vanessabrooker wrote:My family and I have resided in Singapore since January and unfortunately, we are having to return back to Australia in July. We signed a 2 year lease and are obviously breaking the terms of the lease due to us leaving. Our landlord has tried to ask us for $14,000 upfront to cover agents fees, hence allowing us to leave in July with no further responsibility to our
condo - even if he doesn't re-rent it. (We find this strange, especially seeing our condo is for sale!). We are unable to sign this agreement as we do not have the funds.
What would happen if we forfeited our bond ($14,000) and left the country. Would the landlord be able to sue us for compensation if we no longer live in Singapore? We obviously do not want to do this, but feel that our hands are becoming increasingly tied as they will only try and re-rent the apartment if we pay them $14,000. This is just impossible for us right now. Any advice would be much appreciated.
TBH, the offer of $14,000 sounds quite reasonable to me, given the remaining length of the lease. If I were in that situation I'd be inclined to take the offer. If you can't pay the full amount in one go, perhaps you could offer to pay it over a few months.
A key point is that the lease is a legally binding agreement (assuming it was stamped and stamp duty paid, etc. at the outset). Whether or not the landlord is able to re-let or sell the
property is irrelevant to your situation. I would certainly advise you to try to agree a compromise with the landlord, and the fact that they have made you an offer is a good sign IMO.
Obviously you want to avoid this developing into a legal situation. If you return to Australia with outstanding debts and never come back to Singapore, it's probably unlikely that they will pursue you there. But do you really want that hanging over your head? Would you really never pass through Singapore again, not even in transit?
If you do a search of this board you'll find countless tales of people who did a runner owing money to landlords, banks, etc., and then some years later want to return to Singapore. As you'll see, these people don't get much sympathy from the regulars here - running away from one's debts is just plain WRONG; it also makes life more difficult for the honest people that remain here or come after them, and it only helps to reinforce the anti-foreigner xenophobia that is already raging withing the local community.
My advice - try to have a constructive dialogue with the landlord, forget about whether it's 'fair' that they might re-rent / sell the unit, explain your situation and desire to come to an amicable arrangement.
Good luck.
p.s. another piece of advice - please don't double-post the same content in multiple places; you will incur the wrath of the mods by doing that.