Renting Out a Flat/Bedroom

You and your tenants must satisfy different eligibility requirements, including the Non-Citizen Quota for Renting Out of Flat.

Citizenship of HDB Homeowner
Renting out the HDB flat is restricted to Singapore Citizens only; Singapore Permanent Resident flat owners are prohibited from doing so.

Minimum Occupation Period (MOP)
After completing the 5-year MOP, you can lease your flat.

The MOP is calculated differently depending on the circumstances. For the original purchaser, it is based on the date of the flat purchase. If there has been a transfer of ownership or inclusion of an authorized occupier, the MOP is calculated from that date. In the case of a resale of part-share, a new MOP is required from the effective date of the resale.

Non-Citizen Quota
If you rent out your flat to a non-Malaysian non-citizen (such as a Singapore Permanent Resident or foreigner), you must consider the Non-Citizen Quota. This quota is in place to ensure a diverse mix of ethnicities in HDB estates. However, Malaysians are exempt from this quota due to their cultural and historical similarities with Singaporeans.

• The quota is set at 8% for the neighbourhood level and 11% for the block level and will only apply if the tenant renting the entire flat is a non-Malaysian non-citizen.
• Only Singaporeans and Malaysians can rent in that neighbourhood block if the quota is reached.
• This quota does not apply to renting out individual bedrooms.

Citizenship of Tenants
To rent HDB flats, individuals must fall under one of the following categories:

• Singapore Citizens
• Singapore Permanent Residents
• Non-citizens legally residing in Singapore who hold valid Employment Passes, S Passes, Work Permits, Student Passes, Dependant Passes, or Long-Term Social Visit Passes with a minimum validity period of 6 months from the date of application.
• Malaysians holding Work Permits in the construction, manufacturing, marine, and process sectors are also eligible.
• Tourists are prohibited from renting HDB flats.
• The company’s employees must fulfil the same eligibility criteria for tenants if you are leasing the flat to accommodate them.

Maximum Number of Tenants
Each flat can accommodate a maximum number of tenants as follows:

• 1-room and 2-room flats can house up to 4 tenants,
• 3-room and larger flats can accommodate up to 6 tenants.

Tenancy and Property Ownership Status

• Tenants must not be tenants of public rental HDB flats
• If tenants are owners of other HDB flats, they are:
  • Divorced/ legally separated. Only one party can rent an HDB flat from another flat owner.
  • Eligible to rent out their whole flat. They must rent out their own flat within a month after renting an HDB flat from another owner.
  • Tenants must not own Executive Condominium units where the 5-year MOP has not been met.

Flat Owners’ Responsibilities
If you own a flat that you’re renting out, it’s essential to make sure that:

• Only authorized tenants are living there
• The number of tenants doesn’t exceed the maximum allowed
• Your tenants are only using the flat for residential purposes. Renting out flats for non-residential purposes, such as for tourists, commercial filming or goods storage is strictly prohibited.
• They aren’t subletting it or causing problems
• They’re legally allowed to be in Singapore
• They’re following all the terms of the lease and the Housing & Development Act. If your tenants break any rules, you’ll be held responsible.

In case you stay abroad while renting out your flat, it is mandatory to designate a legal representative (appoint an attorney) to oversee the flat on your behalf. The appointed representative should not be a current tenant of your flat.

To provide evidence of your tenants’ registration with HDB, you can generate a confirmation letter displaying all authorized tenants residing in your flat by logging in to www.hdb.gov.sg/rentingout using your Singpass.

It is recommended to conduct regular checks to ensure compliance with the rules, even if you have obtained permission to rent out your flat.

Rental period
Tenants must rent for a minimum period of 6 months per application, and short-term renting of flats or bedrooms is prohibited. This is to ensure a peaceful and secure living environment for all residents.

The approval letter specifies the rental period, with a maximum of three years for all Singaporean or Malaysian tenants and two years for at least one non-Malaysian non-citizen tenant.

Each time the flat is rented out, or the application is renewed, approval must be sought.

Prior permission from HDB is required to lease your HDB flat. You may apply for it via My HDBPage or Mobile@HDB. An administrative fee of $20 per application will be charged.

If the owner of the flat is not present in Singapore during the rental period, it is mandatory to submit the Power of Attorney along with the application.

In the absence of a previously executed Lasting Power of Attorney, the Court must appoint a Deputy if the flat owner is incapable of making decisions for the flat due to a lack of mental capacity.

If there are any alterations in the rental, such as changes in the tenants’ details or their departure from the flat, you must inform HDB within seven days. Before allowing new tenants to move in, you must obtain HDB’s authorization to change tenants.

Eligibility conditions for flat owners
Renting out your spare bedrooms is only permitted if you own a 3-room flat or bigger. Renting out your bedroom is prohibited if you own a 1- or 2-room flat.

Prior approval from HDB is mandatory before starting the tenancy. Any changes in tenant information or their departure from the flat must be reported to us within seven days. To add new tenants, flat owners must first obtain HDB’s consent.

You can apply to rent out your bedrooms online through HDB’s e-services. You will receive an immediate response regarding the outcome of your application. For each bedroom, an administrative fee of $10 must be paid with the application.

Number of bedrooms and occupants allowed for renting out of bedrooms
The flat type determines the number of bedrooms that can be rented out by flat owners and the maximum number of occupants allowed in each flat, as indicated below:

• 3-room: Only one bedroom can be rented out in a 3-room flat, and each flat can accommodate a maximum of 6 occupants (including owners, authorised occupiers, and tenants).
• 4-room and bigger: Two bedrooms can be rented out in a 4-room flat and bigger, and each flat can accommodate a maximum of 6 occupants (including owners, authorised occupiers, and tenants).
• Owners are only allowed to rent out bedrooms that HDB originally constructed. Using any other part of the flat as a bedroom, including partitioned rooms, is prohibited.

Citizenship of Tenants
To rent HDB bedrooms, individuals must fall under one of the following categories:

• Singapore Citizens
• Singapore Permanent Residents
• Non-citizens legally residing in Singapore who hold valid Employment Passes, S Passes, Work Permits, Student Passes, Dependant Passes, or Long-Term Social Visit Passes with a minimum validity period of 6 months from the date of application.
• Malaysians holding Work Permits in the construction, manufacturing, marine, and process sectors are also eligible.
• Tourists are prohibited from renting any HDB flat/ bedroom.
• The company’s employees must fulfil the same eligibility criteria for tenants if you are leasing the flat to accommodate them.

Tenancy and Property Ownership Status

• Tenants must not be tenants of public rental HDB flats
• If tenants are owners of other HDB flats, they are:
  • Divorced/ legally separated. Only one party can rent an HDB flat from another flat owner.
  • Eligible to rent out their whole flat. They must rent out their own flat within a month after renting an HDB flat from another owner.
  • Tenants must not own Executive Condominium units where the 5-year MOP has not been met.

Flat Owners’ Responsibilities
If you own a flat that you’re renting out, it’s essential to make sure that:

• Only authorized tenants are living there
• The number of tenants doesn’t exceed the maximum allowed
• Your tenants are only using the flat for residential purposes. Renting out flats for non-residential purposes, such as for tourists, commercial filming or goods storage is strictly prohibited.
• They aren’t subletting it or causing problems
• They’re legally allowed to be in Singapore
• They’re following all the terms of the lease and the Housing & Development Act. If your tenants break any rules, you’ll be held responsible.
• During the rental period, it is required that both you and any authorized occupiers reside in the flat alongside the tenants. Renting out parts of the flat while not physically present is prohibited, and failure to comply will result in revocation of approval for bedroom rentals.

Failure to obtain approval
Seeking HDB’s approval is mandatory before renting out your bedrooms or renewing the tenancy. Failure to obtain permission or notify us of any changes in tenancy (termination, renewal, or changes in tenants’ particulars) will result in the rental being deemed unauthorized.

Rental period
Tenants must rent for at least six months per application, and short-term renting of HDB bedrooms is prohibited. This is to ensure a peaceful and secure living environment for all residents.

The approval letter specifies the rental period, with a maximum of three years for all Singaporean or Malaysian tenants and two years for at least one non-Malaysian non-citizen tenant.

Each time the bedroom is rented out or the application is renewed, approval must be sought.

Prior permission from HDB is required to lease your HDB bedroom. You may apply for it via My HDBPage or Mobile@HDB.

At the time of registration, you must furnish the particulars and other relevant information about your tenants. The approval process includes a $10 administrative fee per bedroom.

You must inform HDB within seven days if any of the following changes occur after your rooms have been rented:

• Termination or renewal of the rental agreement
• Modifications to the tenants’ information
• Addition of new tenants. Before allowing new tenants to move in, flat owners must obtain approval from HDB.