8 Home Businesses We Might Not Know is Against The Law

Last Updated on 2023-02-18 , 5:47 pm

Wait, there’s such a thing? Yep! HDB guidelines allow administrative work for such businesses to be done in your HDB but not the actual business itself. Take a look at some of the businesses that are considered illegal to be operated in an HDB flat.

1. Tuition Centres/Schools

The rule is that you can give tuition from your house but you cannot turn your house into a tuition centre. Same goes for music classes and language classes. Point is, your “business” has to be on a small scale and is still used for living than for profit purposes.

2. Beauty Services

These include services such as hairdressing and nail treatments. Again, these businesses can be done on a small scale, for family and friends but not for commercial clients and customers.

3. Industrial Activities

This is pretty much obvious to anyone. Industrial activities are definitely not allowed because of possible emissions of toxic gases and smells that will irritate and harm neighbours. It also creates a lot of noise if machinery is involved, giving the neighbours a hard time.

4. Pet shops

I’ve never heard of a pet shop operating in an HDB flat, but if you do know, you might want to politely inform the owners. Of course, this doesn’t include those pet owners who happen to sell their kittens/puppies online after breeding.

5. Fortune Telling

Who would have thought such a business isn’t allowed to operate in the HDB flats either? Seems like it’s no big deal, but it is a non-permissible business according to HDB’s guideline. Seems like as long as profits are involved, it’s a no-no in HDB flats!

5. Massage Services

Similar to hairdressing, massage therapy is allowed on a small scale, if you decide to give a massage to your mother-in-law or husband, it is perfectly okay, because there is no payment involved. However, you are not allowed to turn the HDB flat into a massage parlour. You’d have to use a commercial space for that.

6. Clobbering

That’s right, your local cobblers. They’re not allowed to operate from home either. Outside of home is fine, but the business in the HDB flat is considered illegal.

8. Manufacturing

The large-scale manufacturing of basically anything isn’t allowed in all HDB flats. Baking during Hari Raya to sell the goodies to relatives and friends is fine, but turning your flat into a bakery is not allowed. The manufacturing of other items such as shoes, clothes etc isn’t allowed either!

Did you know of all the businesses that are not allowed to operate in HDB flats? If you do go against the guidelines, you might just get yourself into trouble if you are found out!

Feature Image: Dr David Sing / Shutterstock.com