Early termination of house lease

[revhappy]

Hey Guys,

I needed some advice.

My wife and me are staying in a rented HDB flat with a 1 yr lease that started in Oct '10. We are expecting a baby and we have decided to have the delivery done in India so my wife would be going to India by the end of June and then I will be all alone. My wife wouldnt be coming back for atleast 6 months.

I was thinking of terminating the lease 3 months before the actual end date and move to another flat that would be shared by bachelors as I hate to stay alone and also wouldn't mind the savings in rent.

My agent is the same as the landlords agent and she has taken 1/2 month agent fee from me and 1 month agent fee from the landlord. The tenancy agreement has no clause for early termination.The agent is very professional and nice and so is the landlord.

I was wondering whether it would it be reasonable to give a 2 months notice and request the agent/landlord for the early termination and offer the landlord to deduct from the Initial deposit, part of the agent fee paid by the landlord on a pro rated basis? What do you guys think?

The rent I am paying is $1750 PM and if I were to share a rented house I would get it for like 600$-700$ PM. So for 3 months its not a lot to lose but its still quite significant.

Thanks in advance!
Revhappy.

[ksl]

Are you planning on PR at a later date? Or do you have it already?

I think if you feel the Landlord and agent are nice, they may consider the early termination, though even 3 months warning is better than 2. The rent appears quite reasonable, and I'm pretty sure you could also find someone to take the apartment over quite quickly, so there should be no problem at all.

If you are smart enough you can negotiate out of this easy with no loss at all, if you give yourself time to find a family to take it over, talk with both agent and landlord and discuss it, check with landlord a prior inspection for damage assessment to ensure you will get your deposit back, and the next family can move in, the day you move out or day after, though get a cleaning service in to leave the place spotless.

It's just a matter of co ordination if they agree to it. Hopefully they will keep their word.

If you are not PR and are thinking of applying, you may wish to give this some thought of sending you wife back for delivery. When she could maybe cross the border and deliver too in Malaysia they have much more experience than Singapore, that way you do not break the eligibility period for PR and it's a fraction of the price, you save all round.

I'm not saying families are flagged, when they send their spouse over seas for 6 months to deliver, but it does break the 2 year PR eligibility rules, and your wife may have to start from the beginning to qualify. So give it some thought for your long term plans as a family application for PR is best, if that is what you want.

[revhappy]

Thanks a lot,KSL. Really appreciate it.

Also thanks for notifying regarding the PR thing, as it didn't cross my mind. But I think we will still have the delivery done in India since my wife feels more comfortable with the support she can get with the larger family in India. Here its just me and her and at max we can have her mom called over, but in India there are so many relatives with so much of experience that the antenatal phase, delivery and the postnatal phase should be a much more pleasant experience for my wife there and it will also make me less nervous . The cost savings wont be much as what I save in the medical costs will be spent in several to and fro airfare.

Regarding PR, I was thinking of applying for myself, wife and the baby sometime next year. If I get it then gr8 but if not I am ok with it, I will just continue on my EP. The only downside is the inability to buy a HDB and save up on the rent. I think thats ok.

Thanks again.

[Saint]

As long as you don't cancel your wife's DP her timeline in Singapore won't be broken. Don't think the Gahmen are really worry whether a DP is out of the country for a period of time.

Regarding PR, I was thinking of applying for myself, wife and the baby sometime next year. If I get it then gr8 but if not I am ok with it, I will just continue on my EP. The only downside is the inability to buy a HDB and save up on the rent. I think thats ok.

Ah, the old let's wait and see whether the baby is a boy/girl trick before apply for PR Really not a good idea to apply for PR by yourself rather than a family application as the ICA will see right through it.

[revhappy]

As long as you don't cancel your wife's DP her timeline in Singapore won't be broken. Don't think the Gahmen are really worry whether a DP is out of the country for a period of time.

Regarding PR, I was thinking of applying for myself, wife and the baby sometime next year. If I get it then gr8 but if not I am ok with it, I will just continue on my EP. The only downside is the inability to buy a HDB and save up on the rent. I think thats ok.

Ah, the old let's wait and see whether the baby is a boy/girl trick before apply for PR Really not a good idea to apply for PR by yourself rather than a family application as the ICA will see right through it.

Thanks Saint No its not about whether its a boy or girl. It because of the impending elections and the fact that applying with the baby will have better chances than applying as a couple and also the fact that we would have completed 2 years in june this year and by june next year it will be 3 years so better chances

[Saint]

As long as you don't cancel your wife's DP her timeline in Singapore won't be broken. Don't think the Gahmen are really worry whether a DP is out of the country for a period of time.

Regarding PR, I was thinking of applying for myself, wife and the baby sometime next year. If I get it then gr8 but if not I am ok with it, I will just continue on my EP. The only downside is the inability to buy a HDB and save up on the rent. I think thats ok.

Ah, the old let's wait and see whether the baby is a boy/girl trick before apply for PR Really not a good idea to apply for PR by yourself rather than a family application as the ICA will see right through it.

Thanks Saint No its not about whether its a boy or girl. It because of the impending elections and the fact that applying with the baby will have better chances than applying as a couple

Sorry think I got the wrong end of the stick of what you were implying

[Saint]

Back to your original question on early termination, LL and agents can seem to be very profesional and nice when the apartment is occupied and the rent is being paid, rock the boat and that could all change. Even if the LL agrees to terminate early you will lose your full deposit.

Might be a silly idea but why not explain the situation to the LL and ask if you can sublet room/rooms (not sure size of your place) for the period while your wife is out of Singapore. There are many genuine people looking for a room on a 6 month contract. This would keep everyone happy?

[revhappy]

Back to your original question on early termination, LL and agents can seem to be very profesional and nice when the apartment is occupied and the rent is being paid, rock the boat and that could all change. Even if the LL agrees to terminate early you will lose your full deposit.

I agree. Thats a risk that I am taking. If I lose the whole deposit I lose 1750$. So if my rent for a room will 700$X3months= 2100$+$1750=3850$ will be my cost for 3 months if I break the lease. If I dont break I will be spending $1750X3months=$5380. So net net I still save $1430

Might be a silly idea but why not explain the situation to the LL and ask if you can sublet room/rooms (not sure size of your place) for the period while your wife is out of Singapore. There are many genuine people looking for a room on a 6 month contract. This would keep everyone happy?

I have thought of this option. Problem is its just 3 more month of lease remaining. So I will need to find someone will to share for 3 months which is possible and this would be my next option if the landlord allows it and rejects my first plan.

[ksl]

As long as you don't cancel your wife's DP her timeline in Singapore won't be broken. Don't think the Gahmen are really worry whether a DP is out of the country for a period of time.

Regarding PR, I was thinking of applying for myself, wife and the baby sometime next year. If I get it then gr8 but if not I am ok with it, I will just continue on my EP. The only downside is the inability to buy a HDB and save up on the rent. I think thats ok.

Ah, the old let's wait and see whether the baby is a boy/girl trick before apply for PR Really not a good idea to apply for PR by yourself rather than a family application as the ICA will see right through it.

Thanks Saint No its not about whether its a boy or girl. It because of the impending elections and the fact that applying with the baby will have better chances than applying as a couple and also the fact that we would have completed 2 years in june this year and by june next year it will be 3 years so better chances

BTW congratulations on the arrival! Saint is right about the DP, she should be okay, if it isn't broken, but only apply for PR as a family unit and don't apply for yourself first, otherwise they may just keep her on a LTVSP forever which is more money for the gahmen, as she must pay tourist rates for all medical, if you get PR first.

So bide your time, everything for the PR is going to get more expensive too, I heard last week that PR school fees will double by next year, though my daughters fees already went up from 14 to 32 a month.

I'm afraid the discrimination SMS has felt over the last 30 years is really justified, businesses have probably seen a 20% increase in costs this year too, so I don't see any reason for staying here if the government doesn't start treating PR's equally