Important Authority in Singapore

Authority Role Statutory Board Remarks

BCA Controller of Building  Under Ministry of Development

The following functions are under BCA:

(1) Outdoor advertising and signages
(2) TOP
(3) Information on Certificate of Statutory Completion (CSC)
(4) Information on Building Plans
(5) Matters pertaining to Building Maintenance and Strata
Management Act (BMSMA)
(6) Household Civil Defence Shelters
URA Controller of Housing  Private housing included.

Prepares Concept Plan and Master Plan

Release information on property market

Manages over 60000 public parking lots

Identifies buildings and areas for conservation

LDAU is under URA.

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Important Authority in Singapore
Authority Role Statutory Board Remarks
PUB Controller of Water Resources and 
Utilities
JTC  Under Ministry of Trade and Industry

Manages industrial estate as the largest

industrial landlord.

In charge of:

(1) Sale-and-Leaseback Scheme
(2) Build-and-Lease Scheme

Ministry of National Development 

(MND)
Ministry of Law 
CPF 
MAS Controller of Financial Industry  TDSR and MSR Framework
Does not control domestic interest rates
and money supply
In charge of ABSD, SSD and BSD rates

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Important Authority in Singapore
Authority Role Statutory Board Remarks
LTA Controller of Various Aspects of  Statutory
Board under Ministry of
Transportation Communications and Information

Works closely with URA and HDB

Incharge of:
(1) Road line reserve
(2) Car parking requirements
(3) Change of use affecting allocation
of car parking lots
(4) MRT line and Related works
IRAS Controller of Tax  Administers the following acts:
(1) Income Tax Act
(2) Property Tax Act
(3) Goods & Services Tax Act
(4) Stamp Duties Act

CEA  Operates under MND

(Under Estates Agent Act)
Oversees the regulation of Property
agents

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Important Authority in Singapore
Authority Role Statutory Board Remarks
SLA Controller of Land  Sells state lands through GLS

Sale and Lease of Residential Properties are

exempted from GST

Sale and Lease of non-residential properties by

property owners who are GST registered are subject to
GST

Provide registration systems for recording

transactions related to land in Singapore according to:
(1) Land Titles Act
(2) Land Titles (Strata) Act
(3) Registration of Deeds Act

To act as agent for government:

(1) to acquire land under the Land Acquisition Act
(2) Allocation and Disposal of State Land
(3) Management and Administration of all State
lands and buildings
(4) Assessment, collection and recovery of any
premium, rent, royalty, fee or charge in
connection with mining or working of land for
minerals.
(5) Administer the Residential Property Act
(6) To maintain and provide access by the public
to documents and information related to land
survey, land tenure, land transactions, land
ownership, land boundaries, state lands and
state titles.

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Important Authority in Singapore
Authority Role Statutory Board Remarks
HDB Controller of Public Housing  Does not include private housing.

Mentioned in Housing Development Act

Require planning permission from Planning Act

to obtain land.
NParks Controller of Parks, Green 
Spaces

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Important Acts in Singapore
Act
Conveyancing and Law of Property Act (CLPA)
Land Titles Act
Unfair Contract Terms Act
Remarks
Covers the following:
(1) Conveyancing
(2) Property Ownership
(3) Land Charges
(4) Lease and Tenancies
(5) Mortgages
(6) Easements
Establishes the legal framework for land registration and property
ownership in Singapore. It governs the creation, transfer, and registration of
land titles and establishes the principles of indefeasibility of title.
Covers the following:
(1) LTA provides registration of land in SLA.
(2) Strata Titles
(3) Indefeasibility of Titles
(4) Encumbrances and Interests
(5) Registration of Dealings
(6) Land Titles Register
Limitation of exemption clause and disclaimer; such disclaimer would be
rendered ineffective in event of loss of life or personal injury.
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Important Acts in Singapore
Act Remarks
Land Title (Strata) Act Covers the following:
(1) Strata Subdivision of Land
(2) Management Corporation
(3) By Laws
(4) Maintenance and Sinking Funds
(5) Dispute and Resolution
Residential Property Act Regulates the ownership of restricted residential properties by non-
Singaporean individuals and entities. It sets out the rules and restrictions
for their purchase, ownership, and disposal.
Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act (BMSMA) Governs the management and maintenance of strata-titled properties in
Singapore. It establishes the responsibilities and powers of Management
Corporations (MCs) and provides guidelines for the administration,
maintenance, and governance of such properties.
Planning Act Provides the legislative framework for land use planning and development
control in Singapore. It sets out the rules and regulations for land zoning,
development guidelines, and control of land use activities.

Height Restrictions

Housing and Development Act (HDA)
Sand and Granite Quarries Act
Singapore’s Electronic Transactions Act (ETA)
Governs public housing matters in Singapore. It establishes the framework
for the development, management, and allocation of public housing by the
Housing and Development Board (HDB).
 Extracting of sand
 Electronic records, signatures and contracts have legal effect, are valid
and enforceable.
 Will, Trust Deed, Power of Attorney and Sales and Conveyance of
immovable property are excluded from ETA.

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Important Acts in Singapore
Act
Building Control Act
Moneylenders Act
Land Acquisition Act (LAA)
Sale of Commercial Properties Act (SCPA)
Estate Agents Act (EAA)
Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act
Remarks
 Set back from boundary line
Property agents are also subject to provisions under the Moneylenders Act when they
assist clients in obtaining financing for property transactions.
(1) The act regulates the activities of licensed moneylenders and imposes certain
restrictions and requirements on property agents when they engage in loan-
related activities.
Empowers the government to acquire land for public purposes.
Sets out the procedures, compensation framework, and rights of landowners in cases of
land acquisition.
Regulates the sale of commercial properties in Singapore. It sets out requirements for
disclosure, conduct of property agents, and other provisions related to commercial
property transactions.
Developers will need to keep record of their diligence checks for atleast 5 years after the
transaction is completed on uncompleted projects.
They need to report any suspicious transactions to the Suspicious Transaction Reporting
Officers.
The EAA sets out the licensing and regulatory framework for property agents, ensuring
professionalism, integrity, and ethical conduct in the real estate industry.
Also covers matters such as the handling of clients’ money, the provision of accurate
information, and the duties and responsibilities of property agents.
The act sets out a list of unfair practices where a consumer can seek out civil remedies.
Violations are subject to claim of ≤$30,000 within a 2 years claim period.
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Important Acts in Singapore
Act Remarks
Companies Act Private Limited company and Partnership (Limited Liability) registered under the
Companies Act can be landlord or tenant of the real property.
Housing Developers (Control and Licensing) Act Developers will need to keep record of their diligence checks for atleast 5 years after the
transaction is completed on uncompleted projects.

They need to report any suspicious transactions to the Suspicious Transaction Reporting
Officers.
Hotels Licensing Act (HLA) Primarily public accommodation facilities for commercial purpose.

Backpackers’
hostels, regulated under the Hotels Licensing Act, are also public
accommodation facilities for commercial purpose.

They are open concept dormitories for boarding and lodging purposes, with a minimum
of 6 beds per room.
Terrorism (Suppression of Financing Act) If salesperson suspects that client could be using the sale and purchase of property to
camouflage money laundering, he should file a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) with
the Transaction Reporting Office of the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) under this
act.
MHA Immigration Act  3 due diligence checks
(Ministry of Home Affairs and Women’s Charter)
Civil Law Act  It provides the legal framework for various civil matters, including
(1) contracts,
(2) torts,
(3) property,
(4) family law, and
(5) succession

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Important Acts in Singapore
Act Remarks
Strata Management Act 2013  In Section 25 (1) of the Strata Management Act 2013, it states that: “Each purchaser
shall pay the Charges, and contribution to the sinking fund, in respect of his parcel to the
joint management body for the maintenance and management of the buildings or lands
intended for subdivisions into parcels and the common property in a development area."

Other important information

Item Remarks
Estate Agents (Estate Agency Work) Regulations These regulations provide further details on the requirements and
obligations of property agents and estate agencies. They cover areas such
(Just a regulation and not an act) as
(1) Registration
(2) Renewal
(3) Suspension of estate agency licenses
(4) Conduct of estate agency work
(5) Maintenance of proper records.
Code of Ethics and Professional Client Care (Overseen by CEA) This code sets out the professional standards, ethical guidelines, and best
practices that property agents are expected to adhere to in their dealings
(Just a code of conduct and not an act) with clients and the public.

Cadastral Map Contains information relating to the surveyed plots such as:
(1) lot numbers
(2) land areas
(3) lot boundaries
(4) survey plan numbers
(5) type of plans
(6) type of ownership
(7) survey district numbers and their boundaries

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