10/03/2025
Two employers said they will have to split their workers into two or three separate dorms because of a lack of vacancies, worsening the logistical challenges posed by the new arrangements.
The shuttering of Cochrane Lodge 1 and 2 is one of the biggest dorm closures in recent years, and has led to a “mad rush” for bed spaces, said property agents who specialise in workers’ housing.
Mr Ricky Anpa from Eastwest Properties said over 10 employers have contacted him since the start of February to find replacement housing for their workers in the north of Singapore, but he has managed to secure a few beds in the region for only a third of them.
“The supply of dorm beds islandwide is already quite limited, and it’s even tighter in the north, so some employers will likely have to look for vacancies in less ideal locations like Choa Chu Kang, or even Tuas.”
A plumbing contractor, who declined to be named, said she might have to rent multiple condominium units for her 24 workers because the only dorms with vacancies are in Tuas, which is too far away from the firm’s worksites.
However, she said a condo unit will cost her at least $5,000 to house six to eight workers, more than 50 per cent higher than the cost for the same number of workers at Cochrane Lodge 2.
Several of the 390 employers with workers at the dorms said Vobis could have told them about the closure sooner, so that they could make rehousing plans earlier.
A bed crunch has resulted in many employers unable to find alternative accommodation for their staff. Read more at straitstimes.com.
