En Bloc Changes 2026: What Lower Consent Thresholds Mean for Condo Owners

The government announced on 4 August 2026 that it is proposing to lower the consent threshold for en bloc sales of older private non-landed developments. If passed, this will be the most significant change to collective sale rules in years, and it has real implications for anyone who owns or is considering buying an older condo in Singapore.

Here is what changed, what it means in practice, and what I think buyers and owners should do about it.

What Exactly Changed

Under the proposed Land Titles (Strata) (Amendment) Bill, the consent thresholds required to trigger an en bloc sale will be lowered for older developments:

Age of Development	Previous Threshold	Proposed Threshold
Less than 10 years	90%	90% (unchanged)
10–39 years	80%	80% (unchanged)
40–59 years	80%	70% (lowered)
60 years and older	80%	65% (lowered)

In simple terms: if your condo is 40 years or older, fewer owners now need to agree before a collective sale can proceed. A development that previously needed 8 in 10 owners to consent now only needs 7 in 10, or as low as 65% for the oldest estates.

At the same time, the government also extended the collective sale regime to cover non-strata-titled private residential developments, such as Neptune Court and Orchard Court, where flat owners hold long leases but do not own the underlying land.

Why the Government Is Doing This

There are currently around 20,000 private non-landed residential units more than 40 years old in Singapore, and that number will only grow. Many of these developments are showing their age structurally, with aging electrical systems, worn finishes, and the kinds of problems that make renovation painful and expensive.

The fundamental logic is straightforward: land in Singapore is finite. Redeveloping older, low-density sites into higher-density housing helps meet the housing needs of a growing population without consuming more land. A 40-year-old condo sitting on a large plot at 12 floors could be replaced by a new development of 30 to 40 floors, tripling or quadrupling the number of homes on the same footprint.

What This Means If You Own an Older Condo

If you own a unit in a development that is 40 years or older, the calculus has shifted. Previously, a determined minority of just over 20% of owners could effectively block any en bloc attempt indefinitely. That blocking power has now been reduced to 30% for developments aged 40–59 years, and to 35% for those 60 years and above.

This means en bloc attempts that previously stalled may now have a clearer path forward. Developers who were reluctant to pursue sites where resistance was entrenched may now revisit those plans. If you own in an older development, it is worth paying attention to what your management council and fellow owners are discussing.

That said, a lower threshold does not guarantee a sale. There still need to be buyers at the right price, and the sale still requires Strata Titles Board approval. What changes is that getting enough owners on board becomes more achievable.

What This Means If You Are Buying an Older Condo

For buyers, this is a meaningful shift in risk profile. If you are considering purchasing a resale unit in an older development, particularly one that is approaching 40 years, you need to factor in the possibility of an en bloc attempt succeeding within your ownership period.

An en bloc sale is not necessarily bad for you as an owner. If the en bloc premium is attractive, you could exit at a profit. But if you bought at a high price expecting to stay long-term, or if the en bloc proceeds do not cover your replacement cost in the same area, it can be disruptive.

Buyers looking at older leasehold units should be especially cautious. A successful en bloc on a leasehold development effectively resets the clock for developers, but for you as a former owner, the proceeds need to be enough to buy into a comparable new launch, which in most districts today is priced significantly higher per square foot than the older resale stock you were buying.

My Take

I think this is a sensible policy move for Singapore's long-term land use. The old thresholds made it too easy for a small minority to hold a development hostage, often to the detriment of the majority who were ready to move on.

For buyers, my practical advice is this: do your homework on the age and en bloc history of any older development you are considering. Check whether there have been past en bloc attempts, whether a collective sale committee exists, and what the land value looks like relative to what developers would typically bid. These are conversations I am happy to walk through with any client before they commit.

For sellers and current owners of older condos, this is a good time to understand what your unit is worth in an en bloc scenario versus the open market. They are often very different numbers, and knowing both gives you much stronger negotiating clarity.