How do rental contracts and deposits work in Singapore in 2026?

Write the landlord, tenant, exact unit, rent, term, notice, renewal, deposit return rules, who pays utilities and management fees, air-conditioner servicing, pets and inventory into the TA. Private homes must meet the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) minimum of three consecutive months. HDB flats and bedrooms need a six-month minimum and owner approval through HDB processes: How to rent a home.

Security deposits are negotiated, not capped by a single nationwide statute. Market custom often uses about one month's rent for a one-year lease and about two months for two years, sometimes with a smaller air-con or minor-repair hold. Pay deposit and first rent to the verified landlord, not an agent. Tenant-side agent commission, when you hire your own agent, is also negotiated and sits outside the landlord deposit.

IRAS lease duty generally applies when average annual rent exceeds S$1,000. For a lease of four years or less, the rate is 0.4% of total rent for the period; longer or indefinite terms use 0.4% of four times the average annual rent. Duty is rounded down to the nearest dollar with a S$1 minimum. Parties often agree who pays; many tenant files still budget the stamping line. Pay within IRAS's published window after signing (commonly 14 days for documents signed in Singapore) so the TA is duly stamped before disputes.

A diplomatic clause that lets you exit early if a work pass ends is negotiated, not automatic. Read notice periods, dilapidation standards and inventory carefully so deposit deductions stay limited to damage beyond fair wear. Keep SP Group utility account changes separate from the deposit: Utilities, internet, and transport. After move-in, align the residential address on your pass and tax records: Register your address.

Budget bands for rooms and condos sit in Rent in Singapore. Scam checks before any transfer sit in Avoid rental scams. Buying instead of renting faces ABSD and HDB ownership limits: Can foreigners buy property.