Six Singaporean men paid $1.27 million in combined fines for operating illegal short-term rentals across 31 private residential properties from July 2018 to November 2021.
Robin Koh Guohui, 41, masterminded the operation and received the heaviest penalty of $1,144,902 on September 15, 2025. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) identified Koh as the key player behind this unauthorized accommodation business.
The Criminal Network
Koh recruited four accomplices who received monthly salaries for their participation: Pandy Lim En Xiang, 33, Chew Lam Yong, 61, Low Ah Tee, 81, and Chua Lian Beng, 71. Ryan Chow Yan Kit, 34, also participated in the scheme.
The other five men paid fines between $8,000 and $32,500. Their sentences were handed down between August 2024 and March 2025. Lim received the second-largest fine of $24,500 on March 27, 2025. Chua paid the smallest penalty of $8,000 on August 29, 2024.
Koh ran SG Auto Car Pte Ltd as sole director. He renamed the company SG Bizloan Consultant in July 2021. His four recruited accomplices directed separate companies at different periods: KCA, Edrich Group, Ed Werks Holdings and ANZ Management Services.
Following Koh’s instructions, these directors signed tenancy agreements for 31 private residential units that Koh had found. The group then advertised these properties on platforms like Airbnb and HomeAway for stays under three consecutive months.
Digital Deception
Koh operated multiple bank accounts, phone numbers and host accounts under different aliases across various online platforms. All guest payments flowed directly to Koh, who controlled the entire operation.
The illegal activities surfaced when a private residential development’s management council reported suspected short-term accommodation use at one unit rented by Edrich Group. URA expanded its investigation after receiving complaints from residents and managing agents at other developments.
Singapore’s Planning Act mandates a minimum three consecutive month stay duration for private residential properties. This rule prevents frequent tenant changes that could alter a property’s residential character and disturb neighboring residents.
Property owners who convert homes for short-term accommodation without URA approval face fines up to $200,000 per charge. Repeat offenders may receive additional sentences up to 12 months imprisonment.
Enforcement Crackdown
URA development control group director Martin Tan stated the authority views unauthorized short-term accommodation use seriously. The agency continues investigating such cases and taking strict enforcement action against all involved parties, including those facilitating revenue transfers or sourcing properties and occupants.
Since 2019, 71 offenders have been fined for providing illegal short-term stays in Singapore. Among these, 64 were penalized for operating in private properties, while 15 were prosecuted in court.
Recent Enforcement Actions
This case represents one of Singapore’s largest financial penalties for illegal short-term rentals. In previous cases, two former property agents each paid $60,000 fines for providing illegal short-term stays at a Bukit Timah condominium.
A March 2025 case saw a company offering service apartments charged alongside its deputy CEO and two directors for allegedly providing illegal short-term accommodation at properties across Singapore.
The public can report suspected illegal short-term accommodation cases through URA’s official website.
