Source : Straits Times – 22 Jan 2010
WESTMINSTER Unicampus was also in the news recently when it defaulted on its rent to the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) on another site – the former Queenstown Neighbourhood Police Centre at 15 Commonwealth Avenue.
It was announced in 2007 that it had submitted the highest bid to pay a monthly rent of $55,888 for the site.
Westminster was to use the building for an arts, dance and drama studio, an association, and a martial arts and fencing school.
None of this materialised.
Not only did it default on its rental payments – accumulating arrears and late payment interest of more than $184,000 – it also carried out unauthorised renovations.
Westminster sub-let the place, which became an unauthorised canteen and food outlet. It also demolished the toilets on all three storeys of the building, removed the entire front wall of the first storey and set up a 300 sq m shelter.
SLA terminated the tenancy last May, but gave Westminster several opportunities to pay the arrears and remove the unauthorised structures.
Westminster failed to comply and refused to vacate the premises. Last August, SLA got a court order to recover the property.
When asked about the site, Westminster’s director Tan Eng Hong would only say: ‘It’s an investment that has gone sour and we’re not able to carry on within our ability.’
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