it's not too difficult to track since all their Goverment agencies is online and share database, from immigration, cpf board, MOM, homeland security, etc etc. I'm sure your landlord have sent your details out to HDB as well.

Yup. Since our passport number is different every time we renew . Also remember to tell HR when you renew your passport.

Working in Singapore very ma fan one. Not for the feint heart and lonely soul.

My gf signed 1 year contract HDB rental via agent. Is there any legal concern for her not to contact back the agent and sign a new contract (as well as pay agent fee) after 1 year upon current contract lapse?

I will suggest renew the contract via agent for peace of mind. I learned my lesson.

My experience with first landlord was nightmare. I paid rental on time every month and occasionally internet connection being cutoff. Then bang, after 16 months staying there, the electricity cutoff. I called to SP and asked what happen (i have the name and IC of the landlord for verification) and the person told me that the bill havent been settled for 3 months. I already paid rental for subsequent month (it happen end of the month) and cant reach the landlord. End up reporting to police (who cant do anything as its civil case, unless I use lawyer). I moved out and landlord's dad said when his son settled his problem, he will paid back the money. Till now no news. 1 month rental and 1 month deposit burned.

All due to the fact I cant get agent involved as contract is only 1 year and its expired.

then what your current arrangement with your new landlord ?

when i rent my place, everything is in my name, HDB office have record
so i can get a carpark which is not easy, cause is a popular area, but hdb granted in view i got a unit there
internet and electricty is all in my name and all i paid direct, so no problem

Just curious, even with an agent and a contract, don't think it would help much?
It's a norm here apparently, my previous landlord only pay us back half of our 1 month deposit. Got a friend who rented a whole unit, paid the last month rental and the landlord went MIA, deposit burnt.
They love money much more than we do, apparently.

y would it not help?
the contract is legally binding which can be used in court.
your agent is supposed to work for you.
anything, u pester ur agent and ur agent is supposed to help u

u never ask why u only got back half the deposit?
u dun ask, they dun justify, u consider it a norm?
i got back my full deposit, even though things did not really end in good terms.

This post has been edited by crazy25kid: Feb 5 2013, 05:50 PM

I never renew any contract after the initial one finished. I rented 5-6 places before, single room, whole unit, whole house. All of the landlords, and myself, don't want to renew any contract via agent because of the agent fee, some fee cost few k depending on the place. Landlords have to pay their agent fee too. My previous landlords that I want to continue to stay at the same places are nice people, those bad people (so far only met 1 bad landlord) I will just move out after the contract end, so you think they are ok people after one year of knowing them, you can save the agent fee and continue without contract, most of the time they also will do the same if they think you are nice tenant.

NO! Its not a norm here. Don't let them bully you. You should go to the police. First thing they will ask you is you got contract or not, if don't have they will say they can't help you. But if got, for your case, I think is under them. Landlord took your money don't return to you. Like thief.

I got all my deposit back the moment I clean the house and hand them back the keys. No reason like forgot to take money, no money now, bank in to account next time etc.

If you want to protect yourself, do all the deposit/rental through bank for records. Most people just pay cash without any receipt... if the landlord want to be funny, kick you out say you never pay rent then you don't have any proof.

This post has been edited by JohnJon82: Feb 5 2013, 06:09 PM

I understand the contract is legally binding. I didn't get back half of my deposit because of silly reason like they don't think it's justifiable. Yes, I couldn't do jackshite but let it passed.

Mind if I ask where you report such cases? HDB will not entertain, the police will not entertain. Not within their jurisdiction. The only thing with a contract is go to the lawyer which will be time consuming and expensive. My question remains how capable of 'agents' in recovering deposit.

Few pointers noted from your post. Will move out right after contract ends.
Another thing, since we paid in cash, do you need any other evidence of not receiving your deposit if it happens?

Raining non stop...

silly reason which is not justifiable?
something broke and they used ur deposit to compensate?
u left the house in a mess and they paid for a cleaner to clean the house with your deposit?

the police dun entertain or u did not try for the case deposit to refunded totally.
tried submitting ur claim to Consumers Assosication of Singapore (CASE) ?

do that at your own risk.
there was a case where party A sent a letter of intent to extend the lease 6 months before the lease expire
landlord did not reply.
party A assumed landlord had no problem and agreed and continued paying rent on time and landlord accepted
6 months later after the original lease expired, landlord kicked party A out of the building.
they went to court, court sided landlord as there was no written agreement and landlord did not do any wrong accepting the rent for 6 months.
i forgot whether this happened in sg or somewhere else (read this quite some time ago, probably a few months ago)
party A was industrial or at least business entity, not residential
i believe a contract can still be drafted between landlord and tenant without the agent for rooms rental.


agents did not provide receipt of payment for deposit?

I was just editing my post just now because I forgot to add in that part.

"If you want to protect yourself, do all the deposit/rental through bank for records. Most people just pay cash without any receipt... if the landlord want to be funny, kick you out say you never pay rent then you don't have any proof."

When you first pay deposit, your agent should be with you together to sign the contract with the landlord, if agent not there then don't pay the agent fee . The agent will give you receipt, saying that you pay how much for deposit, and also receipt for the first month rental. Your monthly rental if can then you bank in, if not can ask the landlord to give receipt. If they ask you trust them don't worry, then up to you already... My first landlord actually do give out receipt every month even I bank in to him, very pro one the receipt. But other landlords never.

Now ah cat ah dog all want rent out their place because of the high rental, then a lot of problems. A lot of landlord from hell stories from my friends. Tenant must protect themselves too.

The case you said is tenant asked for 6 month extension and the landlord kick tenant out after the end of the 6 month extension. Like that is ok because tenant asked for 6 month after expired, landlord give 6 month more, 6 month after expired then finish already tenant have to go right?

My worst one is landlord want kick me out straight (say next day) during the contract, say willing to pay me back the deposit, because according to him I used too much PUB bills, which he show me about 30-50 increase after I move in. Dam you rent room, you put in the PUB bill inside the room rental already, contract said clearly PUB bills included already, now want kick? Think he hoping to earn 50 extra, thinking I will give way because no place to stay if he really kick me out. My lawyer friend help me to write to him, say have to repay the deposit, moving cost, rental for temporary hotel until I find my new place, lost of income because of leave to move house and his fee for writing that letter. Then landlord nothing more to say, whole year never talk until move out ask him for deposit and bye bye. Wasted my one meal for friend. Don't let people bully you bah, come so far earn blood sweat money, want to cheat my money some more...

Small claim like rental below some amount, no need go to court straight with lawyer, got small claim court or some other thing. They can settle for you with a very small fee. I forgot the details friend told me last time. Those court one is rich man playground, unless your landlord very rich, nothing better to do want squeeze your neck until you die.

Don't bother going to the police if it's a rental dispute. If it's not a crime, it's not a police matter. You have to take it to court, where if you win, the judge will issue a judgement in your favour. Then the judge will instruct the police to enforce his judgement.

FYI, she requested S$200 deposit for fitting and fixtures in case we broke anything on top of the 1-month deposit. We got this back cause didn't spoil/break anything.

The story started when she told us she would like to have us vacant the place in 2 months time... then we gave her 1-month notice instead, she accepted our notice and agreed to return all our deposits right then and there. Then the week when we were scheduled to move out, she told us she feels so rugi to return us the deposit because the money is rightfully hers since she only wants us to move out in 2 months time- the dateline dictated by her. And it's not right to give it back to us even we gave 1-month notice.

I've checked with my friends on the spot(police will not entertain), he said my money is colder than water. And I just want to GET OUT for good.


Nope, anyway my current landlord is shitty too.
And this agent never issued us any receipts and introduced a shite place (his friend). Super calculative, told us to help her save her electricity and water bill. Driving you up the wall with her incessant nagging and bullshit.


Agent was with us, he never issued me any receipt.
The landlord never gives us any receipt which I find it 'uncomfortable'. Anyway, I will try to ask if it's okay for her to offset the deposit with my last month rent. Fingers crossed it's possible!

Yes, true.
The other day, one guy was calling the police to report cars that were illegally parked.

Some info for rental/deposit dispute:

1st level
http://www.cmc.gov.sg/

2nd level
Landlord and tenant claims
If you have a dispute pertaining to deposits or rental issues, then you should lodge your case with the Small Claims Tribunal. Their website is at http://app.subcourts.gov.sg/sct/index.aspx.

http://app.subcourts.gov.sg/Data/Files/Fil...ntsDisputes.pdf

Strong eat weak world... see who stronger or richer.

This post has been edited by JohnJon82: Feb 5 2013, 10:17 PM

maybe i wrote it wrongly causing misunderstanding
they requested for a 1 year extension roughly 6 months earlier before their lease end (meaning if it ends dec 2012, they wrote in at jun 2012)
landlord did not reply whether they accept the 1 year extension or reject it.

Guess this is what we're going to try first in the future. Assume that she wants to extend her stay there.

This post has been edited by ky_khor: Feb 5 2013, 11:49 PM