Illegal tenants.

FIRST HOUSING AGENT JAILED FOR 18 MONTHS

Streats, 21 Nov 2000 reported that Mr Joseph Lui Hang Yin, 54, a senior associate manager with Citiwide Realty International,  probably because the first housing agent to be successfully prosecuted yesterday in a case of harbouring immigration offenders.

He was sentenced to 18 months jail for abetting Madam Tan Sock Meng, the owner of a Serangoon Road apartment, a 72-year-old landlady in renting out her apartment to illegal immigrants.

Under the law, it is the responsibility of ther landlord to carry out sufficient checks to ensure that the tenants are not illegal immigrants. 

Mr Lui promised to coduct the necessary checks for her and introduced 2 Chinese nationals.  Mr Liu was paid commission of $800 and $500 from the Landlord and tenant respectively after the tenancy agreement was signed on July 5, 1999 between the Landlord and Huang Guo Ping. 

The Deputy Public Prosecutor R D Gangatharan argued that the onus was for Mr Liu to verify the documents ad that Lui had ignored that "Huang'" employment pass had already expired and that no original documents were given to Madam Lau, the daughter of the Landlady.  The DPP urged the court to impose a heavier sentence as Liu had been previously convicted of cheating and criminal breach of trust.

District Judge See Kee Oon said: "Liu had blithely chosen to disregard what were highly suspicious circumstances and he "deliberately ignored all the signs" pointing to the tenant's illegal status.

Tenant Check Service - to verify the immigration status and other particulars of tenants. For S$50 per tenant, NTUC Income will find out if the tenants are legal or illegal immigrants by inspecting their travel and identification documents, work permits and passports. It will also contact the Manpower Ministry and Singapore Immigration and Registration (SIR) and check with the tenants' employers. Homeowners will receive copies of the tenants' travel and employment documents and documents showing that checks have been conducted. Click NTUC Income for more information