HDB Flat owners will be allowed to rent out their entire apartment or bedrooms to non-Malaysian expats for up to two years starting January 1 2019 according to a media statement by Housing Development Board (HDB) last December 18 (Tuesday).
ALSO READ: How to Apply for Permanent Residency in Singapore
The change will increase the current limit from 1.5 years to 2 years, and will allow flat owners more leeway to secure longer tenancy period with foreign tenants, some of whom may have work/immigration passes that are valid for more than two years.
HDB Sanctions Flat Tenancy for Non-Malaysian Expats for up to 2 Years
However, in cases where all tenants are Singapore citizens or Malaysian nationals, or both, the maximum tenancy period will still remain at three years as per the HDB.
Meanwhile, flat owners who are currently renting out their flat or bedrooms to non-Malaysian expat tenants under the approval of the HDB, may continue to do so for the remaining applicable period of their stay.
For more information on the HDB’s policies, guidelines, and procedures for flat or bedroom rentals, you may check out HDB InfoWeb for more details.
This is good news for expats who have found stable employment in the country and have valid documentation for their legal (or extended) stay here in Singapore.
As we all know, Singapore is a relatively small country, and getting a place to stay if not already sponsored by an employer can be quite challenging, especially for first-time residents of Singapore.
With a comparatively higher cost of living, moving from one place to another on several occasions is simply not financially viable. Therefore, it’s important that we make the most of our stay in one place and make sure that everything we need is well accounted for.
Here is our guide on how to save on rent here in Singapore.