Renew Your Singapore Tenancy Without an Agent
Renewing with a tenant you already know is the easiest case for going DIY. The relationship is settled, the unit condition is documented, the agreement is mostly a copy of the previous one with new dates and rent. The half-month commission, typically $1,500-$2,500, stays in your pocket.
For the broader rules around renewals (notice, stamp duty, deposits), see the tenancy renewal guide.
The 7 steps, in order
1. Decide on terms before you talk to the tenant
Pull comparable rents on PropertyGuru and 99.co for similar units in your block or district, listed in the last 30-60 days. Cross-check against URA's contracted rental data on data.gov.sg (actual transactions, not asking rents). Decide three numbers: the rent you want, the rent you'll accept, and your walk-away. Decide tenancy length (1 year vs 2), and whether anything else changes (deposit, occupants, diplomatic clause). Going in with numbers in hand is the agent's only real advantage — take it back.
2. Notify the tenant 60 days before expiry
A short message is fine. State the new rent, the new term length, and ask for a yes/no by a date 30 days out. Don't bury terms in small talk. If the tenant counters, negotiate plainly. Most renewal conversations resolve in 1-2 exchanges if both sides are reasonable. See the notice period page if you're unsure on timing.
3. If HDB: check your subletting approval window
HDB grants approval for up to 3 years. If your renewal extends past the approved end date, re-apply on the HDB portal before the new tenancy starts. Inside the window, no re-application needed but update HDB with the new dates. Skip this if you're on private property. See the HDB renewal page.
4. Generate the renewal agreement
You can adapt the original tenancy yourself or use a template. Our renewal flow pre-fills a fresh agreement from the previous one — new dates, new rent, deposit clause and diplomatic clause refreshed. A fresh new tenancy is cleaner than a renewal addendum once you change more than just the dates and rent. One stamped document covering the new term, no need to keep referring back to the original.
5. Both parties sign
Two physical copies, each side keeps one. Or sign a single PDF electronically — Singapore's Electronic Transactions Act recognises e-signatures for tenancies. Make sure all named parties sign (joint tenants, both spouses if both are on the original). A witness signature is good practice but not strictly required for a residential tenancy.
6. Stamp via IRAS within 14 days
Log in to mytax.iras.gov.sg with Singpass. Under e-Stamping, choose Lease/Tenancy Agreement, enter the dates, the monthly rent, and pay 0.4% of total rent (1-year lease) or 0.4% of average annual rent (1-3 year lease). The certificate downloads as a PDF, attach it to the signed tenancy. Tenant typically pays unless your agreement says otherwise. See the stamp duty page for worked examples.
7. Update the bank if rent is paid via GIRO
If the tenant pays rent through a standing GIRO instruction and the rent amount is changing, the tenant needs to update their GIRO mandate at their bank with the new amount and end date. Some banks accept the new tenancy as supporting documentation. If rent is paid by FAST/PayNow each month, no bank step needed — the tenant just changes the transfer amount.
When you should use an agent anyway
DIY isn't always the right call. Bring an agent in when any of these are true:
- Active dispute mid-term. Unpaid rent, damage claims, or behaviour complaints already in motion. An agent (or a lawyer, depending on severity) gives you a buffer and creates a paper trail. Doing this yourself while emotional is how landlords lose deposit cases at the Small Claims Tribunal.
- Foreign tenant with a complicated pass. Pass renewals pending, employer change in motion, family pass dependents, dependents' visas tied to the tenancy. The paperwork has more moving parts and an agent who does this regularly will catch the gaps.
- Conflicting parties or bad communication. Co-owners who disagree on terms, tenants who won't reply directly, language barriers that turn every email into 4 emails. Pay the half-month, save the relationship.
- You don't have time. A renewal done badly costs more than the agent fee. If you're travelling, mid-house-move, or otherwise distracted, it's reasonable to outsource.
What you save (real numbers)
Renewal commission in Singapore is conventionally half a month's rent plus GST, paid by the landlord (or the party that engaged the agent). Worked examples:
- $2,500/month flat: half-month + 9% GST = ~$1,363 saved
- $3,500/month flat: ~$1,908 saved
- $5,000/month flat: ~$2,725 saved
- $7,000/month condo: ~$3,815 saved
For 3-5 hours of work over a couple of weeks, the implied hourly rate of DIY is high. The numbers are even better if the agent would have charged you a full month (some do, particularly for new tenancies presented as renewals on different terms).
Generate your renewal agreement
Renewal-ready tenancy, pre-filled from your previous one. Updated dates, new rent, ready for IRAS stamping. Free preview, $10 to download.
Frequently asked questions
When does DIY renewal make sense, and when should I just use an agent?
DIY makes sense when the tenant is known-good, the relationship has been clean for a year or two, and you're mainly changing dates and rent. The renewal is paperwork at that point, not a negotiation. You should use an agent when there's a real dispute brewing (deposit deductions, condition of the unit, rent arrears), when the tenant is a foreigner with a complicated pass situation, when the parties don't speak the same language well, or when you and the tenant want fundamentally different terms and need a buffer between you. Anything emotional, pay for the buffer.
What does an agent actually do on a renewal that I'd take over myself?
On a typical renewal, the agent: drafts (or copies) the renewal letter or new tenancy, runs comparable rent checks on PropertyGuru and 99.co to justify the rate, ferries signatures between landlord and tenant, and reminds you to stamp at IRAS. That's roughly 3-5 hours of work spread over a couple of weeks. For a half-month commission of $1,500-$2,500 on a typical $3,000-$5,000/month flat, the hourly rate is high. The trade-off is convenience, not legal protection. The agent isn't your lawyer.
Can my tenant insist that I use a property agent for the renewal?
No. There's no rule in Singapore requiring either party to use a CEA-registered agent for their own tenancy. If your tenant prefers to deal through their agent, that's their choice and their cost — they pay their agent. You're not obligated to engage one on your side, and you're not obligated to pay theirs. If the tenant refuses to deal directly, that's information about the tenant. Decide whether the renewal is still worth it.
Are there CEA rules against me handling my own renewal as a layperson?
No. CEA (Council for Estate Agencies) regulates licensed property agents and agencies. Acting as a principal in your own property transaction — your own flat, your own tenancy — is not a regulated activity. You can negotiate, draft, sign, and stamp your own renewal. What you can't do is act as an agent for someone else's property without a CEA licence. Renewing your own tenancy is fine.
What if there's a dispute mid-renewal and I have no agent to mediate?
Most renewal disputes are about rent (you want more, tenant wants less) or deposit top-ups. Your recourse is the same with or without an agent: negotiate, walk away, or escalate. If you can't agree on terms, the tenancy ends on the original expiry date and the tenant moves out. For deposit disputes after the fact, the Small Claims Tribunal handles claims up to $20,000 and is designed for non-lawyers. Filing fee is roughly $10-$20 depending on amount. No agent ever resolves a real dispute for you anyway, they just pass messages.
How do I check market rent without an agent feeding me comps?
PropertyGuru and 99.co both let you filter rental listings by district, property type, and bedroom count. Look at units in your block or the next few blocks, listed in the past 30-60 days, similar size and condition. URA's rental contract data on data.gov.sg shows actually-transacted rents (not asking rents) by postal sector — more accurate than listings. For HDB, the HDB rental transactions page publishes monthly medians by town and flat type. Cross-check three sources, your number won't be far off.
Common DIY renewal mistakes — what should I watch for?
The frequent ones: forgetting to stamp within 14 days of signing (IRAS charges a penalty); using a renewal addendum when you've actually changed multiple terms (issue a fresh tenancy instead); not checking the tenant's pass expiry against the new end date; recycling the original tenancy verbatim without updating the diplomatic clause or deposit clause; and skipping a quick inventory walk-through before signing — wear-and-tear arguments at end-of-term get expensive without one.
How much do I actually save going DIY?
On a renewal, the typical agent commission in Singapore is half a month's rent plus GST. For a $3,000/month flat, that's ~$1,635 including GST. For a $5,000/month flat, ~$2,725. New tenancies are usually a full month commission (so a new tenant via an agent costs you $3,000-$5,000+). The renewal saving is real but smaller than people assume — the bigger saving comes from not having to find a new tenant at all.