Foreigners renting a bedroom in an HDB flat need a pass with at least six months of validity left, according to HDB.
The Housing Board counts those six months from the date the flat owner applies to rent out the room.
Owners need HDB's approval before a tenant moves in, so a kababayan who pays for an unapproved room has little to stand on if HDB acts against the owner.
Who qualifies
HDB lists Employment Pass, S Pass, Work Permit, Student's Pass, Dependant's Pass and Long-Term Visit Pass holders as eligible tenants.
Work Permit holders in the construction, marine and process sectors must be Malaysian to rent an HDB bedroom.
Tourists cannot rent one.
Filipino workers can see how long their pass has left on SGWorkPass before viewing a room.
Headcount cap
A three-room flat can rent out one bedroom and house six people in total.
A four-room or bigger flat can rent out two bedrooms and house eight people.
HDB said the cap of eight returns to six for rental periods extending beyond 31 December 2028.
The cap covers everyone living in the flat, so it matters to the many Filipinos in Singapore who share rooms to split the rent.
Minimum stay
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HDB sets a minimum rental period of six months for each application.
Owners pay an administrative fee of S$9 per bedroom each time they apply.
HDB said it can penalise owners who rent out rooms without approval, and can take back the flat through compulsory acquisition.
Stamp duty
A tenancy agreement attracts stamp duty, and the bill falls on the tenant if the agreement does not say who pays, according to rental platform Cove's summary of IRAS rules.
The rate is 0.4 per cent of the total rent for leases of four years or less.
A room at S$1,000 a month on a 12-month lease works out to S$48 in duty.
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Tenants have 14 days from signing to pay, or 30 days if they signed the agreement overseas.
Before paying
Ask the owner for proof of HDB's approval before handing over a deposit.
