Help with Rental Process

[sundaymorningstaple]

Tell them they have one week to return the deposit (or whatever number of days you want) via email/text and verbally informing them that if it is not done within the stipulated time you will take it up with both the CEA AND take the LL to arbitration in the Small Claims Tribunal. That ought to scare all parties involved to get things moving smartly. If they don't. Do It!

[Roy_alt]

Hi SMS,
Thanks !! That's what I am thinking ...

There is another reason for taking this up with the authorities.

2 days ago when I was talking over the phone I mentioned to the agent that I am not interested to have any more dealings with you as there is a cheating in the LOI.

The immediate reply was you can't use the word cheating. If you do not apologize for using that word, agent is going to sue me........ ha ha ha.

The agent made all unethical things and now threatening me - going "sue" for using the word "cheating"
.
Also I am thinking I should bring this to the agent' company as they may not aware of this kind of unethical acts.

[jamesjoseb]

If this sounds lengthy, it is lengthy. Some basic information on the tenancy process in Singapore (with comments incorporated of course from yours truly).

For sharing with all on this forum.

For tenants
The purpose of this guide is to help the reader to gain sufficient knowledge on the process of renting a unit or a lesser extend a room, be it HDB flat, condominium or landed in our bright and sunny Singapore. It also contains the more common terms and conditions of a tenancy agreement between the landlord and tenant such that you can avoid sue or being sued - the unnecessary hassle of having to go through a protracted legal dispute with the other party.

Renting residential property in Singapore is often viewed as a daunting process, more so for those unfamiliar with the various types of property. Just the drafting of a rental agreement may seem easy and innocuous to the ordinary man. However, one shall not forget that ignorance often comes with a heavy price-tag. Read on to save your skin if you a total newbie here.

Pre ‘Tenancy Agreement Process’ Considerations
Step 1 – Eligibility
a) Before making a decision to rent a particular property, check if you are qualified is a priority, only the categories below are allowed to rent:
o Singapore citizens;
o Singapore Permanent Residents; and
o Non-citizens legally residing in Singapore (holders of Employment Passes, S Passes, Work Permits, Student Passes, Dependent Passes, Professional Visit Passes, Long Term Social Visit Passes).

Step 2 – Government approval
ii. If you are planning to rent a whole unit of HDB flat, you must check first and foremost whether the flat is approved for rent by the HDB. (Yes, HDB is the authority on public housing here).

Tips 1: You can request the flat owner to produce the written approval from the HDB

b) For room rental within a HDB flat, no approval from the HDB is required.

Tips 2: Take note that the owner(s) must continue to live in flat during subletting period and to comply with other subletting conditions

c) Renting private apartments, condominiums or landed houses does not require any approval as they fall under the category of private property.

Step 3 – Choosing a reliable agent
b) If you flip the papers daily, you will discover many listing for units or rooms. Thats also what most tenants will tend to do - refer to classified advertisements in the newspaper or property websites. However, you may soon find out that the advertisements are largely published by real estate agents.

c) Locally, we address agents as Real Estate Salesperson (RES), and they are registered with the Council of Estate Agent (CEA). It is a statutory board set up in Oct 2010 aimed to raise the professional standard of agents. It is highly advisable to engage one if you are looking to rent because of the reasons below:
o You find a wide selection through their extensive network of property to suit your every needs and budget;
o You will have ease of mind as the government documentations are taken care off, offering protection to both the landlord and tenant;
o You only deal with the rightful owner engaged through a RES;
 Some years back, there were reports of rent deposit being cheated by unscrupulous “landlordsâ€Â

[sundaymorningstaple]

But also beware of RES's who come on forum all helpful like hoping to sucker our readers in. The Admin, when they catch this post may allow it to stay or they may lock the account as most Most luxury car dealers don't allow Tata salesmen on their parking lot to try to poach sales. Which is exactly what you are doing here. I cannot lock your account until I catch you actually soliciting. And I am watching.

tic...toc...tic...toc....

moderator

[livingontheedge]

Do not employ/engage any Realtors if you are merely seeking for a room or unit to rent. You can do it yourself since alot of owners/main tenants rent out their rooms and units and advertise actively.

Engaging a Realtor, you will end up paying half a month or one month commission..............for absolutely no service rendered apart from the fact they showcase a bunch of places to live, with their prices hiked up, and a piece of paper that you sign that stands for nothing in the event you are treated unfairly. They rent and leave and do not nothing for you. Not to mention when subsequent to viewing the place and you reply "Need some to think about this......." they will give you "Oh but why? What's wrong? Why can't you just sign now and take up the place?" and blah blah blah.......

Plus: Owners and Main Tenants generally rent out at more affordable realistic market prices. Try ., gumtree and craiglist for such advs.

[x9200]

I like very much tip 16.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Yeah, I had my laugh of the day when I read it as well.

[Mi Amigo]

I gave up taking jamesjoseb's dissertation seriously when I got to the bit about choosing an agent on the basis of a "certain level of trust based on their looks."

For anyone reading this thread in future, you (as a prospective tenant) do NOT need to appoint an agent if you don't want to. A search of this board will reveal many posts that explain the process of finding a place to stay without the use of 'your own' agent; i.e. without paying any agent's fees (we never have).

Having said that, in some cases you may wish to appoint an agent, to assist you with finding a place - in that case it's up to you to agree the fee up front. Again there are several threads on this board that suggest possible incentive arrangements that encourage 'your' agent to negotiate the cheapest possible rent on your behalf. If you decide that it's worth the expense of appointing your own agent, it's highly recommended to ask for recommendations from colleagues, etc. Always ask a prospective agent for references and follow them up to ask the people they mention whether or not they really did receive a good service.

Of the >20,000 agents that our chum mentions, the consensus among regular posters here is that most of them are (at best) of dubious worth and integrity, and certainly not in the category of 'a dependable and trusted ally'. The key takeaway should be to carry out proper due diligence before entering into any arrangement - don't just rely on a lengthy essay posted by an unknown newbie on a forum, or on the fact that someone looks nice.

[beppi]

Paying agent fees
Once you have signed the tenancy agreement, you will have to pay your real estate agent his commission or fees, if applicable. The common practice in Singapore regarding agent’s fee is as follows:
• For rentals below SGD 2500, the tenant has to pay half a month’s rent for a one year lease or one month’s rent for a two year lease.
• For rentals above SGD 2500, usually the agent does not collect any fee from the tenant and recovers his commission from the landlord.

While it may have been common practice some time ago, this arrangement actually violates the Estate Agents Act of 2010 and is thus illegal now. According to the act, an agent is either engaged and acts on behalf of the landlord OR the tenant - and this cannot change later on in the process based on the rental amount. Only the one who engaged the agent in the first place needs to pay his fee (which should be agreed on beforehand and preferably documented in an agent representation agreement).
You are well advised to avoid agents like jamesjoseb above, who don't even know the rules governing their own industry!
(Just one more typical example of why Singapore's property agents have such a bad reputation!)

[Somers]

So if I wanted to save some money and not use an agent to find a condo to rent, are there specific websites that help connect landlords with prospective tenants? The only one I know is craigslist.

[Pal]

So if I wanted to save some money and not use an agent to find a condo to rent, are there specific websites that help connect landlords with prospective tenants? The only one I know is craigslist.

This site:
http://www.singaporeexpats.com/singapor ... ce-ads.htm

[livingontheedge]

Gumtree
Sg-house
.