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Tenancy agreement for 4 months?

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amariem
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Tenancy agreement for 4 months?

Post by amariem » Sat, 05 Jan 2013 1:04 pm

Is it normal to have to sign a Tenancy agreement when renting a room for just 4 months? The sticky in this forum just suggests they are for leases of a year or more.

I'm fine with most language in the agreement, except for the fact they want a whole month rent in security deposit. Seems like too much since Ill be there such a short time.

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beppi
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Post by beppi » Sat, 05 Jan 2013 7:56 pm

Rental contracts below 6 months are illegal according to Singapore law.
You have to stay in a hotel or Serviced Apartment instead.
(And I think you can, from a landlord who is willing to break the law by renting out for a shorter duration, expect other trouble - like not getting back your deposit!)

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Post by beppi » Sat, 05 Jan 2013 8:06 pm

I just saw from your other posting that you found the room through a webpage virtually unknown in Singapore (vrbo.com - the page doesn't even list Singapore as a country and my search yielded no available properties in Singapore) and that you chose it based on pictures and without a viewing (it is highly unusual for landlords here to post pictures and rent out without having met the tenant.
This all reeks of a SCAM!
(Are you also, by chance, requested to transfer the money in advance by a non-traceable method like Western Union?)

If you really decide to go ahead with this dubious deal, you should at least get a copy of the landlord's ID and check whether he is the actual owner of the unit and allowed to rent out (for HDBs check with the Housing Development Board, for others with the condo management).

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JR8
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Post by JR8 » Sat, 05 Jan 2013 10:33 pm

Agree 100% with Beppi. Approach this with your eyes wide open!

amariem
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Post by amariem » Sun, 06 Jan 2013 7:55 am

oh sorry, it wasn't vrbo, it was airbnb. Most of my coworkers and I found places through airbnb.

I just hope it is ok when I get there. I really don't want to sign any agreements so I guess I will end up in a hostel instead if the landlord requires a signed tenancy agreement and a security deposit.

Hotels and furnished places are out of the question for 4 months, way too expensive for my budget.

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Post by x9200 » Sun, 06 Jan 2013 8:23 am

beppi wrote:Rental contracts below 6 months are illegal according to Singapore law.
I have never heard about such law and it is very common for students to rent rooms for such short periods.

This is lease based so the contract is in place:
http://www.scholarsresidence.com/rate.html

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Post by therat » Sun, 06 Jan 2013 10:54 am

x9200 wrote:
beppi wrote:Rental contracts below 6 months are illegal according to Singapore law.
I have never heard about such law and it is very common for students to rent rooms for such short periods.

This is lease based so the contract is in place:
http://www.scholarsresidence.com/rate.html
TS didn't mention is she/he a student?

Base on HDB.
below 6 months are illegal
http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10323p.nsf ... enDocument

Period of Subletting

Flat owners are not allowed to sublet the flat on a short term basis. The period of subletting to each subtenant per application must not be less than 6 months.

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Post by therat » Sun, 06 Jan 2013 11:07 am

amariem wrote:oh sorry, it wasn't vrbo, it was airbnb. Most of my coworkers and I found places through airbnb.

I just hope it is ok when I get there. I really don't want to sign any agreements so I guess I will end up in a hostel instead if the landlord requires a signed tenancy agreement and a security deposit.

Hotels and furnished places are out of the question for 4 months, way too expensive for my budget.
TS ,

For your information, private property are not allow to rent out in daily or monthly basis. This is illegal. Unless it is Service Apartment.

By looking at the first page, some of them are belong to HDB.

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Post by x9200 » Sun, 06 Jan 2013 2:55 pm

therat wrote:
x9200 wrote:
beppi wrote:Rental contracts below 6 months are illegal according to Singapore law.
I have never heard about such law and it is very common for students to rent rooms for such short periods.

This is lease based so the contract is in place:
http://www.scholarsresidence.com/rate.html
TS didn't mention is she/he a student?

Base on HDB.
below 6 months are illegal
http://www.hdb.gov.sg/fi10/fi10323p.nsf ... enDocument

Period of Subletting

Flat owners are not allowed to sublet the flat on a short term basis. The period of subletting to each subtenant per application must not be less than 6 months.
According to the above:
- it is against HDB regulations not against the law (illegal)
- it is for the case of subletting

While HDB is a popular choice this is not the only option so it is always good to be precise.

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Post by beppi » Sun, 06 Jan 2013 5:42 pm

O.k., so it seems to be against the rules to let out below 6 months only in HDBs (I was under the impression this applies to all residential property).
But it is also, by another rule often discussed on this board, illegal to rent any residential property with a visa of less than 6 months duration.
In any case, the OP must stay in hotels, hostels or Serviced Apartments, which are of course much more expensive. A private room (as I suppose you don't want to stay in a dorm bed for 4 months) will cost you at least S$50/night in the cheapest fleapit holes - count on S$80/night for a more reasonable place. The cheaper Serviced Apartments are in the same price range and probably better value for money.

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