Rentals in Singapore is painful for tenants

[sundaymorningstaple]

Therein lies the problem. LL's wan't to protect their investments. And rightly so. Small Claims Tribunal? Google is your friend. Many tenants do not respect the fact that rental units are paid for by the landlord. They don't want tenants who trash the place and disappear into the night. It's called cause & effect. Eventually, enough LLs get burned by inconsiderate tenants and henceforth all LL become protective and not so generous. Especially when some tenants want the LLs to come and replace a $1 light bulb.

[PNGMK]

Actually SMS most TA require the tenant pay the first $50 or so of a repair so I think that example is unlikely.

[ammyb]

Oh really? I have signed the first $150 :-O

[x9200]

SCT its only worth to mentioned in the context of the repairs. Unfortunately we have already seen on this very forum how much effort, if possible at all, it may take to recover the deposit and this with the SCT ruling in favour.

Now, what would be interesting to know is how it goes with the repairs. The important difference is that the expenses may be recovered from the future rent payments. If the court is able and orders so. If this works, than this should provide a very effective way against some problematic LLs.

[x9200]

Oh really? I have signed the first $150 :-O

Nope, it is $150. I guess PNGMK ate up "1".

[PNGMK]

Oh really? I have signed the first $150 :-O

Nope, it is $150. I guess PNGMK ate up "1".

I haven't rented for years.... my numbers are obviously old.

[ammyb]

Actually.. its too much legalities and money matters here. Thats what pinches. I have been in rentals before (not in Singapore) what mattered most was faith and trust. In maximum cases landlords helped me settle up. In some cases they became next to my parents or guardians. I have rented while i studied back home and also in different states in my own country for jobs.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Welcome to Singapore. A horse of an entirely different colour.

[x9200]

And be prepared (unfortunately) the worst may still to come. The very law you are complaining about is the only thing that keeps you reasonably safe from being ripped off with any possible opportunity. Not everybody is like this, but many too many. Have you already learnt the kiasu word?

[ammyb]

Oh no not complaining about law. Just wishing it to be a little considerate towards tenants and expats too. Whats kiasu now? :-O i am so brand new in Singapore.

[nakatago]

Google actually brings up a definition card for it: https://www.google.com.sg/search?q=kiasu

kiasu
ˈkiːəsuː/
SE ASIAN
noun
1.
a grasping, selfish attitude.
"I should have gone two hours earlier: the kiasu in me is growing"
adjective
1.
(of a person) very anxious not to miss an opportunity; grasping.

Westerners know of a similar concept known as FOMO: Fear of missing out.

[ammyb]

Ahaaa. Got it. Read it up on net. Quite an attitude.

[x9200]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiasu

Basically, it's about taking every opportunity to (possibly) gain something, often, at the other people expense. It's about jumping queues, it's about ripping you off if you allow it (so they can tell their colleagues how good was the deal they made), it's about some truly absurd situation where the LLs keep their apartments vacant for months rather than let it out $50 cheaper (my neighbour told me he rented for 3200 two years ago and my flat is much nicer, I would lose face if I let it below 3500). It is also about the insane education race where children as young as 3-4 are force to occupy their whole time learning spelling, numbers, piano, ballet etc etc just because everybody does so - children are your pension plan. Yep, welcome to Singapore. Not much about humanity, lots about making money in an enterprise.

[ammyb]

Yes. Slowly i am seeing that. About 95 percent stuck to mobile screens and tabs. Only handful really go through newspapers or book :-O

[JR8]

So as I said it's a lack of an instrument and nothing to do with the law inequality.
But having said that, you should also consider that such agencies, government or semi-governmental are not that effective in any relatively minor problem. My experience is they will do their best to discourage you or simply not take your case for consideration. I think going to SCT for a repair case may be more effective.

Perhaps it's knowledge of and access to the law?
But in a system that pushes state-dependency (they are the freeholder to most citizens, they also hold and control your future pension etc), they're unlikely to support individual empowerment. Not least that to an extent renters are 'non people', and also non-voting ones if they're 'FT'. So I see zero motivation for them to provide a support channel, beyond the easy to ignore gnat-bite that is the FT who gets stung by a rip-off landlord.

It wouldn't take much to level the playing field. Having at a national level, a standard Tenancy Agreement, something you could buy from any major stationary shop, or downloadable from a website. In parallel having explanatory notes re: rights/obligations. Having resources and recourse if the contract is breached. An escrow scheme too as mentioned, to keep the depo out of the LLs hands unless deductions are proven valid. Etc... I don't think it would take much to change the culture, and hence empower the consumers. But if you follow the money and the votes, the victims and the need and the required state motivation are unaligned. So I don't see it happening.