How to renew a tenancy agreement in Singapore without an agent

Renewing your tenancy without an agent saves one to two months' rent in commission. The process is straightforward — benchmark your rent, agree terms with your landlord, draft a renewal addendum, and re-stamp with IRAS. Here is exactly how to do it.

Renewing your tenancy agreement without an agent is common in Singapore — and it should be. The standard agent commission on a renewal is half a month's rent to one month's rent. On a S$4,000-per-month lease, that is S$2,000 to S$4,000 you do not need to spend.

The process is not complicated. It requires four things: knowing what the current market rent is, agreeing the renewal terms with your landlord, putting those terms in writing, and re-stamping the agreement with IRAS. This guide covers each step.

Step 1: Benchmark your current rent against the market

Before you approach your landlord, you need to know whether your current rent is above, below, or at market rate. This determines your negotiating position.

Check recent transactions on your street or block

Use URA's Realis database (URA.gov.sg → Private Residential Property Transactions) or HDB's Resale Flat Prices portal for HDB rentals. Filter by your property type, approximate floor area, and lease commencement date. Look at the last three to six months of transactions.

Check current asking prices

Browse PropertyGuru, 99.co, and EdgeProp for listings in your development or within a 500-metre radius. Note the asking rents for units similar in size, condition, and floor level to yours. Listings are not final rents — but they tell you where the market is heading.

Factor in your tenancy history

If you have been a reliable tenant — paid on time, maintained the property, handled minor issues yourself — that has value. Landlords prefer renewing with a known tenant over searching for a new one, even at a slight discount. Factor this into your negotiation.

What to do: Prepare a short summary of three to five comparable transactions and two to three current listings. Email it to your landlord when you open the renewal conversation. Evidence-based negotiation is more effective than asking for a reduction without justification.

Step 2: Open the renewal conversation early

Most tenancy agreements require two to three months' notice if you do not intend to renew. The reverse also applies: you should open the renewal conversation two to three months before your lease ends.

Send a clear, polite message

Your first message should state your intention to renew, ask whether the landlord is open to renewal, and propose a time to discuss terms. Keep it simple:

"I would like to renew my tenancy at [address] for another [12/24] months when the current lease ends on [date]. Would you be open to discussing terms? I am happy to meet at your convenience."

Decide your position in advance

Before the conversation, decide:

The maximum rent you are willing to pay
The minimum rent reduction you would accept
Whether you want any changes to the existing TA terms (e.g. adding a diplomatic clause, changing the air-conditioning servicing schedule, updating the inventory)

Document the conversation

If you agree terms verbally, follow up with an email summarising what was agreed. Verbal agreements are difficult to enforce if a dispute arises later.

Step 3: Negotiate the renewal terms

Renewal negotiations usually cover three areas: rent, lease duration, and changes to the existing agreement.

Rent

If market rents have fallen, request a reduction. If they have risen, expect an increase — but challenge any increase that exceeds market movement. Reference the comparable transactions you gathered in Step 1.

If the landlord proposes a rent increase above market rate, counter with your evidence. If they refuse to reduce below market, you have a decision to make: accept, negotiate non-rent concessions (e.g. fresh paint, new appliances, a rent-free week), or prepare to move.

Lease duration

One-year renewals are standard in Singapore. Some landlords prefer two-year terms for stability. Two-year terms usually come with a lower per-month effective rent but lock you in for longer. If your circumstances are uncertain, a one-year term with an option to renew is often safer.

Changes to the existing TA

Use renewal as an opportunity to fix anything that was problematic in the original agreement. Common requests:

Adding a diplomatic clause if you did not have one
Clarifying the air-conditioning servicing schedule
Updating the inventory list if furniture has been added or removed
Specifying a deposit return deadline if the original TA did not include one

Not every landlord will agree to every change. Prioritise the ones that matter most to you.

Market standard: Most landlords expect a renewal rent within 0 to 5% of the current rent in a stable market. In a falling market, reductions of 5 to 15% are not unusual if you have evidence. In a rising market, increases above 10% should be challenged with comparable data.

Step 4: Draft the renewal addendum

A renewal addendum is a short document that attaches to your existing tenancy agreement and updates the terms for the new lease period. It is simpler than drafting an entirely new TA.

What a renewal addendum should include

Property address — the full address of the rented property
Parties — your name and the landlord's name (as per the original TA)
Reference to the original TA — the date of the original agreement and a statement that the addendum forms part of it
New lease period — the start and end dates of the renewal term
New rent — the monthly rent for the renewal period, and when it is due
Deposit — whether the existing deposit rolls over or whether any top-up or partial refund is required
Any amended clauses — specific changes to the original TA (e.g. new diplomatic clause terms, updated inventory)
Signatures — both parties sign and date

Sample addendum structure

"This addendum to the tenancy agreement dated [date] for [property address] is entered into between [landlord name] ("Landlord") and [tenant name] ("Tenant").

1. The lease is renewed for a term of [12/24] months commencing [date] and ending [date]. 2. The monthly rent for the renewal term shall be S$[amount], payable on the [day] of each month. 3. The security deposit of S$[amount] held under the original tenancy agreement shall continue to be held by the Landlord under the same terms. 4. [Any additional clauses — e.g. diplomatic clause, updated inventory]. 5. All other terms of the original tenancy agreement remain in full force and effect.

Signed: [Landlord] Date: [date] Signed: [Tenant] Date: [date]"

You do not need a lawyer to draft this. A clear, specific document signed by both parties is legally binding.

When to draft a new TA instead

If the original TA was poorly drafted, missing key clauses, or if you are making substantial changes, it may be better to draft a new tenancy agreement entirely. This is more work but gives you a clean document if a dispute arises later.

Step 5: Re-stamp the agreement with IRAS

Stamping is mandatory in Singapore. An unstamped tenancy agreement cannot be used as evidence in court or at the Small Claims Tribunal. The good news: stamping is done online and takes minutes.

How to stamp your renewal

Go to mytax.iras.gov.sg and log in with Singpass
Select "Lease / Tenancy Agreement" under e-Stamping
Enter the property details and the new rent amount
The system calculates the stamp duty automatically
Pay online via PayNow, GIRO, or NETS
Download the stamp certificate

Stamp duty calculation

For leases up to four years, stamp duty is approximately 0.4% of the total rent for the lease period. For a S$4,000-per-month lease over 12 months, the total rent is S$48,000 and the stamp duty is approximately S$192.

The party who pays the stamp duty is negotiable — but it is usually the tenant in Singapore.

Timing

Stamp within 14 days of signing the renewal addendum. Late stamping incurs penalties. Keep the stamp certificate with your signed addendum.

Step 6: Handover and move-in condition

If you are renewing and staying in the same property, a formal handover is not required. But you should still document the property condition at renewal.

Photograph everything

Take fresh photos of every room, every appliance, and any existing wear. Email them to the landlord. This resets the baseline for the renewed tenancy.

Update the inventory

If furniture or appliances have been added, removed, or replaced since the original tenancy, update the inventory list and have both parties sign it.

Confirm the deposit

If the renewal rent has changed, confirm whether the deposit needs to be topped up or partially refunded. This should be stated in the addendum.

When an agent might still be worth it

Renewing without an agent is the right choice for most tenants. There are two situations where an agent may add value:

You are renegotiating from a weak position — for example, your landlord is significantly above market rate and unwilling to negotiate. An experienced agent may know market norms the landlord respects.
The property is managed by a landlord who insists on using their own agent — some landlords will not deal directly with tenants. In this case, the landlord typically pays the agent's commission, not you.

In both cases, clarify who pays the commission before engaging any agent.

Key takeaways

Benchmark your rent against recent transactions and current listings before negotiating
Open the renewal conversation two to three months before your lease ends
A renewal addendum is simpler than a new TA — reference the original agreement, state the new terms, and have both parties sign
Re-stamp with IRAS within 14 days of signing — an unstamped agreement cannot be used in a dispute
Document the property condition at renewal with fresh photos and an updated inventory
Renewing without an agent typically saves half to one month's rent in commission

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