21 year old male - where do I live?!

[benjiiiiii]

Hi all

I've just been told that if my rent is under SGD$4k I will be expected to pay the agents fee (a full month of rent). Is there any truth to this as a regular, generally accepted practice?

Many thanks

This, with the threshold at S$2500 or so, used to be common practice until the new Estate Agent Act came into force about three years ago, which made this illegal (but many agents still try their luck - they have a well-deserved reputation for dishonesty!).
Now, by law, the agent fee is paid by the one who engaged the agent - and in most cases this is the landlord who asks them to find a tenant. Only if you specifically engage an agent to search for a place for you, do you have to pay. Be careful: Most agents will try to trick you into such an arrangement, e.g. by posting ads of property that doesn't even exist (now probably the majority of ads you see) and when you call them saying "This one is already gone, but should I look out for similar places for you?"

so where is the distinction? If I message an agent on ., am I only allowed to enquire about that specific property before they consider themselves engaged? If I ask them to show me further properties they have, is that engaging them?

[beppi]

so where is the distinction? If I message an agent on ., am I only allowed to enquire about that specific property before they consider themselves engaged? If I ask them to show me further properties they have, is that engaging them?

By right, an agent should only advertise a property when he's engaged by the owner for that purpose (and thus the owner pays his fee). But this is not enforced or generally followed.
If the agent shows you other properties he was engaged for finding tenants, you don't pay. But if he starts searching for other properties for you, you pay.
There should be a written agreement detailing the fees and duties at the start of any engagement, but that, too, is neither enforced nor followed.

[Ramekins]

99.999% actual fact about agents/realtors:

1) if you look for an apartment directly with the agents who post the AD,
they are Landlord agents:
- You do not have to pay them a single fee, they should be paid by the Landlord.
**downside -they don't act in your interest but you save a fee.

2) if the landord's agent ended up showing you other units, they become Your(tenant)agent:
-You have to pay half the mth's rental if you lease 1 year with any unit you chose
-You don't have to pay if you lease for 2 years, provided your rent is $2800-$3300 and above.

Different agents work differently as there is no black and white to it,
so enquire first with written communication before you proceed to avoid embarrassment or unexpected fees involved.


Hope you have rented one by now.
Feel free to ask me for more info.

cheers

[zzm9980]

-You don't have to pay if you lease for 2 years, provided your rent is $2800-$3300 and above.

Pet peave here. Why 2800-3300 "and above"? Why not 2800-90,000 and above? Or 2800-2807 and above?

Or better: Just say "2800 and above".

Even better: As you yourself allude to, there is no black and white value here, it's all subject to negotiation with your agent.

[sundaymorningstaple]

It's because she's a wishy-washy slimeball agent herself. After one of the other mods "edited" her spiel early this morning, this 'contact me' post earned her a locked account by me.

moderator

[benjiiiiii]

Hey all!

Thought you'd be interested in an update I settled on a loft in Tanjong Pagar which I move into tomorrow, very excited

Thank you for all the help!
Ben

[sundaymorningstaple]

[nakatago]

Hey all!

Thought you'd be interested in an update I settled on a loft in Tanjong Pagar which I move into tomorrow, very excited

Thank you for all the help!
Ben

House party! Who can bring the guac?

[Akimbo]

Awesome!!!