FAQs

• Application forms can be obtained from any office of the Housing Development Corporation or the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development;
• Application forms must be completed and submitted to any office of the Trinidad and Tobago Housing Development Corporation (HDC); or,
• Online at www.housing.gov.tt

• Information from the completed application form is entered into the Ministry’s database;
• Applicants then receive a reference number, username and password. The reference number identifies the applicant(s) on the database. (The username and password allow applicant(s) to login to their account to view and/or make changes to their application information as and when necessary.)
• The status of the application remains unchanged until the application is selected in a computerized, modified draw.

• • Once the HDC identifies a housing development that is almost near completion, a
    computerized, modified selection draw is conducted. Every application has an equal opportunity of being selected during this process. (Salary range of the applicant(s), number of housing units available and, cost of units are just some of the weights used to determine the applicants that will be selected in any given draw).
  • Based on the selling price of the units, the Trinidad and Tobago Mortgage Finance Company recommends the salary ranges applicable to accessing a mortgage.
  • Selected persons are contacted by the HDC and invited to attend an assessment interview. At time of interview, applicants will be required to submit financial and legal documents, which will be identified in a letter.
  • Applicants found to be eligible, are then sent to the Trinidad and Tobago Mortgage Finance Company for a mortgage assessment
  • Following the mortgage assessment at TTMF, a listing is done of all suitably qualified persons
  • Letters of offer are then made to these persons
  • Once the units are completed and ready for distribution, the keys are handed over to the respective homeowners
  • Applicants who are unable to access mortgage arrangements may be considered for the rent-to-own or rental options.
  • An applicant always has the option to decline the unit they have been allocated and formally request that their application be ‘untagged’ and return to the pool of applicants in the database for selection in subsequent draws.

An agency of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, the Land Settlement Agency (LSA) is responsible for the implementation of the provisions of the State Land (Regularisation of Tenure) Act, Chapter 57.05, Act No. 25 of 1998 with respect to the State Lands in Trinidad and Tobago. The mandate of the LSA is to engage in the regularisation of certain squatters through the Squatter Regularisation Programme and assist with the containment of squatting, the development of Land Settlement Areas and sustainable communities.

Squatter Regularization involves two activities:

1. 1. Title regularisation: provides security of tenure (i.e. a legal interest in land) to certain persons who were illegally occupying state lands prior to 1st January 1998. To be considered, these squatters would have had to apply for regularization and meet all the other legal requirements in accordance with the provisions of the State Land (Regularization of Tenure) Act, Chap 57:05 Act No. 25 1998.
   2. Infrastructure regularisation: refers to the implementation and/or up-grading of the physical infrastructure of designated squatter communities ear-marked for regularization such as the improved road works, drainage, waste water disposal and by providing potable water and other basic amenities.

Squatter containment is the prevention of further squatting on state lands. This involves working with the Commissioner of State Lands and other state agencies to monitor and patrol state lands and to take necessary action in accordance with the State Lands Act Chapter 57:01 and Laws of Trinidad and Tobago.

In order to apply for regularization, someone who was illegally occupying state land prior to 1st January, 1998 would have had to apply for a Certificate of Comfort in the prescribed statutory format, under the provisions of the State Land (Regularisation of Tenure) Act, Chapter 57.05 Act No. 25 1998. This is the first step in the regularization process to obtain security of tenure.

A Certificate of Comfort (COC) is a document which gives a squatter a personal right to protection from ejectment from State Land. It does not convey/give a squatter any interest in the state land that is occupied. If a squatter with a COC has to be relocated, the COC provides a guarantee that a lot will be provided.

Only squatters who were occupying state land prior to 1st January, 1998 could have made an application for a COC on or before 27th October, 2000 in the manner prescribed by the State Land (Regularization of Tenure) Chapter 57:.05, Act No. 25 of 1998.

No. they cannot. Under the provisions of the State Land (Regularisation of Tenure) Act, Chapter 57.05, Act. No. 25 of 1998, the deadline for submission of applications for a COC was 27th October 2000. The LSA does not have the power to extend the deadline at this time.

No. A COC is not a deed. It does not give a squatter any right, legal interest or title to State Land.

A COC provides a squatter with protection from being ejected off State Land. It is the first step in a three-stage process towards the squatter ultimately acquiring security of tenure by way of a Deed of Lease.

No. A COC does not give you any legal interest in State Land therefore it cannot be used as security/collateral for obtaining a financial loan.