THESE days, Madam S Bagam sleeps where she works - in the van she drives for a living.

Bad advice, lack of homework and a divorce landed her in this predicament.

After her divorce, the mother of two sold her flat for $32,000.

But she ended up with hardly any money after settling her debts.

Madam Bagam has applied to the HDB for a rental flat, but, under HDB rules, those who sold their flats in the open market can only get a rental flat 30 months after the date of the sale.

Her older daughter is with her ex-husband in Johor Baru while she has placed the younger girl with a baby-sitter in Johor Baru.

She has been living in her van since 15 Jul and uses public toilets to shower before turning in for the night.

Madam Bagam, who ferries students in her van, said: 'I don't sleep peacefully because I'm afraid somebody might break into the van and rob me.'

Sleeping in the front seat is uncomfortable and Madam Bagam admits her sleep is usually interrupted, but claims she gets enough to do her job.

Madam Bagam, who studied till Primary 5, is paid about $400 per month and is thankful her employer allows her to sleep in the van after she had explained her plight.

All her belongings fit into the compartment on her van's dashboard.

Madam Bagam admitted that she made a series of 'wrong moves'.

She claimed she and her ex-husband received bad advice from a property agent who sold their three-room flat in Ang Mo Kio in 2007.

Madam Bagam, then a housewife, said they wanted to downgrade to a smaller flat because they could not manage their HDB arrears of $300 a month.

The couple bought the flat in 2002 for $94,000 and sold it for $162,000 in 2007.

They received about $70,000 after settling their HDB arrears. Madam Bagam's share was $32,000 but she claimed she lent a friend about $13,000 and used the rest to settle her debts.

She claimed the agent had promised them that they would be able to get another flat immediately. But they were unable to contact him later on.

Another housing agent managed to find them a smaller unit but they could not get a bank loan.

Shortly after, the couple separated and their divorce was finalised last year.

Madam Bagam claimed they often quarrelled over money.

Her ex-husband took custody of their 11-year-old daughter in June last year and he pays Madam Bagam $300 in monthly maintenance for their 5-year-old daughter.

Moved out

Madam Bagam rented a three-room HDB flat for $1,200 a month from October 2007 to February last year.When she ran out of money, she moved to Johor Baru and shared a house with other tenants for about RM250 ($105) a month.

But she had to move out when the owner took back the house in July this year.

Throughout this period, Madam Bagam said she tried getting a HDB rental flat several times but was rejected.

Madam Bagam said that had she known that getting a new place would be so difficult, she would not have agreed to sell their flat.

Madam Bagam, who started working as a driver last December, said: 'With my $400 a month salary, I don't qualify for any housing loan. I can't afford most of the homes for rent in Singapore.'

She said she approached the Singapore Indian Development Association (Sinda) last November and in June for help.

The organisation tried to get her accommodation at various shelters but there was no place available.

A Sinda spokesman told The New Paper that the case worker involved had told Madam Bagam that the shelters would contact her and Sinda if there was a vacancy.

Madam Bagam has also received food vouchers from the North West Community Development Council (CDC) since last month.

The CDC spokesman said: 'The CDC remains flexible with the view of extending other forms of assistance when there is a change in her circumstances.'

Sinda also wrote to HDB on Madam Bagam's behalf and was informed by HDB why she was not eligible for a rental flat.

Madam Bagam also sought the help of a Member of Parliament to try to get a rental flat.

In HDB's reply to Madam Bagam dated last month, they stated that they were unable to consider her request for a rental flat as she had 'enjoyed a housing subsidy and received substantial proceeds from the sale of her flat.'

But the reply added that HDB would try to help her with temporary accommodation.

To supplement her income, she works twice a week as a cleaner for an additional $60 a week.

She pays the babysitter in Johor Baru $300 a month to look after her younger daughter, whom she visits once a week.

'Without a proper place to stay, my daughter won't be able to adjust to kindergarten,' said Madam Bagam.

'I don't want her to suffer because I can't find a roof over our heads.'

But first she hopes to find a way to sort out her messy situation.

FROM BAD TO WORSE

2007:

Madam Bagam sells Ang Mo Kio 3-room flat, bought for $94,000 in 2002, for $162,000.

OCT 2007:

Madam Bagam separates from husband and rents 3-room flat for $1,200 a month

FEB 2008:

Madam Bagam runs out of money and moves to Johor to share a house with other tenants for RM250 ($105) a month

DEC 2008

Madam Bagam starts work as a van driver

JUL 2009:

Madam Bagam moves out of Johor house when owner re-takes house. She said she had approached HDB and Sinda for help before she moved.

15 JUL 2009:

Madam Bagam starts sleeping in her van

This article was first published in The New Paper