Illegal agent??

[macaroonie]

Ok i just went to view a place which i found in a certain newspapers classified advertisements. I sms the agent and arranged to view this place. I asked her how i should address her and no reply on the sms. Ok she doesn't turn up at the allotted time and place but never mind we rang and met her at the apartment instead.

The 'studio' was basically a room in a flat which a fridge and washing machine inside the room. It was obvious to me it was just a room in a flat because the kitchen was outside. Also the place to hang clothes to dry was directly above another person's bedroom door. There was stuff absolutely everywhere in the flat, it looked like quite a fire hazard.

I asked her if it was legal to rent such a studio and she said yes. I asked her for her card and she said she didn't have one. I asked her if she was a legal agent in Singapore and she said yes (though my strong gut feeling is she is not a legal agent, or perhaps even a legal person in this country, very different accent and command of english compared with locals) - then i asked her for her name and she got quite upset! goodness she won't even tell me her name!! after a lot of coaxing she just said told me her first name, didn't give me a surname when i asked her a few times for it. She even asked if i would be willing to give me card (in a rather rude and defensive way) and i said sure i would but you wont exchange cards with me...

I really have a strong sense that this place is being illegally rented and partitioned and she is an illegal agent (what agent doesn't have a name card with no company affiliations!!)

Gosh i hope there are no other poor people being cheated by her!

[therat]

There are cases, master tenant sublet the house after partition into few unit and without the original landlord (owner) aware.

And it is illegal

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The URA rule states that partitioning private properties for rental is illegal.

As for the property agent, ask to see their employee pass.
Name card can be printed by anyone.

Heard has agent using their ex-company name card. When things went wrong, client went to the company. Might only get 1 answer.
He/She is not longer our staff since xxxx

[Girl_Next_Door]

Fraud is considered a serious crime in Singapore, so I would suggest (if you have a good heart) to lodge a suspicious report on this woman with CAD (www.cad.gov.sg). They will carry out the necessary investigation, and if she is indeed doing something unlawful, I am sure the police will do something about it.

Plus, its about time they do some real work, right?

[macaroonie]

I don't think it was partitioning of the flat (though i only saw 1 studio/room) - she called it a studio but it's just a room with a fridge and washing machine squashed in. But she was definitely not right - no name card, and won't tell me her name... it was really strange. She was very defensive when i asked if it was a legal place to rent and if she was a legal registered agent in Singapore - really really defensive and basically retorted, tell me if you want the room or not and (basically don't ask any more questions kind of attitude). What really got to me was finally when she said her name, she wont give me her surname and just left it as the first name....she insisted that she only wants to give her first name (and basically there was no need for me to know anything else - that was the strong feeling i got).

If i lodge a report, that is only based on my (and the people who came along's) gut feeling, will the authorities be upset i wasted their time??? What evidence do i have except this strange interaction?

My intention in writing about this is for others not to be conned by such a lady.

[Girl_Next_Door]

Under CDSA, section 39,
“Where a person knows (ie subjective) or has reasonable grounds to suspect (ie objective) that any property –
a) in whole or in part, directly or indirectly represents the proceeds of;
b) was used in connection with; or
c) is intended in connection with,
any act which may constitute Drug Trafficking or Criminal Conduct, as the case may be, and the information or matter on which the knowledge or suspicion is based came to his attention in the course of this trade, profession, business or employment, he shall disclose the knowledge or suspicion or the information or other matter on which that knowledge or suspicion is based to a Suspicious Transaction Reporting Officer as soon as is reasonably practicable after it comes to his attention.

Hence, if you have reasonable grounds to suspect, there is no reason why the authority should be upset. Of course, you need to provide the relevant information, ranging from how you contact this person, the girl contact number, etc to the authority.

This is considered potential suspicious transaction, so you go to CAD for investigation rather than your friendly neighbourhood police post.

In any case, since you are a foreigner, I dont think the CAD will make any negative comments if your suspicious is reasonable.

[heikal]

I don't think it was partitioning of the flat (though i only saw 1 studio/room) - she called it a studio but it's just a room with a fridge and washing machine squashed in. But she was definitely not right - no name card, and won't tell me her name... it was really strange. She was very defensive when i asked if it was a legal place to rent and if she was a legal registered agent in Singapore - really really defensive and basically retorted, tell me if you want the room or not and (basically don't ask any more questions kind of attitude). What really got to me was finally when she said her name, she wont give me her surname and just left it as the first name....she insisted that she only wants to give her first name (and basically there was no need for me to know anything else - that was the strong feeling i got).

If i lodge a report, that is only based on my (and the people who came along's) gut feeling, will the authorities be upset i wasted their time??? What evidence do i have except this strange interaction?

My intention in writing about this is for others not to be conned by such a lady.

if you have her phone number, you can provide that to the authorities. mention that other expats have been in the same situation with the same lady but you're the proactive one. if they think this agent is making her rounds, they'll probably act faster? plus you'll be doing a great load of service to others who might really be conned by this lady.