Subtenant intends to quit after just 3 months

[shi_zilin]

Hi everyone. I am currently renting a common room in a condo and, due to personal reasons, I am planing to quit the rental after just 3 months. There was no contract signed and no tenancy term was specified when I took the room last December.

I already informed the master tenant about my intention to leave and have allowed a one-month notice period. He agreed.

I already signed up to rent in another flat and I do not think I can cancel that.

Now, the main tenant is worried that he will not be compliant with URA (Urban Redevelopment Authority)'s rule against short-term rentals of less than 6 months of private properties. We were not aware of that rule before this morning. His landlord's agent informed him about it.

Do you have any experience or advice about this? Any helpful response would be much appreciated.

The room was never offered for transients or for short-term rent. I, being the subtenant, am the one terminating the rent, so I am thinking that the main tenant nor the owner should have no liability as far as the 6-month rule goes. There is no contract signed between us (thus, no minimum tenancy terms agreed) and I am not aware if there are any laws prohibiting a tenant or subtenant from quitting a rental arrangement.

[PNGMK]

No such thing as a sub-tenancy in law here AFAIK. As long as the main tenant is there your'e ok. You're effectively a 'guest' in this scenario.

[JR8]

re: 'Short term rental of less than 6 months'. That relates to the minimum term for a Statutory Tenancy, the usual formal signed rental contract. The contract gives rights, protections, obligations etc. URA don't want to see see a rise of informal shorter-term renting as the transience and turnover is rarely a positive for a building.
But you have already rented, and you have no written tenancy agreement. As PNG says you're effectively a guest, or 'paying guest'.

[shi_zilin]

Thanks for the response, PNGMK and JR8.

Looks like I do not have any obligation to keep renting the room. Now, what I am worried about is the possibility, if there's any, that the master tenant will be subjected to regulatory issues with the URA.

My personal view is that the master tenant did not violate URA's 6-month rule because they never intended the rental as short term. There was no agreement of a fixed term and no contract was signed between us. I am simply just quitting the rent and that's it.

I just hope i am right about this.

I called URA this afternoon. I was advised that URA does not control if a tenant quits a rental and such should be governed by the tenancy agreement.

Just an update, the master tenant told me this afternoon that he actually added me as a tenant in their tenancy agreement with the owner. But I think that is irrelevant because I am not a signatory to that. I am basically just a subtenant.

[JR8]

Just an update, the master tenant told me this afternoon that he actually added me as a tenant in their tenancy agreement with the owner. But I think that is irrelevant because I am not a signatory to that. I am basically just a subtenant.

Not sure how he's suggesting that works. Sounds to me that you're an informal sub-tenant on a verbal (not written) agreement. Have you even seen *his* TA? Or where your name is apparently added? Has his TA been stamped for the stamp duty payment by IRAS?
https://www.iras.gov.sg/irashome/Other- ... -Property/

[PNGMK]

Stop worrying. You're not liable in any of this. The tards are, esp the LL tard.

[shi_zilin]

@JR8: I haven't seen the TA. I will find out tonight how he put my name on the document. It's most probably just under the names of people/tenants who are occupying the flat.

The flat was rented in mid-December. I moved in more than a week after that.

[shi_zilin]

@PNGMK: Yeah, I shouldn't worry. But it's the owner's agent who's making things complicated.

I just hope this won't ruin my relationship with the master tenant. He too is not familiar with the reguations. They're just worried about this. And I hope it won't be awkward in the next three weeks being in the same flat.

I called URA again and got to speak with a different agent. He is just telling me to stay for 6 months. That is not actually encouraging. But according to him, if someone complains to URA, the owner will initially get a warning letter.

[x9200]

Yes, exactly, he tries to deceive you so you stay longer. Tell him you consulted URA and if he doesn't p*ss off you will consult CEA regarding the ethics of his conduct.

[PNGMK]

OP - URA is turning a blind eye to this unless it's flagrant abuse and involves undesirables... I'd stop worrying otherwise you'll lose IQ points...