​Can experienced renters still be scammed? Apparently, yes.

A couple in Singapore lost $7,000 in a rental scam despite verifying their property agent's license and meeting his assistant for house viewings. They discovered the scam when they arrived to collect their keys and found two other couples who had also signed leases for the same unit.
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The agent became uncontactable, and the couple has since lodged a police report. The police have advised the public to verify property agents through the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) and avoid relying on listings from platforms like Facebook or Carousell.

Why Work Only with the Assistant?

They mostly communicated with the assistant. A clear lesson is to insist on communicating directly with the agent, unless the “assistant” is also a registered agent and you can verify their identity with the CEA.   

Also check their photo on the CEA website and make sure you see the face of the agent. Covid is over. It is a red flag if they refuse to take their mask off.
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And of course check the original agent’s identity. Call their agency to verify their identity if you want to be doubly sure. 

Did They Sign a Letter of Intent or a Tenancy Agreement?

It is not clear in the article, but never ever transfer money before signing either the letter of intent or the actual tenancy agreement.
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In these documents, the agent must declare the identity of the landlord and provide their IC number. You can check if the landlord actually owns the property at the URA website. 

Why Use Facebook Marketplace?

Why not use the usual property search portals, instead of Facebook Marketplace?
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Using the usual property search portals doesn’t mean you won’t get scammed of course. You still need to do due diligence. See our article on scam run by landlords on expats. 

​Meet Them in Person

​You can actually spot a property agent a mile away from the way they dress. You can also check their ID badge issued by their agency and later call their agency to verify their identity. Make sure photos match.
It’s a little more assuring if the previous tenants moving out are still there and they are familiar with the agent showing you the property.
 
Verify, verify, verify, and go through the usual process of renting a property instead of trying to save time. The time saved will bite you in the behind later. 

As told to RAC. Text messages have been verified by RAC. The written account has been edited for length and clarity. All names have been changed.
 
At this point in time, we’re still battling our ex-landlord in the Small Claims Court, but we now have sufficient information on how the scam works. We hope this can help other renters out there to be careful when they are renting. 

​What the Landlord is After

Ultimately, the landlord’s objective is to retain your two-month security deposit. This is not a small sum for anyone, no matter how wealthy you are. 

​Who is Ideal for the Scam?

Who is less likely to request for their deposit back, if what the tenant is facing is months of court and paperwork at the small claims court?
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You’ve guessed it: Expats, who might need to leave the country and not renew the lease. Many expats also enjoy generous allowances for housing and might not be too concerned about losing two month’s rent. 

​Beware the Courtship/Love-Bombing Phase

Love it or hate it, landlords love having expats as their tenants, not only because they feel expats can afford their asking price, but also because of the reason mentioned above.

The agent will likely be very complimentary about your “profile”. They are very friendly, perhaps even suggesting you’d do things together outside of this transaction. They will tell you they are picking you out of many other renters because they really like you.

They make you feel so good you don’t even realise this is not normal. 

​Evidence of Your Happiness

Our landlord made sure he took lots of photos of us looking happy with the house on the day he handed over the property to us.

These photos are kept and later shown in court to demonstrate how happy we were with the house.
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This is completely irrelevant to the case we later filed with the court when the landlord refused to return any of our 2-month security deposit. But it’s a nice story to tell the judge.

​Not Changing Their Mailing Address

As part of the scam, the landlord will need to take photos of how you are using the property. Any slight deviation from how they handed the property over to you will be documented, if they have an opportunity to enter the property.

For instance, one tenant had a weed that was growing on the fence/boundary. The landlord took a photo of that and later claimed the tenants were ruining the property.

What does this have to do with the landlord’s mailing address?

This is especially problematic if you’re renting a landed house. The landlord will use collecting mail as an excuse to visit the property and document “abuse” in their eyes.
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Always insist on the landlord changing their mailing address. You have a right to enjoy the property in peace, as stated in the tenancy agreement. 

​Giving You Multiple Opportunities to Renew the Lease

In this scenario, you tell the landlord you’re not renewing the lease. You’d think that’s the end of it, but you’d be wrong.

The landlord will pretend you’ve never mentioned it and start telling you how they would love for you to stay. After a few more iterations of this, the landlord would finally stop offering.
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This landlord will now be seething. That’s when the scam goes into full gear.

​Where Are You Moving To?

The scam relies on you leaving the country. The landlord will try their best to learn if you are indeed moving to another country.
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Most expats leaving the country wouldn’t bother going to the small claims court to pursue a case to retrieve their 2-month deposit. 

​Reluctance to Do an Inspection 2 Weeks Prior to Handover

A good practice before handing over the property back to the landlord is to have the landlord do an inspection 2 weeks prior to the handover date. This is to give you time to get contractors in to fix things before the handover.
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When a landlord is reluctant to do that, the landlord doesn’t want to give you an opportunity to fix what they perceive as defects so that they can use those defects as arsenal in their case against you.

​The 3-Hour Handover

The length sounds ridiculous, but this is a key component of the scam. In this article, we’ve documented how the 3-hour handover works in favour of the landlord. But here are the highlights:

• Landlord is mute or speaks very little
• Photos of each tiny scratch or mark are taken
• Landlord refuses to discuss defects on the spot

​Refusal to Return Security Deposit

The landlord usually has 14 days to return your 2-month security according to most tenancy agreements.

If the landlord doesn’t respond during the 14 days to your enquiries about how much the landlord is deducting from your deposit for defects, you would then know the landlord intends to keep the entire deposit.

You might get a response from the landlord after the 14 days has passed to tell you they won’t be returning your deposit, while producing “evidence” of you destroying the property.
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To amp up the pressure, they might claim to have called the police on various unrelated matters. At this point, you will feel gaslighted if you’ve not committed any crimes. But the real objective is to make you feel fear and intimidation, and ultimately drop your request to have your deposit returned to you.

The Landlord’s “Defenses” in the Small Claims Tribunal

The time and effort required of you to make a case against the landlord is extensive and mentally exhausting. This is because the landlord will use a combination of magical thinking, character assassinations and threats to make their case, which you have to respond to, no matter how ludicrous their “evidence” are.

Again, the whole objective is to overwhelm both you and the judge with a barrage of irrelevant accusations so that you will feel like giving up the case.

At this point, if you do, the landlord has won and the scam has worked.
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To prevent this from happening in the first place, read Red Flags to Watch for During Viewings for Renters and Why the Agent Shouldn’t Also Be Your Landlord.
 
Help advance the rights of renters: Sign our petition

You’ve seen a place you think will do just nice, except for a few things. There are just a few things missing before you would call that place a winner.

It turns out that most landlords are actually open to making a few concessions to secure a deal. You can request for things to be added or removed from the place as part of negotiations.
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What are the typical things renters ask for before sealing the deal?

White goods

​Washing machines, dryers and refrigerators are the most common things to ask for when it comes to appliances.

Other appliances may include ovens and dish washers.

You can of course try your luck with other appliances, but these are the most common.

Related to laundry is a clothes-drying rack. They can cost a pretty penny to install, so it’s an upgrade that not many landlords will agree to, but at the same time make the place easier to rent out, especially if the place is small. 

Automatic gate

​If you are renting a house without an automatic electronic gate and you drive, you can try asking for one to make your life easier.

They cost thousands of dollars to install, so it’s an investment into the potential future earnings for the landlord.

Be strategic in your negotiation and you might just get it. 

Painting​

​If the walls are not in good shape, it’s perfectly reasonable to ask for a new coat of paint for certain rooms or in fact the whole place. This is considered a basic requirement for any place you rent. 

​Cleaning

These days it is rare that a landlord hand over a place that is not clean, as it’s always the previous tenant’s responsibility to clean a place when their lease ends.

If, however, during the viewing the place is not clean, you state this requirement during negotiations, just to make sure you have it in writing.

​Furnishings

Related to cleaning is the removal of furniture that you do not want.

However, some listings will state that the place is semi-furnished, which means during viewings you have to ask agents which pieces of furniture will remain.

Occasionally, previous tenants will leave behind some furniture, hoping the next tenant will take over, letting them off the hook from paying someone to remove used furniture. Feel free to keep them or request for their removal as you desire.

Vice versa, it is common for tenants to request for wardrobes or beds. They are considered major expenses and difficult to move from place to place, so tenants may request for such furnishings, especially if they are workers with limited budgets.

Curtains are also a cost and a hassle to procure, especially if the windows are odd-shaped or very tall. They are a great way to add personality to your rooms, so you’d have to weigh the pros and cons of getting them on your own.
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Landlords are usually quite happy to provide them since you will cover the cost of getting them cleaned before you hand the property back.

​Assessment of major items

If the place is old and you forsee significant maintenance costs, you can request to have professionals assess the place, just to understand what your potential liability might be.

The automatic gate mentioned before can become problematic as this system is outdoors, subject to intense heat and storms. It could be worth your while to ask the agent if you can appoint a gate specialist to inspect the system before you agree to rent the place.
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Another often overlooked items is the lightning surge protector. What can possibly happen is that during your work virtual meetings you are presenting and suddenly there is a blackout because there is a storm outside.
Again, if the house is old, it may be worthwhile getting a professional to take a look. 

​Aircon

The aircon issue can be tricky. During your one-month warranty period, they can somehow perform well enough. It’s afterwards when the quarterly servicing starts (usually required of you in the tenancy agreement) that the contractor highlights that your units need a thorough chemical clean.

Chemical cleaning can cost up to $250 per unit. Could you have possibly avoided this cost if you had asked for this to be included in the negotiations with the agent/landlord?

Are there other things you can ask for during the negotiations for a rental?
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Let us know in the comments!

​All I knew was that I needed to sign a tenancy agreement. Maybe I was unlucky, but my first renting experience was a nightmare I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. Now wiser and older, here are the basics to renting a property in Singapore. 

​Location, location, location

​If you have ample time, you might want to research potential development or construction in your neighbourhood if peace and quiet is extremely important to you with the Singapore URA Masterplan.

It’s hard to predict which unit will undergo renovation if you’re looking at apartments, but if you’re looking at landed properties, you can check if nearby houses are very old and have a potential to be rebuilt.

A telltale sign is if the car/s in a house are expensive, but the house is old. There is potential for a rebuild. 

​Is it a Scam?

But before you sign any document, perform these checks to protect yourself.

1. Firstly, check that your agent is whom they say they are at the CEA website.
2. Secondly, check that your landlord is the owner of the property at the URA website.
3. Thirdly, check if your landlord has been involved in disputes in the Small Claims court.

Once you have been reassured that all parties are who they claimed they are, it should be safe to sign official documents.

​Letter of Intent (LOI)

Even before signing the Tenancy Agreement (TA), if you’re starting your tenancy much later, some agents will ask that you sign a letter of intent first. There is a one-month deposit to be paid by you to secure your right to rent this property and it’s not refundable.

This allows you and the landlord to stop your searches. You then sign the TA weeks before the start of the lease. While both parties have the option to break the LOI, this rarely happens.
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But wait…

You Need to Pay Stamp Duty

In Singapore, tenants are required to pay stamp duty on their rental agreements. The amount of stamp duty depends on the total rent and the duration of the lease. Here are the key points:

• Lease period of 4 years or less: The stamp duty is 0.4% of the total rent for the lease period.
• Lease period of more than 4 years or for any indefinite term: The stamp duty is 0.4% of 4 times the average annual rent for the lease period.

​Learn more at IRAS | Renting a Property or refer to How to stamp Lease or Tenancy Agreements for the illustrated guide for stamping a Lease or Tenancy Agreement.

​Tenancy Agreement

The Council of Estate Agents (CEA) website has useful templates you can refer to if you’re wondering what this contract typically looks like.

Read every line! It’s important to read every line of the TA your agent/landlord presents to you. Never go into a TA blind, thinking it won’t differ from other TAs. All TAs are slightly different, especially if your agent is using their agency’s template, where they have their own lawyers. Knowing what your obligations are makes a difference to your bank balance.
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Refer to our article on “what to know before signing a tenancy agreement” for more details. 

​Protect Yourself with a Property Condition Report

Regardless of the condition of the property when you move in, be it immaculate or run down, it’s extremely important to document its current state within the warranty period (usually the first month).

The CEA website has a template you can refer to, but you can document it however you want, as long as you do! Take plenty of photos and even video.

You have no way of knowing how meticulous your landlord is during handover at the end of your lease. If you don’t have proof that that scratch was already there when you first moved in, you might be held liable to get it fixed at the end of your lease.
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In another article, we will feature an unbelievable 3-hour handover account. Don’t be fooled by how friendly and reasonable your agent/landlord seems now. 

​Do You Need an Agent?

In July 2024, guidelines from the Singapore Estate Agents Association (SEAA), an industry group, call for rental agents to collect commission fees from tenants, while landlords pay the agents representing them.

In the past, rental agents would request for co-broking with the landlord’s agent.
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It is completely up to you. It is common for renters to directly work with the landlord’s agent. 

​Post TA Behaviour from the Agent/Landlord

After the property is handed over to you, the courtship phase of the relationship is over and harsh reality sets in.

Suddenly, the agent/landlord is not responding as quickly as before. Days or weeks go by before you get a response to a question. The landlord is dragging their feet fixing the list of things you’ve reported on during the warranty period.

What can you do? Not a lot. 

Unfortunately, there is no service level agreement (SLA) in the TA. Unless you’ve had the foresight to specify an SLA, you’d have to tolerate this behaviour, at least until you’re sure they’re never going to respond to you, in which case you might call the agent’s agency or CEA to verify your agent is still alive and kicking. 

​Things Start Breaking Down

In any home, things start to break down due to wear and tear, no matter how diligent you were about testing the fixtures and fittings during the warranty period.

Issue crop up when something needs fixing and you start to wonder, am I responsible for fixing this? Is this a structural issue that the landlord needs to fix? What's considered a minor repair?

Things get really murky and unpleasantness start to creep into your tenant/agent relationship. Now that you’re “married” in the TA, you can’t just walk out, which is arguably worse than a real marriage.

The reality is that as a renter, you’re at the mercy of the landlord. Not many can afford to hire their own lawyer to draft a tenancy agreement that is protective of the renter.

This is why we are advocating for renters’ rights. Do sign up for our petitions here. 

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Your Lease is Ending – Here Comes the Handover

This part can be extremely tricky if your landlord is finicky or trying to run a scam (not returning any of your two months deposit), or it could be a smooth process if the agent/landlord is reasonable, depending on good you were as tenants.

Watch for this – if your agent/landlord turns nasty after you say you were not going to renew the lease, there is a high chance your handover will be complicated.

Two weeks before the end of the lease, schedule an inspection with the agent/landlord to determine if there are any repairs to be made.
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If the agent/landlord doesn’t even want to perform this inspection, that’s another red flag.

Typically, handovers will take between 30-60 minutes. If it goes on beyond that and the agent/landlord refuses to discuss potential deductions from your security deposit, and you do not agree on the handover report on the spot, that’s another huge red flag.

Very likely, your landlord will want to keep your entire deposit and claim that you’ve destroyed the house.
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If you indeed have returned the property in good condition and have offered to cover the cost of further repairs but the agent/landlord refuses to entertain it, your only recourse is the Small Claims Tribunal.
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That is the worst case scenario. We wish you a smooth handover!