In the midst of planning your relocation to Singapore? Figuring out how to find suitable expat housing in Singapore? Read my previous post “Moving to Singapore: How I Found My First House!” for useful tips!
If you have already found your dream apartment and planning to move in soon, hold your horses and read this article first. When I first arrived in Singapore in 2009, I did not know many things (like you) and now in hindsight, there were certain things that I overlooked. So, to make sure no one else follow my mistakes, here are a few possibly less obvious things to take note of when moving to your first apartment in Singapore.
Double Confirm the Furnishings
In my first apartment, the landlord provided slightly more furnishings than a typical “partially furnished” Singapore apartment. There was a bed, sofa, some floor lighting, a television, and television stand in addition to, you know, the usual appliances.
The problem? I was already bringing my own bed from the US. What can I say, I loved that bed. Luckily, I shared that with my agent and was told I needed to request the bed be taken out beforehand. Fortunately, my landlord agreed to remove the bed, but may not always be the case. The landlord could decide one way or the other. In some cases, landlords want to rent their apartments with the full suite of furniture in there as they might not want to go through the hassle of storing it.
If you are bringing your own furniture over and do not require all the furnishings that the apartment comes with, make sure you're absolutely clear with your landlord on what furniture will be there when you arrive.
On a similar note, do make sure to check with the landlord if the furniture you saw during the viewing will be what comes with the apartment. In some cases, landlords and property agents “stage” the apartment for viewings so that they can clinch the deal.
When I viewed the place, there was a really nice black leather sofa in the apartment. Plus, the landlord said the apartment will come with a sofa – I just did not realize it was not going to be that particular sofa. So when I moved in, and realized the leather sofa had been replaced with an IKEA futon couch, I obviously a bit peeved by the substitution. Frankly, it didn't look anywhere near as nice.
Looking back through my rental agreement, it actually stated that, the apartment was going to come with furnishings that I saw during the viewing “or of a similar nature”. Personally I could argue that a nice designer leather sofa, and an Ikea futon couch, are not exactly, “of a similar nature”.
However, I decided it wasn’t worth a dispute with my landlord at the start of my new lease. And ultimately that futon actually ended up coming in handy when I had friends and family come and visit as it converted easily into a comfortable place for them to for them to sleep versus an air mattress.
So, in a way, it all turned out fine. But since I have learnt my lesson, I made sure to double confirm my furnishings for my second apartment.
Have an Inventory List
Before moving in, make sure you have an agreed upon account of the items being handed over and the status of any defects in the property. The landlord (or their agent) should prepare an Inventory List on or before the day of handing over the keys – if not, feel free to remind them. Make sure you do your due diligence. Ensure all the items that are listed are provided in good working order and highlight any existing defects (like scratches on the floor, or cracks in the wall or furniture etc) to the landlord upfront.
This step is important so that when at the end of your lease, when handing back the property to the landlord, you will not have your security deposit deducted for any damages/losses that you did not cause.
Taking pictures and/or videos and sharing them with the landlord or their agent via email immediately after receiving the keys also helps to create an undisputable record that can then be referenced when moving out should any issues arise.
Extra Care for Flooring
Many condominiums here are outfitted with timber flooring, especially in the bedrooms. And that scratches easily. I would know, since I had some of my security deposit deducted for the scratches in my first place.
In my second apartment, I learnt my lesson and got protective feet for furniture (e.g. bed, chairs and tables), especially in rooms where the flooring was wood. Depending on whether you’re expecting the furniture to stay still or move around easily, you can easily find these in rubber, cloth or felt at any hardware store. What is important is that they will help significantly in minimizing scratches on the floor.
Air-Conditioner Maintenance Record
In a hot and humid climate in Singapore, air-conditioners are a mainstay in every apartment. For rental apartments, it’s pretty standard for the tenant to be responsible for the maintenance– including regular servicing every three to four months (depending on your agreement).
Do remember to keep a record (receipts) of the servicing you have done during the stay, as the landlord may ask for them to confirm you have kept up your end of the agreement. I actually lost mine from the first year of my lease, but thankfully my landlord did not pursue any deduction from my safety deposit as I had almost three years of records after that. However some landlords are real sticklers and you might not be so lucky.
If at any point along your relocation journey you feel like you would like to engage a professional to guide you through the process, click here to chope (Singlish for ‘reserve’) some time on my calendar. Look forward to speaking with you!