I am about to renew my rental agreement tonight. Negotiated a discount of $50 in monthly rent. So now its going to be $2050 for a 2 bedder HDB in Tampines. I also dont have to pay the agent fee this time. Last time, I was forced to pay because even though I found the house myself through pguru, the agent insisted that I have to pay and that the owner is not paying her any fee and she is representing me. The house was also nice and I was looking for a very specific location, walking distance to my daughter's school. She had also got it in writing from me that if I renew the agreement I will have to pay her agent fee again, like all agents do.
Its a funny story, about how I managed to do away with the agent fee. One fine day, few months back, the owner paid a surprise visit to our house and told me not to pay the agent fee and that she will manage it, she gave me her phone number. May be she was jittery that rents are going down. Anyways, I was very happy and thought I could double cross the agent and refuse to pay her. The agent yesterday message me and asked me whether I wanted to renew. I replied to her, saying that I am moving out to a place closer to my daughter's school and that I will look for a new place myself. Then I called the owner and told her that the agent called me and that I want to deal with her directly and not the agent so I can save the agent fee.
The owner said okay and I asked her to reduce the rent by $100. She said she will get back to me.
Then yesterday evening the owner called me and said she will reduce the rent by $50 and she also made a shocking revelation to me that the agent is none other than her sister in law
She said she will pay the agent fee to her so I save the agent fee and rent reduced by $50. I agreed, I save some money and the rent is reasonable not too high and I dont have to scout for another place.
Tonight, its going to be embarrasing to see the agent, lol.
he may have got full subsidy ... for the 'life' upgrade 
