Regulations for Renting Out Bedrooms

Failure to obtain approval

You are required to seek HDB’s approval before you rent out your bedrooms or when you renew the tenancy. If you do not obtain approval to rent out your bedrooms or inform us of subsequent changes (termination, renewal of tenancy, or changes to tenants or tenants’ particulars), the rental will be considered unauthorised.

We can take action against you, 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. Read more about the application requirements.

Rental period

The minimum rental period for each tenant must be 6 months per application. You are not allowed to rent out your bedrooms on a short-term basis, as it may disrupt the living environment and pose security concerns for our residents.

The maximum rental period is:

  • 3 years if all the tenants are Singaporeans or Malaysians
  • 2 years for non-Malaysian non-citizen tenants. Non-citizens refer to Singapore Permanent Residents and foreigners

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

Terms and conditions

As a flat owner renting out your bedrooms, you must ensure that:

  • Only the authorised tenants are living in the flat
  • The number of tenants does not exceed the maximum number allowed
  • Your tenants use the flat only for residential purpose
  • Your tenants do not further rent out the bedrooms to others, create nuisance, or misuse the flat
  • Your tenants are legally residing in Singapore
  • Your tenants comply with all the covenants in the lease and the provisions of the Housing and Development Act. You are responsible for all infringements committed by them

You and your authorised occupiers must continue to live in the flat with the tenants during the period of rental. Locking up a room and renting out the rest of the flat without physically staying in it is not allowed. We will revoke the approval for renting out of bedrooms, if an owner flouts the rules. Under the Housing and Development Act, we can also take action against you for renting out of the whole flat without our approval.  

If your tenants request for proof that they are registered with HDB, you may print a confirmation letter showing the names of all authorised tenants listed in the flat, after logging in with your Singpass at http://www.hdb.gov.sg/rentingout, via Renting Out of Bedroom(s) > Enquiry on Tenants. Alternatively, you may use our ‘Enquiry on  Authorised Tenants’ e-Service to assure your tenants that they have been registered with HDB.