Regulations for Renting Out Flat

Flat owners’ responsibilities

Flat owners who rent out their flat must ensure that:

Only the authorised tenants are staying in the flat
The number of tenants does not exceed the maximum number allowed
Their tenants use the flat only for residential purpose
Their tenants do not further rent out the flat to others, create nuisance or misuse the flat
Their tenants are legally residing in Singapore
Their tenants comply with all the covenants in the lease and the provisions of the Housing and Development Act. They are responsible for all infringements (if any) committed by their tenants

If the owners are staying overseas during the rental period, they must appoint an attorney to manage the flat on their behalf. The attorney they appointed cannot be a tenant of their flat.

Their property tax will be revised when they rent out their flat. They can get more information from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS).

Some prospective tenants may ask the flat owner to provide a printout of HDB’s confirmation that they are authorised tenants of the flat. Flat owners can print the HDB’s confirmation letter, after logging in to our e-service with Singpass. Alternatively, flat owners may use our ‘Enquiry on Authorised Tenants’ e-Service to assure their tenants that they have been registered with HDB.

Rental period

The minimum rental period for each tenant must be 6 months per application. Flat owners are not allowed to rent out their flat or bedroom on a short-term basis as it may disrupt the living environment and pose security concerns for our residents.

The rental period is indicated in the approval letter and is up to a maximum of 3 years if all the tenants are Singaporeans or Malaysians. The maximum rental period is capped at 2 years for non-Malaysian non-citizen tenants. Non-citizens refer to Singapore Permanent Residents and foreigners. They are required to reapply for approval each time they rent out their flat or renew the rental application.

Renting out of flat for non-residential use, for example, to tourists, for commercial filming or goods storage, is also not allowed.

Regulations for Renting Out Bedroom

Failure to obtain approval

Flat owners are required to seek HDB’s approval before the commencement of bedroom rental or when they renew the tenancy. If they do not obtain approval to rent out bedrooms or inform us of subsequent changes (termination, renewal of tenancy, or changes to tenants or tenants’ particulars) within 7 days of the occurrence, the rental will be considered unauthorised. We can take action against these flat owners, such as imposing a penalty and compulsory acquisition of the flat. For inclusion of new proposed tenants, flat owners must obtain HDB’s approval before their new tenants may move into the flat.

Rental period

The minimum rental period for each tenant must be 6 months per application. Flat owners are not allowed to rent out their flat or bedroom on a short-term basis as it may disrupt the living environment and pose security concerns for our residents.

The rental period is indicated in the approval letter and is up to a maximum of 3 years if all the tenants are Singaporeans or Malaysians. The maximum rental period is capped at 2 years as long as one or more tenant is a non-Malaysian non-citizen. They are required to reapply for approval each time they rent out their bedroom or renew the rental application.

Terms and conditions

The flat owners and all the authorised occupiers must continue to live in the flat with the tenants during the period of rental. In the event that the flat owners and the authorised occupiers do not live in the flat, the approval for renting out bedroom(s) shall be revoked automatically. The rental will be deemed as renting out the whole flat without our approval. Action can be taken against the flat owners under the Housing and Development Act.

Flat owners who rent out their bedroom(s) must ensure that:

Only the authorised tenants are staying in the flat
The number of tenants does not exceed the maximum number allowed
Their tenants use the flat only for residential purposes
Their tenants do not further rent out the bedroom(s) to others, create nuisance or misuse the flat
Their tenants are legally residing in Singapore
Their tenants comply with all the covenants in the lease and the provisions of the Housing & Development Act. They are responsible for all infringements (if any) committed by their tenants

Some prospective tenants may ask the flat owner to provide a printout of HDB’s confirmation that they are registered tenants. Flat owners can print the HDB’s confirmation letter, after logging in to our e-service with Singpass. Alternatively, flat owners may use our ‘Enquiry on Authorised Tenants’ e-Service to assure their tenants that they have been registered with HDB.

Unauthorised renting out of flat

Our flats are meant for homeowners to live in. The terms and conditions for renting out are necessary to ensure a conducive and harmonious living environment in HDB estates where more than 80% of our population call home. In order to rent out their flat, Singaporean citizens have to meet all the eligibility conditions and obtain our written approval by submitting an online application.

For the renting out of bedrooms, the flat owner and their authorised occupiers must continue to live in the flat with the tenants during the period of rental. If not, the approval for renting out bedrooms shall be revoked automatically. Action can be taken against the flat owner under the Housing and Development Act for renting out the whole flat without our approval. Do not try to circumvent our rules by locking up a room and renting out the rest of the flat without physically staying in it.

We take a very serious view of unauthorised rental and will not hesitate to take stern action against those who flout the rules. This includes imposing a financial penalty or compulsorily acquiring the flat. Even if flat owners have obtained approval to rent out their flat, they should be vigilant and conduct regular checks to ensure that the rules and regulations are met.

Regulations for Renting Out a Flat or Bedrooms