SINGAPORE: Feeling shocked and confused after his landlord unexpectedly demanded an additional S$500 as a condition for allowing his partner to move into the HDB flat, a man took to social media to confirm whether such a policy exists and, if not, how to navigate such a situation.
“He threatened eviction if my partner stayed without permission (which he would only give if we started paying $500 more in rent). Obviously he gave some excuse like the increase being meant to cover the additional cost of wear and damage from an additional person staying there but cmon lah, we’re not 3-year-olds,” the man wrote on r/askSingapore on Monday (April 1).
He added, “For context this is a whole-unit HDB rental, not single room, so my housemates and I were already paying for the whole flat… I understand SG is a landlord’s country but this feels and sounds extortionate??”
“If the rental contract only states your name then yes, you cannot legally just let anyone stay with you”
In the comments section, Singaporean Redditors informed the man that his landlord was correct and that he could not bring another person into the HDB flat.
One Redditor explained, “If the rental contract only states your name then yes, you cannot legally just let anyone stay with you.
In this case, a new contract must be drawn up to include the new pax, and landlord needs to ensure the person is not an illegal over stayer etc. since a new contract needs to be drawn up then the landlord has the right to negotiate a separate rental rate.”
Another commented, “LL is right. Tenants are defined and named by the tenancy agreement. Your partner can’t legally move in with you without approval, and he is entitled to sell you that approval.
But what does your agreement say about visitors/guests?”
A third Redditor stated, “Renting a property doesn’t equate to taking over ownership of it, so you can’t do whatever you want like inviting whoever you want to live with you.”
Other Redditors also mentioned that if he set the precedent and allowed an extra person, his housemates would likely follow suit and bring in their own partners.
However, some Redditors also noted that, while it may technically be against regulations to accommodate an additional person in the flat, charging S$500 as a fee for this instance seemed excessive and unfair.
One Redditor said, “Charging extra $500 is too much if the lease was pure rental.”
Another wrote, “$500 is too much. You can choose not to pay, and your partner can stay elsewhere and follow the occupant list in your TA.”
Tenancy Agreement
According to PropertyGuru, a standard rental or tenancy agreement (TA) sets forth the terms and conditions you and the landlord mutually agreed upon.
Experts recommend first reviewing the fine print before signing a TA. What’s in the diplomatic clause or the deal with your security deposit? What about the inventory, maintenance and repairs, and privacy and access clauses?
Are you okay with such regulations? If anything seems unclear or unfair, contact the landlord to see if there’s still room for negotiation.
This way, you and your landlord can shake hands on a deal without doubts.
Also, if there are any disagreements later on about rent, repairs, or privacy, you can refer back to the TA for clarity and resolution.
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