How to rent a condo or HDB in Singapore as an expat

This article shares my experience and process of renting a house in Singapore. For those who are interested in learning about what to pay attention to when renting a property in Singapore.

My Process of Renting a Condo in Singapore

Browsing for Properties

When I search for a property, I usually filter my search criteria and sort the results by newest first. The reason for this is that many outdated listings have already been rented out or are in the process of being leased, but the agents have not updated the information.

In these cases, it is unnecessary to waste our time contacting the agents. Therefore, if the listing has been up for more than a month, it is likely that the property has already been rented out and is awaiting removal from the listing. As such, these listings can be ignored.

Contacting the Agent

In Singapore, it is common to use WhatsApp to contact agents. I recommend downloading WhatsApp beforehand. If you are browsing for properties on PropertyGuru, you can directly use the WhatsApp button on the website to initiate a conversation with the agent. The button is located on the right-hand side of the webpage, as shown in the image below.

Scheduling Viewing Appointments

After receiving a message expressing interest in a property, the agent will first inquire about personal information. This is usually the first step in the screening process.

Next comes scheduling a viewing appointment. Due to the high demand for properties in Singapore, it is recommended to schedule appointments as soon as possible.

In some cases, there have been instances where the agent arranged for a viewing appointment for the following week, only to find out that the property had already been rented out by the time of the appointment. Therefore, it is best to schedule the appointment as soon as possible to avoid missing out on the property.

When the agent asks for personal information, they usually require basic information such as your name, contact number, email address, and preferred move-in date. Some agents may also ask for your nationality, occupation, and the number of people intending to reside in the property.

This is to ensure that you meet the eligibility criteria and can afford the rental cost of the property. It is important to provide accurate and honest information to the agent, as providing false information can lead to complications and potential legal issues.

Viewing Details

When viewing a property, it is important to pay attention to the details and ask the agent various questions, such as how utilities costs are calculated, the length of the contract, and the calculation of the security deposit.

If you are sharing the property with others, the agent may also ask for relevant details about your flatmates, such as whether they can cook, how often they clean the common areas, and the frequency of using the air conditioning and washing machine. These details are crucial to ensure a smooth and harmonious living experience for everyone in the property.

Making an offer

After viewing a property and deciding to rent it, you express your interest to the agent. However, as mentioned in the previous article, rental properties in Singapore are highly sought after, and agents and landlords will typically choose tenants based on their offer and profile.

If you really like a property and have some wiggle room in your budget, agents may recommend offering an additional hundred or two dollars per month to increase your chances of securing the lease.

Signing the tenancy agreement

Signing the tenancy agreement and paying the security deposit and agent fee are the final steps in renting a property in Singapore.

When it comes to signing the lease in Singapore, do note that the standard contract is called the Tenancy Agreement (TA). If you are subleasing a room, you'll need to sign a sublease agreement.

Before you sign anything, it's always a good idea to do your due diligence and read up on the important terms and conditions. PropertyGuru has a couple of great articles that cover everything you need to know about signing a lease in Singapore.

When signing the contract, make sure you bring relevant IDs such as passport, EP or IPA as the agent needs to verify your identity.

Summary

In summary, it is highly recommended to visit the property and meet with the agent before deciding whether to rent. This is to avoid fraud, as some people have fallen victim to scams after hastily booking a property online without meeting the agent in person.

It is also important to personally visit the neighborhood to ensure that it is a good fit to you. When I personally visit a few places where I liked when viewing online, I found the location inconvenient after visiting it in person. Thus, I did not pursue for those options.

With that said, I wish everyone the best of luck in finding a rental that meets your expectations and budget.