What is better serviced apt or condo (for 3 month stay)?

[RichardBaker]

Hi Everyone,

I will only be staying in Singapore for 3 months, but I am coming with my wife and 2 year old daughter and will need internet. Obviously the best solution is a Serviced Apartment, but it looks like all the options for 4000 SGD are all booked until November and they are asking for 7000-8000 SGD.

My questions: Do you think there are some condo landlords who will rent for 3 months?

Do you know of any good Serviced Apartments that do not cost crazy money? My budget cut off point is 5000 SGD. I will need internet and will stay only for 3 months.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Regards,

Rich

[offshoreoildude]

Try CL and a general internet search. It will be hard to find a 3 month condo lease unless someone needs to break their lease towards the end or you go up market. Under the Govt UBD guidelines it's actually very difficult for condo owners to rent their condos out for short term leases (otherwise a lot more would do it - the returns are far better).

[RichardBaker]

Thanks for your reply. What is this CBD regulation that I keep hearing about that prevents short term leases? Is it just some stamping fee of 300 USD or so? If that is it I could offer to pay that myself to any landlord.

What is "CL" btw? I have of course done an internet search and I did see some Serviced Apartments, like the Lotus, which offered places at 4000 or 5000 SGD, it's just those are all booked up.

I also saw some condos advertised that said "lease flexible" but I'm not sure they're 3 month flexible.

Looks like I'm really screwed, either I pay exorbitant rates for a Serviced Apartment along the lines of 8000 SGD per month or it's just not possible.

[offshoreoildude]

Thanks for your reply. What is this CBD regulation that I keep hearing about that prevents short term leases? Is it just some stamping fee of 300 USD or so? If that is it I could offer to pay that myself to any landlord.

UBD - the housing authority has determined that short term leases (or subdivided apartments) are detrimental to the longer term residents. You can't get around it legally. Plenty of people do it illegally of course.

What is "CL" btw? I have of course done an internet search and I did see some Serviced Apartments, like the Lotus, which offered places at 4000 or 5000 SGD, it's just those are all booked up.

CraigsList

I also saw some condos advertised that said "lease flexible" but I'm not sure they're 3 month flexible.

Looks like I'm really screwed, either I pay exorbitant rates for a Serviced Apartment along the lines of 8000 SGD per month or it's just not possible.

There are cheaper serviced apartments I think. You need to avoid the central areas though. Accomodation in Singapore is a nightmare though.

[sundaymorningstaple]

In Singapore, unless you have a residency visa of some sort, e.g., LTVP of a minimum of 6 months at the time of leasing, Dependent's Pass, Employment Pass, Work/Holiday/Training/Student visa or a PR/Citizen you are not allowed, by law, to rent private accommodation in Singapore. Therefore, short term housing requirements have to be taken up by using Services Apartments, Hostels, or Hotels. This is to protect the commercial market by homeowners setting up mini-hotels in their homes and causing discontent in the communities due to ebb & flow of foreigners on short term rentals.

[nutnut]

Nice SMS, you've got that answer well honed!

+1 to SMS, it's not legal, hence it's more expensive to rent a Serviced Apartment.

[Strong Eagle]

In Singapore, unless you have a residency visa of some sort, e.g., LTVP of a minimum of 6 months at the time of leasing, Dependent's Pass, Employment Pass, Work/Holiday/Training/Student visa or a PR/Citizen you are not allowed, by law, to rent private accommodation in Singapore. Therefore, short term housing requirements have to be taken up by using Services Apartments, Hostels, or Hotels. This is to protect the commercial market by homeowners setting up mini-hotels in their homes and causing discontent in the communities due to ebb & flow of foreigners on short term rentals.

Not saying that it aint so, but I am unable to find any Singapore statute that supports this statement. Further, a Google search of "short term rental Singapore" reveals dozens and dozens of web pages offering rentals of condos, rooms, etc, from overnight to per month rates.

Although I believe a pass is required to prove up residency, I cannot find anything that says it must be a six month pass, and the weekly and monthly rentals I scanned ask for a pass (some of them).

[sundaymorningstaple]

I posted this in another thread recently, but forgot which thread it was in. However, I'll repost it here:

http://www.ura.gov.sg/dc/dcu/definition_example2.html

Residential properties like apartments, flats, condominium units and landed houses are approved for residential purpose in accordance with the residential zone in the Master Plan. These residential properties or their individual rooms within the premises should not be rented out on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Such short-term occupancy, with transient occupiers, creates disturbances and inconveniences to other bona fide residents in the development. Premises that are approved for residential use are for longer term stays of 6 months or more.

The leasing of residential properties (whole unit) or subletting of rooms for residential purpose should be for long term stays of 6 months or more by the same occupiers and the following requirements should be observed:

As the longest social visit pass is for 90 days, then it would be sufficient to say that one would need a valid Residency visa for at least a minimum of 6 months, which in the case of HDB is clearly defined).

Ah, here's where I posted it the first time.....

http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/sutra5 ... ura#597931

[Strong Eagle]

Thanks. Quite interesting. Those dozens of web pages advertising short term rentals are in violation of URA regulations, apparently.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Yep, technically they are, but considering how hard it was for me to find that originally, it doesn't surprise me that they are doing it as the only place it's well know is in relation to HDB units, not private housing. Probably URA doesn't do too much about it unless they get complaint from a condo/housing unit from other residents.

[Strong Eagle]

I went through the Urban Redevelopment Act and I cannot find anything that gives them the authority to set such limits in the act... although they can do quite a few things. I also wonder if those are actually hard and fast requirements because the wording in reference to minimum rental periods is "should", whereas for things like maximum occupancy the wording is "shall", a significant difference in the legal world.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Which legal world? The west, or the Singapore context?

[RichardBaker]

Hi Guys, thanks for all the excellent info, which is incredibly helpful.

We have pretty much decided to bite the bullet and go for a Serviced Apartment. It is a disgrace of course, to think my 2 year old daugther, wife and myself, a respectable lawyer, are some kind of "transient nuisance" in the minds of some Singaporeans, but one has to accept that.

Curiously the most reasonable serviced apartment at 5900 SGD for a one bedroom place was close to Clarke Quay, right in the centre. There was a cheaper rate at the Lotus Joo Chiat, but they are completely booked apparently.

There are many places advertising rooms, and speaking to one landlord on the phone yesterday if you rent rooms she thought the government restrictions did not apply, only for rental of a whole apartment. However, a mere room or flatshare would not do for us. We have a 2 year old daughter and nobody would take us on that basis, and I don't think we would like it after living in a two storey house here, to go to renting a room. No, we needed a condo for 3 months or a serviced apartment. A condo now looks increasingly impossible, and will have to pay the price and go for a serviced apartment I suspect.

[Strong Eagle]

Hi Guys, thanks for all the excellent info, which is incredibly helpful.

We have pretty much decided to bite the bullet and go for a Serviced Apartment. It is a disgrace of course, to think my 2 year old daugther, wife and myself, a respectable lawyer, are some kind of "transient nuisance" in the minds of some Singaporeans, but one has to accept that.

Curiously the most reasonable serviced apartment at 5900 SGD for a one bedroom place was close to Clarke Quay, right in the centre. There was a cheaper rate at the Lotus Joo Chiat, but they are completely booked apparently.

There are many places advertising rooms, and speaking to one landlord on the phone yesterday if you rent rooms she thought the government restrictions did not apply, only for rental of a whole apartment. However, a mere room or flatshare would not do for us. We have a 2 year old daughter and nobody would take us on that basis, and I don't think we would like it after living in a two storey house here, to go to renting a room. No, we needed a condo for 3 months or a serviced apartment. A condo now looks increasingly impossible, and will have to pay the price and go for a serviced apartment I suspect.

So... what kind of pass are you on? EP? P1 EP?

[zzm9980]

It is a disgrace of course, to think my 2 year old daugther, wife and myself, a respectable lawyer, are some kind of "transient nuisance" in the minds of some Singaporeans, but one has to accept that.

Better get used to it. Welcome to Singapore.