We have recently moved to Singapore with two children and are leasing a cluster house around Tanah Merah. We do not have much experience with renting, as we have always own our property in the UK and this experience has put us off renting!
The TA stated that the landlord would:
- clean the curtains (not done and a limit of S$200 was set and the matter dragged for weeks so we got them cleaned ourselves)
- service the AC (not done until we begged as it was making funny noises)
- electrical check (not done, despite the fact that we were asked to connect the power 1 week prior to taking possession of the house)
- plumbing check (not done, although we connected the water supply 1 week before taking possession again)
- 4 sets of keys (only received 1)
Upon arrival, we had to draft an inventory, as the landlord's agent had given us one stating light fittings and AC units only and take pictures ourselves. We also realised two of the ceiling fans were very slow and advised the landlord. After a couple of weeks, he sent an electrician who identified that the motors were not working upon which the landlord told us that those fans were very troublesome and that he did not want to replace them, so he proposed standalone fans. As we had to wait for 4 weeks for a standalone fan (compromise on item and time), we went and bought our own but this option is not good with young kids. We also noticed that the motor of the extractor fan needed replacement, the drains in one of the bathrooms were blocked and the tap in the kitchen needed replacing (obviosly no plumber or electrician had checked the property). We also had to request for the AC to be serviced and the landlord's contractors had to come back again, as they did not check the outside units. To make matters worse one of my children shut one of the bedroom doors and we realised all the doors were lockable but we had no keys! We had to call a locksmith and subsequetly requested the keys to all the rooms. 6 weeks later and we have not yet seen the keys: the landlord is holding on to them until the agent provides to him a list of diocuments (?). We also had rain coming through the ceiling, although that seemed to be a building fault and, although the problem was sorted, no repairs were done to water-damaged ceiling.
And if this was not enough to deal with, one night our fan cum light went up in smoke (same model as the kids' rooms). We asked for all the fans cum light to be replaced like for like (as per TA) and the landlord advised that he wants to remove the fans and would give us wall fans. We compromised, once more, until he said he would give us basic fans with no remote, as if I want to get out of bed in the middle of the night to switch the fan on and off. The ceiling fans had remotes and now we are being asked to top up the difference!!!
Enough is enough so we have decided (after less than two months) to give two months' notice and leave, as he has made our life a misery and broke the TA on every single point. His agent sent an e-mail saying that the landlord agrees to let us go. However, he has changed his mind again and sent an e-mail saying that we will be liable for the remaining 10 months and he will forfeit the deposit. We have given him two months' notice and want to offset the last two months against the deposit (against the TA, but the place is in a much better state and cleaner we found it in) as he also had threatened us not to return the cheque with the LOI and WE DO NOT TRUST HIM (can you blame us?). He is threatening to take us to court.
Any advice? Do not ever rent from this landlord!!!!
