Expat Living City Guide – June 2018

“Will I need to pay the agent
a commission? How much?”
Commission is negotiable;
however, the rule of thumb is
that the amount is half a month’s
rent per year of lease. Note
that the agent cannot collect
commission or fees from more
than one party in a transaction.
So, if he collects a commission
from you, he cannot collect a
commission or co-broking fee or
payment from the other party or
their agent. There are prescribed
agreements for the sale, purchase

or lease of residential properties

in Singapore – these can be found

at http://www.cea.gov.sg.

“How many properties should

I look at?”

Limit your viewing to no more

than five or six properties at a

time. Tell your agent what you’re

looking for in terms of price,

location and minimum number

of bedrooms. Don’t get too stuck

on style, but do stipulate if you

need a balcony, small grass area

or larger outdoor space. Many

people end up doing a complete

u-turn on their initial criteria

• e.g., choosing more space
  over something modern. Do
  mention if you have animals at
  the beginning of the search. Take
  photos when viewing to review
  afterwards and to show other
  members of the family.

“I’ve found the place I

like. What are some of the

important steps to take before

signing on the dotted line?”

Make sure you request a second

viewing so you can make a note

of anything you might need to

ask for in the Letter of Intent

(LOI), such as the replacement

of damaged fixtures such as

taps, rusty hobs, mouldy fridges/

washing machines and so on.

Changes not requested in the

LOI will be almost impossible

to implement after the lease has

been signed. Do be reasonable

with your requests, as you don’t

want to risk your offer being

rejected because you appear to

be a “difficult tenant”.

You should also ensure you’re

covered by a Diplomatic Clause.

This clause allows expats to break

their leases after 14 months (12

months plus two months’ notice)

if, for whatever reason, they have

to leave Singapore. Leases may not

be broken on any other grounds.

At the time of handover, make

sure all your requests have been

CITY GUIDE 2018 81

FIND YOUR HOME