Central Provident Fund (Approved Middle-Income Housing Scheme) Regulations 1975

Central Provident Fund Act 1953

(Section 77(1))

Central Provident Fund
(Approved Middle-Income
Housing Scheme)
Regulations 1975

2025 REVISED EDITION

(17 December 2025)

[1 September 1975]

Citation

1.  These Regulations are the Central Provident Fund (Approved Middle-Income Housing Scheme) Regulations 1975.

Definitions

2.  In these Regulations —

“Company” means the Housing and Urban Development Company (Private) Limited, a company incorporated under the Companies Act 1967;

“property” includes an interest in a house or flat purchased from the Company, and any land adjacent to a house or flat that the Housing and Development Board has approved for purchase or acquisition as part of the house or flat.

Former provisions

2A.  In a regulation specified in the first column of the Schedule, a reference to a former provision means any provision of the Act specified in the second column of the Schedule opposite that regulation.

Application to Board for withdrawal

3.  Where at any time a member of the Fund has entered into an agreement with the Company for the purchase of a property for his or her own occupation, the Board may, on the application of the member and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board may impose, authorise the whole or part of the amount standing to the member’s credit in the Fund to be withdrawn.

Money to be paid to Company

4.  The amount withdrawn by a member of the Fund under regulation 3 must be paid to the Company on account of the purchase of a property by him or her.

Instalment payments

5.—(1)  Where a member of the Fund is, in accordance with an agreement entered into with the Company, required to pay monthly instalments of principal and interest on account of the purchase of a property from the Company for his or her own occupation, the Board may, on the member’s application and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board may impose, authorise the whole or part of the amount standing to the member’s credit in the Fund to be withdrawn and used for the payment of those monthly instalments.

(2)  The amount which a member of the Fund may withdraw in a month under this regulation must not exceed the amount of the monthly instalment payable to the Company in that month.

Disbursements in connection with purchase

6.—(1)  Where a member of the Fund is required, whether in accordance with an agreement entered into with the Company or otherwise, to pay any survey fees, stamp duties, legal fees or other costs, fees, charges or expenses in connection with —

(a) the purchase of a property from the Company for his or her own occupation, whether or not moneys were withdrawn under these Regulations for such purchase;

(b) any change in the manner of holding of a property (in which the member has an estate or interest) from a joint tenancy to a tenancy in common, or vice versa;

(c) the transfer of any part (but not the whole) of the member’s estate or interest in a property to any other person;

(d) the creation or discharge of a mortgage on a property purchased by, or transferred or assigned to, the member (including where the property is to be mortgaged, or is mortgaged, to the Company);

(e) the transfer or assignment of a property to the member; or

(f) the withdrawal of moneys under these Regulations,

the Board may, on the application of the member and subject to such terms and conditions as the Board may think fit to impose, authorise the whole or part of the amount standing to the member’s credit in the Fund to be withdrawn and used for that purpose.

(2)  To avoid doubt, where a member is required to pay any survey fees, stamp duties, legal fees or other costs, fees, charges or expenses in connection with —

(a) any divestment, whether by sale, transfer, assignment or otherwise, by the member of the whole of his or her interest or title in a property; or

(b) the discharge of any mortgage on a property upon divestment by the member of the whole of his or her interest in such property,

no amount standing to the member’s credit in the Fund is to be withdrawn for that purpose.

5% limit for deposit withdrawal

7.  The first withdrawal by a member of the Fund intended to be used as a deposit for the purchase by him or her of any property under these Regulations must not exceed 5% of the price of the property.

Withdrawal of money by undischarged bankrupt

8.—(1)  Despite the provisions of these Regulations, an undischarged bankrupt is not entitled to —

(a) make an application to the Board to withdraw money under these Regulations; or

(b) withdraw money under these Regulations except in accordance with paragraph (2).

(2)  Where a member is adjudicated a bankrupt after he or she has obtained authorisation from the Board to withdraw money under these Regulations, the Board may, despite his or her bankruptcy, permit him or her to make or continue to make (as the case may be) the authorised withdrawals subject to his or her compliance with these Regulations, the Act and any other condition which the Board thinks fit to impose.

Transfer of money from retirement account to ordinary account

8A.  Where the Board has permitted a member to withdraw a sum standing to the member’s credit in the member’s retirement account for any purpose under these Regulations, the Board may transfer such sum from the member’s retirement account to the member’s ordinary account to be withdrawn for that purpose.

No sale, mortgage, etc., without Board’s permission to person other than Company

9.—(1)  A member of the Fund who —

(a) has withdrawn any moneys under these Regulations for the purchase of a property (including any moneys lent to that member under section 14A of the Act for the purchase of the property and withdrawn by that member which have not been repaid); or

(b) is required under section 27C(1)(g), 27DA(1)(g), 27DB(2)(c) or 27E(1)(f) of the Act to make a payment to the Fund upon the sale or disposal of a property,

must not, without the prior permission of the Board, sell, lease, transfer or assign the property to a person other than the Company.

(2)  A member of the Fund who has withdrawn any moneys under these Regulations for the purchase of a property (including any moneys lent to that member under section 14A of the Act for the purchase of the property and withdrawn by that member which have not been repaid) must not, without the prior permission of the Board, mortgage the property to, or execute a charge on the property in favour of, a person other than the Company.

(3)  Paragraphs (1) and (2) do not apply —

(a) where the member of the Fund has died; or

(b) where the member of the Fund is entitled to withdraw the amount standing to the member’s credit in the Fund under section 15(2)(b) of the Act or a former provision, and the Board has given its authority under section 15(1) of the Act for such withdrawal.

Board may permit sale, mortgage, etc., to person other than Company on conditions

10.—(1)  The Board may, in its discretion and subject to such terms and conditions as it may impose, permit a member of the Fund who —

(a) has withdrawn any moneys under these Regulations for the purchase of a property (including any moneys lent to that member under section 14A of the Act for the purchase of the property and withdrawn by that member which have not been repaid); or

(b) is required under section 27C(1)(g), 27DA(1)(g), 27DB(2)(c) or 27E(1)(f) of the Act to make a payment to the Fund upon the sale or disposal of a property,

to sell, mortgage, lease, transfer or assign the property or the member’s estate or interest in the property to, or execute a charge on the property or the member’s estate or interest in the property in favour of, a person other than the Company if the Board is satisfied that adequate arrangements have been made to secure the payment to the member’s account in the Fund of the amount specified in this regulation or such part of the amount as the Board may determine.

(2)  Subject to paragraphs (3), (4) and (5), the member of the Fund who sells, mortgages, leases, transfers, assigns or executes a charge on the property or the member’s estate or interest in the property must pay to his or her account in the Fund, in the manner determined by the Board, whichever is the lesser of the following amounts:

(a) the net proceeds of the sale, mortgage, lease, transfer, assignment or charge, as the case may be;

(b) such of the following amounts as may be applicable to the member or, if both amounts are applicable to him or her, the aggregate of both amounts:

(i) where paragraph (1)(a) applies to the member, all moneys withdrawn by him or her under these Regulations for the purchase of the property (including any moneys lent to that member under section 14A of the Act for the purchase of the property and withdrawn by that member which have not been repaid), together with the whole or such part (as the Board may determine) of any interest that would have been payable on the moneys if the withdrawal had not been made;

(ii) where paragraph (1)(b) applies to the member, the relevant amount.

(3)  Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5), where the member of the Fund sells, mortgages, leases, transfers or assigns the property or the member’s estate or interest in the property to, or executes the charge on the property or the member’s estate or interest in the property in favour of, any person without consideration or for a consideration below the market value of the property, the member of the Fund must, unless the Board otherwise directs, pay to his or her account in the Fund, in the manner determined by the Board, the amount prescribed in paragraph (2)(b).

(4)  Paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) do not apply where the member of the Fund sells, transfers, assigns or disposes of only part (but not the whole) of his or her estate or interest in the property.

(5)  Despite paragraphs (2), (3) and (4), where a member of the Fund transfers (other than by way of sale) his or her estate or interest in the property to his or her spouse pursuant to an order of court mentioned in section 27C(1)(c), 27DA(1)(c), 27DB(1)(c) or 27E(1)(c) of the Act —

(a) in the case of an order of court mentioned in section 27C(1)(c) of the Act, the person mentioned in section 27C(1)(e) of the Act must pay to the member’s account in the Fund, in the manner determined by the Board, any amount mentioned in section 27C(1)(e) of the Act which the person may be required by the order of court to pay to the Board;

(b) in the case of an order of court mentioned in section 27DA(1)(c) of the Act, the person mentioned in section 27DA(1)(e) of the Act must pay to the member’s account in the Fund, in the manner determined by the Board, any amount mentioned in section 27DA(1)(e) of the Act which the person may be required by the order of court to pay to the Board;

(c) in the case of an order of court mentioned in section 27DB(1)(c) of the Act, the person mentioned in section 27DB(2)(a) of the Act must pay to the member’s account in the Fund, in the manner determined by the Board, any amount mentioned in section 27DB(2)(a) of the Act which the person may be required by the order of court to pay to the Board; or

(d) in the case of an order of court mentioned in section 27E(1)(c) of the Act, the member or person mentioned in section 27E(1)(e) of the Act must pay to the member’s account in the Fund, in the manner determined by the Board, such of the amounts mentioned in section 27E(1)(e)(i), (ii) and (iii) of the Act as may be applicable to the member or person.

(6)  In this regulation —

“net proceeds”, in relation to any property, or a member’s estate or interest in a property, which is sold, transferred, assigned or disposed of, means the excess (if any) of —

(a) the consideration for the sale, transfer, assignment or disposal of the property, or of the member’s estate or interest in the property (as the case may be) or, if the Board so elects, the value of the property, or of the member’s estate or interest in the property (as the case may be) at the time of the sale, transfer, assignment or disposal as assessed by the Board; over

(b) the aggregate of the following amounts paid in the following order:

(i) any amount under a housing loan for the purchase of the property, or of the member’s estate or interest in the property (as the case may be) which has not been repaid;

(ii) any amount which, under any written law, is to be paid to any other person in priority to the Fund, or such part of that amount as the Board determines to be attributable to the member’s estate or interest in the property, as the case may be;

“relevant amount” means —

(a) in relation to a member who is required under section 27C(1)(g) of the Act to make a payment to the Fund upon the sale or disposal of a property, the excess (if any) of —

(i) the amount payment of which was secured by the charge on the property mentioned in section 27C(1)(b) of the Act; over

(ii) the amount which has been paid to the Board under section 27C(1)(e) of the Act towards covering the deficiency in the retirement sum which the spouse is required to set aside;

(b) in relation to a member who is required under section 27DA(1)(g) of the Act to make a payment to the Fund upon the sale or disposal of a property, the excess (if any) of —

(i) the amount payment of which was secured by the charge constituted under section 15AB(10) or (11) of the Act or a former provision on the property; over

(ii) the amount which has been paid to the Board under section 27DA(1)(e) of the Act towards covering the deficiency in the retirement sum which the spouse is required to set aside;

(c) in relation to a member who is required under section 27DB(2)(c) of the Act to make a payment to the Fund upon the sale or disposal of a property, the excess (if any) of —

(i) the amount payment of which was secured by the charge constituted under section 15AB(13) of the Act or a former provision on the property; over

(ii) the amount which has been paid to the Board under section 27DB(2)(a) of the Act towards covering the deficiency in the retirement sum which the spouse is required to set aside; or

(d) in relation to a member who is required under section 27E(1)(f) of the Act to make a payment to the Fund upon the sale or disposal of a property, the excess (if any) of —

(i) the amount which would have been payable to the account of the member’s spouse in the Fund under paragraph (2) or (3) (excluding such interest or part of such interest payable under the applicable paragraph as the Board may determine), if there was no order of court mentioned in section 27E(1)(c) of the Act requiring the transfer (other than by way of sale) of the spouse’s interest in the property to the member; over

(ii) the amount which has been paid to the Fund to the credit of the spouse under section 27E(1)(e) of the Act;

“spouse” includes a former spouse.

Repayment of moneys to Board where property is compulsorily acquired

10A.—(1)  Where —

(a) a member of the Fund —

(i) has withdrawn any moneys under these Regulations in respect of a property; or

(ii) is required under section 27C(1)(g), 27DA(1)(g), 27DB(2)(c) or 27E(1)(f) of the Act to make a payment to the Fund upon the sale or disposal of a property; and

(b) the property is compulsorily acquired under —

(i) section 63 of the Housing and Development Act 1959; or

(ii) any other written law,

the member must pay to his or her account in the Fund the amount specified in paragraph (2) or such other amount as the Board may allow, taking into consideration the circumstances of each case.

(2)  The member whose property has been acquired must pay to his or her account in the Fund, in the manner determined by the Board, whichever is the lesser of the following amounts:

(a) the net proceeds of the acquisition;

(b) such of the following amounts as may be applicable to the member or, if both amounts are applicable to him or her, the aggregate of both amounts:

(i) where paragraph (1)(a)(i) applies to the member, all moneys withdrawn by him or her in connection with the purchase of the property (including any moneys lent to that member under section 14A of the Act in connection with such purchase and withdrawn by that member which have not been repaid), together with the whole or such part (as the Board may determine) of any interest that would have been payable on the moneys if the withdrawal had not been made;

(ii) where paragraph (1)(a)(ii) applies to the member, the relevant amount.

(3)  In this regulation —

“net proceeds of the acquisition”, in relation to any property which has been acquired, means the excess (if any) of —

(a) the amount of compensation paid upon the acquisition of the property; over

(b) the aggregate of the following amounts paid in the following order:

(i) any amount under a housing loan which has not been repaid;

(ii) any amount which, under any written law, is to be paid to any other person in priority to the Fund;

“relevant amount” means —

(a) in relation to a member who is required under section 27C(1)(g) of the Act to make a payment to the Fund upon the sale or disposal of a property, the excess (if any) of —

(i) the amount payment of which was secured by the charge on the property mentioned in section 27C(1)(b) of the Act; over

(ii) the amount which has been paid to the Board under section 27C(1)(e) of the Act towards covering the deficiency in the retirement sum which the spouse is required to set aside;

(b) in relation to a member who is required under section 27DA(1)(g) of the Act to make a payment to the Fund upon the sale or disposal of a property, the excess (if any) of —

(i) the amount payment of which was secured by the charge constituted under section 15AB(10) or (11) of the Act or a former provision on the property; over

(ii) the amount which has been paid to the Board under section 27DA(1)(e) of the Act towards covering the deficiency in the retirement sum which the spouse is required to set aside;

(c) in relation to a member who is required under section 27DB(2)(c) of the Act to make a payment to the Fund upon the sale or disposal of a property, the excess (if any) of —

(i) the amount payment of which was secured by the charge constituted under section 15AB(13) of the Act or a former provision on the property; over

(ii) the amount which has been paid to the Board under section 27DB(2)(a) of the Act towards covering the deficiency in the retirement sum which the spouse is required to set aside; or

(d) in relation to a member who is required under section 27E(1)(f) of the Act to make a payment to the Fund upon the sale or disposal of a property, the excess (if any) of —

(i) the amount which would have been payable to the account of the member’s spouse in the Fund under paragraph (2) (excluding such interest or part of such interest payable under that paragraph as the Board may determine), if there was no order of court mentioned in section 27E(1)(c) of the Act requiring the transfer (other than by way of sale) of the spouse’s interest in the property to the member; over

(ii) the amount which has been paid to the Fund to the credit of the spouse under section 27E(1)(e) of the Act;

“spouse” includes a former spouse;

“time of the acquisition” means the date of issue of the notice of intention to acquire under —

(a) section 63(3) of the Housing and Development Act 1959; or

(b) any other written law,

as the case may be.

Distribution of amount paid to member’s account in Fund, etc.

10B.  Where any moneys withdrawn by a member of the Fund are paid voluntarily, or pursuant to any provision of these Regulations, to the member’s account in the Fund or to the Board, the Board must credit any amount so paid in the following manner:

(a) where the moneys were withdrawn solely from the member’s ordinary account or retirement account, or were withdrawn partly from the member’s ordinary account and partly from the member’s retirement account, the Board must credit the amount so paid to the member’s ordinary account;

(b) where the moneys were withdrawn solely from the member’s special account, or were withdrawn partly from the member’s special account and partly from either or both of the member’s ordinary account and retirement account, the Board must credit —

(i) the amount of the moneys withdrawn from the member’s special account, together with the whole or such part (as the Board may determine) of any interest that would have been payable on the moneys if the withdrawal had not been made, to the member’s special account; and

(ii) any remainder of the amount so paid to the member’s ordinary account.

Distribution of amount after closure of special account

10BA.—(1)  Despite regulation 10B, this regulation applies where any amount withdrawn from a member’s ordinary account or retirement account (or both) under section 15(1B) of the Act is paid or repaid to the Fund, whether voluntarily or pursuant to any provision of these Regulations.

(2)  The Board may credit the amount (P) so paid or repaid in the following manner:

(a) if there is a shortfall in the retirement sum applicable to the member or in the amount specified by the Minister for the member pursuant to section 15AA(5)(a) of the Act — pay P (in whole or in part) to the member’s retirement account towards the maintenance of that retirement sum or specified amount (as the case may be), and the remaining part (if any) of P to the member’s ordinary account;

(b) in any other case — pay P to the member’s ordinary account.

(3)  If the Board considers it reasonable in the circumstances, the Board may pay to the member’s retirement account, the whole or any part (as the Board may determine) of any interest payable on P paid under paragraph (2) as if P were in the member’s retirement account for the relevant period, even if the interest so paid exceeds the shortfall (if any) in —

(a) the retirement sum applicable to the member; or

(b) the amount specified by the Minister for the member pursuant to section 15AA(5)(a) of the Act.

(4)  In this regulation, “relevant period”, in relation to any amount, means the period starting on the date the amount was withdrawn from the member’s ordinary account or retirement account under section 15(1B) of the Act and ending on the date immediately before the date the amount is paid (in whole or in part) to the member’s ordinary account, retirement account or both (as the case may be) under paragraph (2).

Application for cancellation of charge on immovable property

10C.—(1)  For the purposes of sections 21(10A), 21A(9A) and 27E(2)(e) of the Act, where there is a charge under section 21(1) or 21A(1) of the Act (as the case may be) on a member’s estate or interest in an immovable property, the member may apply to the Board for the charge to be cancelled.

(2)  The Board may approve an application under paragraph (1) for the charge to be cancelled if the Board is satisfied that the member —

(a) is entitled to withdraw the amount standing to the member’s credit in the Fund under section 15(2)(a), (3) or (4) or 15AA(1), (2) or (3) of the Act or a former provision;

(b) has complied with the requirements in section 15(6) or 15AA(5) of the Act or a former provision, as the case may be; and

(c) has complied with such terms and conditions as the Board may impose.

Manner of application

11.  An application by a member of the Fund under these Regulations must be made in writing to the Board in such manner as the Board may direct; and any member making an application must furnish to the Board such information, documents and guarantees as the Board may require.