SINGAPORE EXPATS FORUM
Singapore Expat Forum and Message Board for Expats in Singapore & Expatriates Relocating to Singapore
Agent Fee
Agent Fee
Hi Everyone,
I am new to the Singapore housing market and dealing with agents. I understand that the standard fee to agents for one year rental (for a private apt) is half the monthly rental. However, I have also heard that the agent fee is exempted if the rent of the apt exceeds $2500/month. If anyone has experience in this matter, any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
I am new to the Singapore housing market and dealing with agents. I understand that the standard fee to agents for one year rental (for a private apt) is half the monthly rental. However, I have also heard that the agent fee is exempted if the rent of the apt exceeds $2500/month. If anyone has experience in this matter, any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
- Saint
- Director
- Posts: 3505
- Joined: Thu, 16 Jun 2005 5:19 pm
- Location: The Juban Stand, Boat Quay
- Contact:
Hi,
It all depends in what capacity the Agent is representing you? It is all a bit confusing but I'll try and explain, but I'm not sure I'll be 100% correct
If the agent is the Landlord's agent, the landlord will be liable to pay the Agent's commission when the rental is greater than $2.5k per month. Lower than that then the tenant pays the commission.
If the place is co-broked, you found the place through an agent who is different from the LL's agent, you shouldn't have to pay any commission if over $2.5k as your agent will be paid by the LL's agent. If under $2.5k you'll have to pay your agent's commission.
Phew
Now here's where it get a bit complicated.
If you exclusively engage an agent to assist you in looking for a home:
A Finder's fee of 1 month's gross rental is chargable, if your rental budget is below $2,500.
For rental budgets of between $2,501 to $5,000, a Finder's Fee of 0.5 to 1 month is chargable.
No agency fee is normally necessary for rental budgets of above $5,000.
As I said I'm not 100% sure this is totally correct but I don't think it's far off.
It all depends in what capacity the Agent is representing you? It is all a bit confusing but I'll try and explain, but I'm not sure I'll be 100% correct

If the agent is the Landlord's agent, the landlord will be liable to pay the Agent's commission when the rental is greater than $2.5k per month. Lower than that then the tenant pays the commission.
If the place is co-broked, you found the place through an agent who is different from the LL's agent, you shouldn't have to pay any commission if over $2.5k as your agent will be paid by the LL's agent. If under $2.5k you'll have to pay your agent's commission.
Phew
Now here's where it get a bit complicated.
If you exclusively engage an agent to assist you in looking for a home:
A Finder's fee of 1 month's gross rental is chargable, if your rental budget is below $2,500.
For rental budgets of between $2,501 to $5,000, a Finder's Fee of 0.5 to 1 month is chargable.
No agency fee is normally necessary for rental budgets of above $5,000.
As I said I'm not 100% sure this is totally correct but I don't think it's far off.
- sierra2469alpha
- Editor
- Posts: 1381
- Joined: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:50 am
- Location: Singapore (Finally!)
- Saint
- Director
- Posts: 3505
- Joined: Thu, 16 Jun 2005 5:19 pm
- Location: The Juban Stand, Boat Quay
- Contact:
Took me over an hour and 5 attempts as I kept on confusing myself each time!sierra2469alpha wrote:Hi - can second Sain't posting on that - we're over 2.5K and were co-brokered (for want of a better term!!!). We didn't pay anything.
Hope this helps!
P
PS. Saint - remarkably succinct and good post - how difficult it is to explain it but you did well!
- sierra2469alpha
- Editor
- Posts: 1381
- Joined: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:50 am
- Location: Singapore (Finally!)
thank you
hi all,
thanks so much for your info.
The place was already co-broked. I found my agent through an online advertisement for the unit. When I got to the apt there was the landlord's agent to show us the place. I contacted my agent because I had already seen a unit in that building and liked it. She only showed us this one unit which I then decided to go ahead with. The landlord's agent was from a different company but my agent and the landlord's had worked together before in other co-brokerage situations.
The landlord's agent supported my agent in getting the commission of half a month's rental - we openly discussed/negotiated this in front of the landlord's agent. Then the 'letter of intent' was signed - which we made an amendment on from the initial $1600 agent fee to $1300 after negotiation.
We have now signed the contract. However, in the contract itself there is no mentioning of the agent fee. I am wondering whether the letter of intent obliges me to pay my agent? I have only agreed to pay it on the day we move in (although she demanded it earlier).
thanks so much for your info.
The place was already co-broked. I found my agent through an online advertisement for the unit. When I got to the apt there was the landlord's agent to show us the place. I contacted my agent because I had already seen a unit in that building and liked it. She only showed us this one unit which I then decided to go ahead with. The landlord's agent was from a different company but my agent and the landlord's had worked together before in other co-brokerage situations.
The landlord's agent supported my agent in getting the commission of half a month's rental - we openly discussed/negotiated this in front of the landlord's agent. Then the 'letter of intent' was signed - which we made an amendment on from the initial $1600 agent fee to $1300 after negotiation.
We have now signed the contract. However, in the contract itself there is no mentioning of the agent fee. I am wondering whether the letter of intent obliges me to pay my agent? I have only agreed to pay it on the day we move in (although she demanded it earlier).
Last edited by rachel12 on Fri, 08 Aug 2008 9:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- sundaymorningstaple
- Moderator
- Posts: 40222
- Joined: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 1:26 pm
- Location: Retired on the Little Red Dot
If we consider it suitable as a sticky we will make it one. At this point it's just information and subject to changes due to the new ruling recently.
moderator
moderator
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers
- Saint
- Director
- Posts: 3505
- Joined: Thu, 16 Jun 2005 5:19 pm
- Location: The Juban Stand, Boat Quay
- Contact:
We are busy looking at places and we're still geting agents trying to dupe us in to have to pay commission when we obviously don't have to!Saint wrote:Hi,
It all depends in what capacity the Agent is representing you? It is all a bit confusing but I'll try and explain, but I'm not sure I'll be 100% correct![]()
If the agent is the Landlord's agent, the landlord will be liable to pay the Agent's commission when the rental is greater than $2.5k per month. Lower than that then the tenant pays the commission.
If the place is co-broked, you found the place through an agent who is different from the LL's agent, you shouldn't have to pay any commission if over $2.5k as your agent will be paid by the LL's agent. If under $2.5k you'll have to pay your agent's commission.
Phew
Now here's where it get a bit complicated.
If you exclusively engage an agent to assist you in looking for a home:
A Finder's fee of 1 month's gross rental is chargable, if your rental budget is below $2,500.
For rental budgets of between $2,501 to $5,000, a Finder's Fee of 0.5 to 1 month is chargable.
No agency fee is normally necessary for rental budgets of above $5,000.
As I said I'm not 100% sure this is totally correct but I don't think it's far off.
Stick to what I've posted above re commission and you wont have to pay more than you have to!
About agent fee..
Hi everyone after seeing so many posting in the web here and there. thats only one answer is TENANTS are not willing to pay commission to any agent. And the reason is that i never engage agent why must i pay commission. and even they engage agent and also Dont want to pay agent commission. Even they pay also very unwilling. Anyone here is not the type of person that i mention???
NOT PAY COMMISSION REASON:
The agent is represent Landlord is not Tenants.
If Agent is only represent Landlord why tenants want to call agent and ask for the unit that they want to rent? And why want to ask agent arrange the appointment to bring them go to the unit for viewing?
Here i have a solution for all TENANTS and you dont need to pay commission to anyone and you also can view more unit that what you expected...
The solution is you just go to the HDB flat or condominium to knock every unit and tell them you would like to rent their house. This is the best way for you to save agent fee. So TENANTS don't seat infront of computer and call agent anymore so be fair to yourself to save the agent fee and not waste your time and also agent time to view the unit. If you think that agent is only represent Landlord so let the othe Ladlord to call out the agent so please all TENANTS from today onward stop calling agent anymore thanks...
NOT PAY COMMISSION REASON:
The agent is represent Landlord is not Tenants.
If Agent is only represent Landlord why tenants want to call agent and ask for the unit that they want to rent? And why want to ask agent arrange the appointment to bring them go to the unit for viewing?
Here i have a solution for all TENANTS and you dont need to pay commission to anyone and you also can view more unit that what you expected...
The solution is you just go to the HDB flat or condominium to knock every unit and tell them you would like to rent their house. This is the best way for you to save agent fee. So TENANTS don't seat infront of computer and call agent anymore so be fair to yourself to save the agent fee and not waste your time and also agent time to view the unit. If you think that agent is only represent Landlord so let the othe Ladlord to call out the agent so please all TENANTS from today onward stop calling agent anymore thanks...
- Mad Scientist
- Director
- Posts: 3526
- Joined: Thu, 03 Dec 2009 6:31 am
- Location: TIMBUKTU
Re: About agent fee..
@Agent 001 : Getting the pinch are we ?agent 001 wrote: please all TENANTS from today onward stop calling agent anymore thanks...






The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.Yahoo !!!
Re: About agent fee..
Can you explain to me why tenants don't have to pay commission in Western countries but they do here?agent 001 wrote:Hi everyone after seeing so many posting in the web here and there. thats only one answer is TENANTS are not willing to pay commission to any agent. And the reason is that i never engage agent why must i pay commission. and even they engage agent and also Dont want to pay agent commission. Even they pay also very unwilling. Anyone here is not the type of person that i mention???
NOT PAY COMMISSION REASON:
The agent is represent Landlord is not Tenants.
If Agent is only represent Landlord why tenants want to call agent and ask for the unit that they want to rent? And why want to ask agent arrange the appointment to bring them go to the unit for viewing?
Here i have a solution for all TENANTS and you dont need to pay commission to anyone and you also can view more unit that what you expected...
The solution is you just go to the HDB flat or condominium to knock every unit and tell them you would like to rent their house. This is the best way for you to save agent fee. So TENANTS don't seat infront of computer and call agent anymore so be fair to yourself to save the agent fee and not waste your time and also agent time to view the unit. If you think that agent is only represent Landlord so let the othe Ladlord to call out the agent so please all TENANTS from today onward stop calling agent anymore thanks...
Don't bother, I already know the answer - GREED! I hope you go out of business you leech.
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
-
Agent takes fee from Tenant & Landlord; legal?
by musical box » Sun, 04 Jun 2023 11:08 am » in General Discussions - 5 Replies
- 1760 Views
-
Last post by Lisafuller
Sun, 25 Jun 2023 4:26 pm
-
-
-
Payment of enrollment and tuition fee
by Unohu » Fri, 01 Feb 2019 6:13 am » in International Schools - 0 Replies
- 2633 Views
-
Last post by Unohu
Fri, 01 Feb 2019 6:13 am
-
-
-
Who is going to pay repair fee if not repair clause in tenancy agreement?
by 13672666608 » Tue, 13 Aug 2019 10:55 pm » in Staying, Living in Singapore - 3 Replies
- 5575 Views
-
Last post by GraceShah
Tue, 08 Aug 2023 1:03 am
-
-
-
Can you get full school fee refund for advance payment if you need to relocate to other country?
by banthita.suphacam » Thu, 12 Nov 2020 3:43 pm » in International Schools - 2 Replies
- 2763 Views
-
Last post by PNGMK
Sun, 22 Nov 2020 12:03 pm
-
-
-
Is the PR application fee a deterence for habitual appliers?
by Wd40 » Mon, 12 Sep 2022 2:25 pm » in PR, Citizenship, Passes & Visas for Foreigners - 12 Replies
- 1682 Views
-
Last post by jalanjalan
Thu, 15 Sep 2022 1:53 pm
-
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests