Tenancy agreement

Explain Like I’m Five

The landlord provides the home for rent, and the tenant rents it under agreed terms. Their tenancy agreement puts that arrangement into a contract. It records both the main details, such as the rental period, and responsibilities that matter during the stay.

Where You’ll Run Into It

When renting an HDB flat or a private home in Singapore. CEA provides residential tenancy templates, including sections for rent, the security deposit, repairs and additional agreed conditions.

IRAS handles stamp duty on lease documents, so the agreement may also appear in tax paperwork. For repairs in shared estate areas, the town council page explains the estate-management role alongside the agreement’s responsibilities inside the rented home.

Example

“The listing shows the rent, but where does it say who handles minor repairs?”

A prospective tenant looks at the agreement’s repair terms. The property advertisement and the contract serve different purposes: one describes the offered home, while the other records the rental arrangement.

The Part People Get Wrong

There is not one compulsory CEA tenancy contract with identical terms for every home. The templates are recommended starting points, and parties are free to negotiate their terms. The actual agreement records what those parties have agreed.