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apartment inspection

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volki
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apartment inspection

Post by volki » Wed, 04 Apr 2012 1:01 pm

We're moving to singapore and currently renting here in syd oz. We are gettimg our redixulous quarterly visit from agent to inspect in the house. Thatsevery 3 months!! Prvious rentals here were hit and miss with some annual, some biannual etc. Is it common in sg to get visited or do they leave u alone or so do u get unlucky somwtimes? We have a cat and thinking of living in 2 or 3 bed in sentosa cove. Thank you!

Posted w phone. Sry for typos

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Post by snowqueen » Wed, 04 Apr 2012 2:05 pm

We have been in this apartment for nearly 4 years now and neither the agent or landlord have stepped foot in this place to carry out an inspection. The only time the agent came here in that time was to bring the contract for the 2nd 2 year lease we had to sign. Our landlord is in HK so don't really expect to see them any time soon.

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Post by bgd » Wed, 04 Apr 2012 2:28 pm

And not in my experience either. Inspections have only ever been on handover.

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Post by BillyB » Wed, 04 Apr 2012 3:02 pm

They tend to leave you alone in SG - ask for a clause to be inserted in the contract if you are uncomfortable with the unknowns or dislike the element of surprise. That way you'll find out if you have an awkward landlord on your hands before you agree on anything contractual.

But, seriously, what's the big deal about inspections anyway? It's not the queen coming round to visit.......

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the lynx
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Re: apartment inspection

Post by the lynx » Wed, 04 Apr 2012 3:16 pm

volki wrote:Is it common in sg to get visited or do they leave u alone or so do u get unlucky somwtimes?
I would go for the latter. It all depends on your landlord.

Some greedy landlords will still pop into your unit unannounced with strangers intending to sell the unit or to rent it to anyone who is willing to rent it for higher rate than yours.

And the paranoid ones will do so (in the name of kiasi-ism) but to check if you have thrashed their beloved property after renting it out to you for a month.

Of course it seldom happens. Unless you are unlucky.

Like what BillyB said, better check for that clause in your tenant agreement... Include it in if it doesn't have.

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Post by nutnut » Wed, 04 Apr 2012 3:17 pm

I'm with you on this, I wouldn't want my horrible landlords coming round to poke their nose in at my house!

I haven't had an inspection in this property or even the one before, don't think you need to worry! I have had a friend who did get visited by his landlord when he was buying a second property nearby, but that was all.
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volki
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Post by volki » Wed, 04 Apr 2012 4:01 pm

That's good to hear, we are so sick and tired of seeing our building manager every 16 weeks.

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Post by JR8 » Wed, 04 Apr 2012 4:41 pm

volki wrote:That's good to hear, we are so sick and tired of seeing our building manager every 16 weeks.
What gives him the right to carry out these inspections, presumably it is written into your tenancy agreement?

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Re: apartment inspection

Post by x9200 » Wed, 04 Apr 2012 5:41 pm

the lynx wrote:
volki wrote:Is it common in sg to get visited or do they leave u alone or so do u get unlucky somwtimes?
I would go for the latter. It all depends on your landlord.v

Some greedy landlords will still pop into your unit unannounced with strangers intending to sell the unit or to rent it to anyone who is willing to rent it for higher rate than yours.
I would think this is a standard clause to pay you any such visit being a subject to prior arrangement. In all the TAs we have had so far it was inside.

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Post by BigSis » Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:24 pm

When I rented in the UK they came around about every 6 months if it was let through an agency, but whenever I rented direct from a LL, they didn't seem to bother - I think they probably drove/walked past every so often but they didn't come in (or not to my knowledge!)

Over here I've seen my LL twice in 10 years - he lives in HK so occasionally stops by if he's in the country but he does ring a day or two beforehand. Whenever he has visited, all he's been interested in is finding out if we're going to continue the lease when it runs out, but I suppose once he walks through the door he can tell if it looks like we're ill-treating the place, but he has never bothered looking around properly.

I have known a few people with annoying LL's - they tend to be the ones who live nearby. That can be a blessing or a curse though depending on the kind of person they are. Some people I know have LL's who are very good at getting problems sorted out because they live close and know contractors. With ours being in HK, he makes us get most problems sorted out and then asks us to deduct the cost from next month's rent, so it's not ideal..........especially now the bank charge $25 every time you change your payment :(

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aster
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Re: apartment inspection

Post by aster » Thu, 05 Apr 2012 12:10 am

the lynx wrote:Some greedy landlords will still pop into your unit unannounced...
BigSis wrote:When I rented in the UK they came around about every 6 months if it was let through an agency, but whenever I rented direct from a LL, they didn't seem to bother - I think they probably drove/walked past every so often but they didn't come in (or not to my knowledge!)
As far as I recall, in the UK they are not allowed to pop-in unannounced, as in showing up and ringing the doorbell.

Not sure what the situation is in Singapore though. Ask BB said, best to have such things taken care of in your agreement so that everything is clear.

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the lynx
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Re: apartment inspection

Post by the lynx » Thu, 05 Apr 2012 8:52 am

x9200 wrote:
the lynx wrote:
volki wrote:Is it common in sg to get visited or do they leave u alone or so do u get unlucky somwtimes?
I would go for the latter. It all depends on your landlord.v

Some greedy landlords will still pop into your unit unannounced with strangers intending to sell the unit or to rent it to anyone who is willing to rent it for higher rate than yours.
I would think this is a standard clause to pay you any such visit being a subject to prior arrangement. In all the TAs we have had so far it was inside.
When I rented in Yishun, my LL actually did that unannounced and turned out the TA doesn't state anything regarding that. despite of me reminding her to at least inform me ahead of time. When I moved to Admiralty, I made sure that the clause was there in place.

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Post by volki » Thu, 05 Apr 2012 9:46 am

Its a standard ta clause here in syd that they can view up to 4x in 1 year and give 7 days notice. Trying to change any part of an agreement here is unthinkable since the rental market is so tight. There are lines for viewings and owners can practically do whatever they want unless u want to get kicked out. Supply and demand is way skewed! It sounds like most dont get in the way, but is it competitive there where u have to snap up ur place at any cost? By the looks of it theres plenty of high end (7k+/m) properties available?

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Post by JR8 » Thu, 05 Apr 2012 3:19 pm

volki wrote:Its a standard ta clause here in syd that they can view up to 4x in 1 year and give 7 days notice. Trying to change any part of an agreement here is unthinkable since the rental market is so tight. There are lines for viewings and owners can practically do whatever they want unless u want to get kicked out. Supply and demand is way skewed! It sounds like most dont get in the way, but is it competitive there where u have to snap up ur place at any cost? By the looks of it theres plenty of high end (7k+/m) properties available?
OIC. I had slightly misunderstood, I had thought you were having this problem in SG, now I see that you're in SYD and hoping you won't have this problem in SG! :)

First place I reneted in SG I had no inspections. The most recent place the agent did do an annual inspection. But since we got on with her very well and it was not intrusive it was no matter.

In my experience the rental market in SG is not like the one you describe in SYD. Rather than your focus being on securing a place at any cost, it needs to be on getting a nice place whilst not getting screwed over one way or another by the landlord or his agent. There is minimal regulation and nil Landlord and Tenant statute, so make damned sure you have plenty of time to read that Tenancy Agreement carefully before signing it!

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Post by volki » Thu, 05 Apr 2012 7:19 pm

Thanks for that, we'll keep an open eye out and read the agreement carefully. Its nice knowing theres abit of wiggle room for renters and it seems like tons of options and good locations eveywhere. Cant wait to move next month! Thanks for all the responses guys!

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