27,000 NHT contributors to receive refunds by midweek

Some 27,000 National Housing Trust (NHT) contributors, who applied for refund of contributions made in 2017, can expect to receive their payments by the middle of this week.

Assistant General Manager for Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at the NHT, Dwayne Berbick, told JIS News that the refund process has been running smoothly and anticipates completion of the current batch shortly. As at mid-January, the NHT had received more than 104,000 refund applications. Berbick said that the NHT's contribution refund programme is a key benefit for contributors, with refunds becoming eligible after a seven-year holding period, as stipulated by the NHT Act.

"Contributions are not a tax but rather a savings instrument, and they allow the NHT to support its housing programmes, while also offering contributors an interest rate of two per cent per annum," he noted. Refunds can be collected via direct deposit to a bank account or remittance agency for both local and overseas contributors.

"Our customers abroad, especially those without active accounts in Jamaica, rely on remittance agencies to access their refunds. Contributors can make arrangements with their chosen agency if proximity is an issue," Berbick informed.

NHT contributors who have not yet submitted refund applications are also being reminded that there is no deadline for submission. Applications can be submitted online via the NHT's website, nht.gov.jm or the NHT mobile app, which is available on the Google Play and Apple Stores.