HITPWhat You Need on Signing Day: a Singapore Rental Budget in Five Lines
Many renters budget for the monthly rent and find several payments due on the day they sign. Below are the five, with who receives each and how it is worked out under IRAS and CEA rules. We do not quote a single market rent, because rents vary by area, home type and month. During your assessment we list current, verifiable references for the areas and home types you are considering.
The five costs
| Cost | Paid to | When | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|---|
| First month's rent | Landlord | On signing | Per the tenancy agreement 1 |
| Security deposit | Landlord | On signing, with the first month's rent 1 | Agreed by both sides and written into the agreement 1 |
| Stamp duty | IRAS | Within 14 days of signing 3 | 4 years or less: total rent × 0.4%; exempt if average annual rent is S$1,000 or less 2 |
| Agent commission | Property agency | When the transaction completes 5 | Negotiable, set in the CEA prescribed estate agency agreement 5 |
| Utilities, moving, furniture | Each provider | Around move-in | Depends on the home and usage |
Working out stamp duty
- •Lease of 4 years or less: 0.4% of the total rent. More than 4 years or indefinite: 0.4% of 4 times the average annual rent 2.
- •Duty is based on the higher of the contractual rent and the market rent, rounded down to the nearest dollar, with a minimum of S$1 2.
- •Example: S$3,000 a month for 12 months is S$36,000 in total rent, so the stamp duty is S$144 (36,000 × 0.4%). This applies the IRAS rule and is not a market rent figure.
- •The tenancy agreement states who pays; if it does not, the tenant pays 4. Late stamping attracts penalties 3.
Agent commission under CEA rules
- •Commission is not fixed, and you can negotiate the rate or amount 5.
- •Sign the CEA prescribed estate agency agreement with the commission written in, and ask whether GST applies; only GST-registered agencies can charge it 5.
- •Pay commission to the agency, not the individual agent 5.
- •An agent can act for only one party, the landlord or the tenant 5, so the landlord's agent cannot also charge you commission.
Paying the deposit and rent safely
- •The deposit and rent go directly to the landlord; the agent should not handle them 5.
- •Use a traceable method such as bank transfer, PayNow or a crossed cheque, and avoid cash 15.
- •CEA advises against paying more than one month's rent in advance at a time 1.
- •How the deposit is paid and returned should be a clause in the tenancy agreement 1.
How HITP charges
- •Our service fee is quoted for your case; the deposit and rent go directly to the landlord under the tenancy agreement 6.
- •Your written quote lists our fee separately from what you pay the landlord, the agency and IRAS.
FAQ
There is no government rule. The landlord and tenant agree on it and write it into the tenancy agreement 1.
Yes. CEA allows an agent to pay the lease stamp duty first and be reimbursed by the client 5.
It is quoted for your case. After the assessment we list our fee separately from all other costs in a written quote for you to confirm before signing.
Want a signing-day budget for your home type and area?
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Sources (checked 5 Nov 2026)
- [1] CEA · Consumer guide on residential rental transactions (PDF) — https://www.cea.gov.sg/docs/default-source/default-document-library/consumer-guide-on-residential-rental-transactions-(a4)3aec2f33f22f6eceb9b0ff0000fcc945.pdf updated PDF 未标日期
- [2] IRAS · Stamp duty: renting a property — https://www.iras.gov.sg/taxes/stamp-duty/for-property/renting-a-property updated 页面未标日期，11/5 读取
- [3] IRAS · When to pay stamp duty — https://www.iras.gov.sg/taxes/stamp-duty/for-property/paying-stamp-duty/when-to-pay-stamp-duty updated 页面未标日期，11/5 读取
- [4] IRAS · Who should pay stamp duty — https://www.iras.gov.sg/taxes/stamp-duty/for-property/basics-of-stamp-duty-for-property/who-should-pay-stamp-duty updated 页面未标日期，11/5 读取
- [5] CEA · What to take note of when engaging a property agent — https://cea.gov.sg/consumers/engaging-a-property-agent/what-to-take-note-of-when-engaging-a-property-agent updated 2026-05-13
- [6] HITP · 收费标准（HITP 自有页面，非政府） — https://www.sghitp.com/fees/ updated 11/5 读取
Government fees and rules are as published by the authorities; figures on this page were checked on the dates shown. Service fees are quoted in writing for each case.