yesterday. No news as of yet. I contacted URA via email as well but no replies. I should hear from them by the end of the week. No wonder that such things happen here since no one care.

JoelCere wrote:I delivered a letter to the management about it yesterday. No news as of yet. I contacted URA via email as well but no replies. I should hear from them by the end of the week. No wonder that such things happen here since no one care.

Dont mind me saying this Joel... but you're wrong and it's unfair to criticise/condemn all of us...

Firstly, thank you for informing the MA and URA about this, your pro-activness is genuinely appreciated!!

There are a group of us who care very much about how the estate is run, how we can improve it and more...
Otherwise, this forum wouldn't have been set up...
Otherwise, residents wouldn't be participating in this forum...
Otherwise, we wouldn't be holding a meeting with CDL before the DLP(developer liability period) is up...
Otherwise, I wouldn't have looked into this matter...
Otherwise, you wouldn't care as well...

All I'm saying is that we're voluntarily taking time out from our already busy schedules to take on these tasks so please be patient with us.
Please be rest assured that we will take steps to eradicate these "evil-doers" and bring back the peace to "Gotham City"...

Cheers!

P.S No offence intended!

... this was intended to the management or URA :-) I definitely appreciate you setting-up this forum and shaking up the local apathy. When you have time, maybe we should catch up. I had long chats with the previous management to suggest simple, easy to implement ideas that could make City Square a more pleasurable environment.

Cheers

Joel

JoelCere wrote:... this was intended to the management or URA :-) I definitely appreciate you setting-up this forum and shaking up the local apathy. When you have time, maybe we should catch up. I had long chats with the previous management to suggest simple, easy to implement ideas that could make City Square a more pleasurable environment.

Cheers

Joel

SET!!!!

I received a letter from the management, acknowledging mine and stating that they will "definitely bring that to URA's attention for them to take action". We'll have to see what comes out of this. I am surprise that they do not take action themselves...

JoelCere wrote:I received a letter from the management, acknowledging mine and stating that they will "definitely bring that to URA's attention for them to take action". We'll have to see what comes out of this. I am surprise that they do not take action themselves...

it's quite simple really... URA carries "Big Brother" clout and the laws were passed by them - hence they will be the ones to enforce these same laws

I went to Blk14 17th floor today and support to let URA handle this. From outside of advertised unit #17-27, it looks like it is a soho or a pure home. But the units next to it have more shoes outside (not sure if can judge by number of shoes for no of occupants inside). 3 shoe cabinets were blocking utility room doors (TAS, wet-riser, etc).

Pls advise me how to add photo to this forum...

Adding 2 photoes:




Thks, ceewye, for your advise

city2loh wrote:
Pls advise me how to add photo to this forum...

Hi city2loh, when you post a reply, there are various buttons on the top of the reply box.
first you must upload the file on this server by clicking the 15th button from the right.
It's known as "Host an image", after you upload the file, you must link the photo by clicking the 16th button from the right, "Image".

That's it.

If you still have problems , you can send the photos to me at churnyeow@hotmail.com and I will upload the photos for you.

Hope that helps!

Hello all,

I share simliar observations about 'residents' who were / are potentially travelers with luggages.

While I am not sure how or any action can be taken, I definitely support issue to be raised to MA and prevent such irresponsible acts by property owners / agents to market our place as hotel.

lee75

It is very simple. The developer had a planning approval to build a residential development, not a commercial property. If owners make it a professional business to let out their units on a short term basis, like a hotel, then they break the terms of the planning permission. As we all know, there is a prevalent "don't ask don't tell" attitude to these kind of issues. The only way to get them resolved is to make noise so when everyone knows that there is a problem, the authorities have no other choice but to act otherwise they will loose credibility. I have yet to receive a reply to my email to the URA about it but if everyone reading this thread write a letter to the management and to the URA, that will speed up resolution of the issue.

Hi all,

Just a thought and a few cents worth - I feel the root of the problem is really the owners of these units who rent out for short term stay. Get to these agents, get the proof, get the unit number, and send the info the URA. I'm wondering even if IRAS has a say in stamp duty.

I'm just wondering if under the By-laws, does the MA has any legal right to do anything at all actually. If they do, they can then serve a legal / warning letter to these owners who sanction these activities. If they don't, there's really nothing much they can do actually.

Also a thought - we should seek realistically to minimise these activities. Not realistic nor desirable to take so much action, could sour relations unnecessarily. To blow things out of proportion is not good, especially if the press is involved on Channel News Asia or New Paper... Best to handle sensitively to avoid negative press coverage

Wouldn't it be easier to go to the apartment owners and simply tell them that we know what they are doing and that if they do not stop then we will file grievance with URA.
Let's give them a chance to rectify before going to the authorities!

It can't be that hard to contact agents for these units and find out who is doing what.

Go for it! Let us know how your discussion with the owner went.

I met a seagull housekeeper whom was delivering bed sheets to blk 14 #02-32 one evening. He hold a big bunch of City Square keys & access cards. I chatted with him and he confirmed he was from seagull "hotel"!

Of all the things that will end up devaluing City Square, the prevalent use of units as hotel rooms will do the most damage. This issue has to be aggressively dealt with. The MA does not have any authority over this but they should play an active role in identifying these units and following up with URA. URA must be bogged down with many such cases all over Singapore and that is why the MA has to be very persistent in getting them to act on this.

I have on several occasions witnessed people bringing in luggages etc. The MA can easily monitor this by getting the guards to closely monitor those who come in with luggages and question them on which units they are going to and for what purpose. They have every right to do so.

Another serious issue is the encroachment of common property. There should be no objects placed on all corridors which is defined as common property. I find huge shoe racks placed on most corridors. This is a BIG NO as would be buyers would be put off by this as it reflects poorly on the kind of people staying there and that would keep prices depressed. Here again the MA has to very persistent. Basically they have to do regular ongoing checks (since residents will likely play a cat and mouse game to place back the shoe racks after removing it when told to do so) and issue letters including registered letters indicating that legalm action will be taken against residents who refuse to comply and any legal fees incurred will have to be borne by the residents. This should do the trick. Such cases can be brought to the Strata Titles Board for their action. In most cases this is time consuming and the MA will not do it unless pushed to do it.

So we will need to constantly remind the MA to take these measures. Hopefully some of the motivated residents here will become members of the Management Council when it is set up and push the MA into acting more aggressively.