Street and Building Names Board
Open ↗49.—(1) A Street and Building Names Board (called in this Part the SBNB) is established, consisting of a Chairperson and at least 2 other members all of whom are to be appointed by the Minister.
(2) The SBNB has the following functions and duties:(a)
to determine the name by which any building, estate or street is to be known, or to alter the name of any building, estate or street;
(b)
such other functions and duties as may be conferred by this Act on the SBNB.[23/2010]
(3) The Chairperson and the other members of the SBNB hold office for such period as may be determined by the Minister and are eligible for re‑appointment.
(4) The Minister may, without giving any reason, remove from office any member of the SBNB.
(5) All matters coming before the SBNB at any meeting must be decided by a majority of votes of the members present, and in the event of an equality of votes, the Chairperson has a casting vote.
(6) Any person aggrieved by any decision of the SBNB may, within 21 days of the date of the written notice of the decision, apply in writing to the SBNB to review the decision, stating the grounds on which the person’s application is based.
(7) Any person who is dissatisfied with the decision of the SBNB after a review under subsection (6) may, within 21 days of the date of the written notice of the decision, appeal in writing to the Minister stating the grounds on which the person’s appeal is based.
(8) The Minister may confirm, vary or rescind the decision referred to him or her under subsection (7) and the decision of the Minister is final.
(9) Except for its function and duty referred to in subsection (2)(a), the SBNB may authorise any officer in the employment of a statutory authority which has been approved by the Minister for the purpose of this subsection to assist the SBNB in performing any of the functions and duties of the SBNB under this Act.[23/2010]
Name of building, estate or street
Open ↗50. The SBNB may cause the name of any building, estate or street to be painted, or otherwise marked, in a conspicuous position on any house, building or erection in or near that building, estate or street, and from time to time alter or renew the name.
Numbers on properties
Open ↗51.—(1) The Comptroller may allot a number to or alter the number of any property and may require the owner of the property to fix the number in a conspicuous place on the outside of the property or at the entrance of the enclosure of the property, or change, replace or refix the number within a prescribed time.
(2) The Comptroller may, if he or she thinks fit, undertake the fixing, changing, replacing or refixing of the number of the property and the expense of such fixing, changing, replacing or refixing is to be determined by the Comptroller and paid by the owner of the property.
Penalty for numbering or naming property, estate or street without authority of Comptroller or SBNB
Open ↗52.—(1) The allotting or fixing of a number or the giving or fixing of a name to or on any building which has been erected in contravention of any written law does not prevent the person who has contravened such law from being prosecuted thereunder and from being liable to the penalty under that law, or the unauthorised building from being demolished under that law.[23/2010]
(2) Any person who —(a)
without the authority of the Comptroller, allots a number to any property or fixes or causes to be fixed a number on or near any property or at the entrance of the enclosure thereof; or
(b)
without the authority of the SBNB, gives a name to any building, estate or street or fixes or causes to be fixed a name to any building, structure or post in or near that building, estate or street,
shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000, and the Comptroller or the SBNB (as the case may be) may, whether or not any proceedings have been instituted against any person for a contravention of this subsection, without notice authorise any person to enter upon any property to remove or destroy such number or name.
[23/2010]
(3) For the purposes of instituting proceedings under subsection (2), the act of —(a)
allotting an unauthorised number to any property, or fixing or causing to be fixed such number on or near any property; or
(b)
giving an unauthorised name to any building, estate or street or fixing or causing to be fixed such name on any building, structure or post in or near that building, estate or street,
is, until the contrary is proved, presumed to have been done —
(c)
by the person who erects or sells the property if the person who actually allots, gives or fixes the unauthorised number or name is not known or cannot be found in Singapore; and
(d)
by the owner or occupier of the property if the person who erects or sells the property and the person who actually allots, gives or fixes the unauthorised number or name are not known or cannot be found in Singapore.
(4) The Comptroller or the SBNB (as the case may be) may, whether or not any proceedings have been instituted against any person for contravention of subsection (2) in respect of any property, by written order require the owner or occupier to remove any unauthorised number or name fixed on or near the property.[23/2010]
(5) Any person who fails to comply with an order under subsection (4) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000 and, in the case of a continuing offence, to a further fine not exceeding $50 for every day during which the offence continues after conviction.
Penalty for destroying name or number
Open ↗53.—(1) Any person who destroys, pulls down, defaces, covers or conceals any inscription of the name of a building, an estate or a street which has lawfully been set up or sets up on any house, building, structure or post in or near that building, estate or street any other name different from the name lawfully given to the building, estate or street, shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000.
(2) The expense of replacing or refixing any such name which has been destroyed, pulled down, defaced, covered or concealed must be paid by the person convicted of destroying, pulling down, defacing, covering or concealing the name, as the case may be.
(3) Any person who destroys, pulls down, defaces, covers or conceals the number of any house or building which has been lawfully set up or sets up in any house or building any number different from the number lawfully allotted to the house or building shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $1,000.
(4) The expense of replacing or refixing any such number which has been destroyed, pulled down, defaced, covered or concealed must be paid by the person convicted of destroying, pulling down, defacing, covering or concealing the number, as the case may be.
Disputed expenses to be determined by Magistrate’s Court
Open ↗54.—(1) The amount of expenses payable under section 53 is, in case of dispute, to be summarily ascertained and determined by a Magistrate’s Court.
(2) If the amount of such expenses is not paid by the party liable to pay them within 7 days after demand, the default may be reported to a Magistrate’s Court and the amount recovered in the same way as if it were a fine imposed by a Magistrate’s Court.
(3) An appeal lies to the General Division of the High Court from any decision of a Magistrate’s Court under this section, and the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code 2010 apply, with the necessary modifications, to all such appeals.[40/2019]
Recovery of expenses and costs payable by owners
Open ↗55.—(1) The sum payable by an owner in respect of expenses under section 51(2) is a first charge on the premises in respect of which the expenses or costs have been incurred.
(2) Such sum may be recovered by the same means and in like manner as if it were a sum payable in respect of a tax remaining unpaid at the expiry of the prescribed time within the meaning of section 36.
(3) The charge in this section attaches, and the powers and remedies in this section become exercisable as from the date of completion of the work, and thereafter the powers and remedies may be exercised against the premises or against any movable property or crops for the time being found thereon, despite any change or changes in the ownership or occupation of the premises subsequent to that date.
Source: Singapore Statutes Online (Attorney-General's Chambers), © Government of Singapore.
