Regulations for Renting Flats
Non-Citizen Quota for Renting Out of Flat
If the tenant renting the flat is a non-Malaysian non-citizen (Singapore Permanent Resident or foreigner), they will be subject to the Non-Citizen Quota for Renting Out of Flat. The quota is to help maintain a good ethnic mix in HDB estates. Malaysians are excluded from this quota because of their close cultural and historical similarities with Singaporeans.
The quota is applicable if any tenant renting a flat is a non-Malaysian non-citizen, and is set at 8% at the neighbourhood level and 11% at the block level. If the quota is reached, only Singaporeans and Malaysians can rent a flat in that neighbourhood/ block. This quota does not apply to the renting out of bedrooms.
Prospective tenants may use our e-Service to check if an HDB flat can be rented by non-Malaysian non-citizens. The e-Service can also be accessed via the HDB Map Services.
Rental period
Tenants must rent an HDB flat/ bedroom for at least 6 months. Owners can apply/ register to rent out their flat/ bedrooms for a maximum period of 3 years per application/ registration if their tenants are all Singaporeans or Malaysians. For rental applications involving non-Malaysian non-citizens, the maximum period per approval/ registration is 2 years.
Maximum number of tenants/ occupants
Take note of the maximum number of tenants and occupants allowed in each flat when renting the flat/ bedrooms.
| Renting of Flat | Renting of Bedrooms | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat Type | Maximum Number of Tenants Allowed in Each Flat^ | Maximum Number of Bedrooms Allowed | Maximum Number of Occupants* Allowed in Each Flat^ |
| 1-room and 2-room | 4 | Owners are not allowed to rent out the bedroom. | |
| 3-room | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| 4-room and bigger | 6 | 2 | 6 |
* Includes flat owners, authorised occupiers, and tenants
^ Only bedrooms originally constructed by HDB can be rented out. All other parts of the flat (including partitioned rooms) cannot be used as bedrooms for tenants.