Screening tenants effectively in Singapore means combining clear tenant selection criteria with proper legal checks, reference checks and cost planning, so you minimise default and damage risks without breaching local laws like the PDPA and immigration rules.
For Singapore landlords and investors using Homejourney, a structured tenant screening process – and knowing what each step costs – is one of the most important ways to protect your property, your cash flow and your peace of mind.
How this tenant screening cost guide fits into the bigger picture
This article is a focused cluster within Homejourney’s wider landlord rights and rental safety content ecosystem, which covers tenancy agreements, handling problem tenants, SCT claims and more.
For a broader strategy on picking safe tenants, you can also refer to: How to Screen Tenants Effectively in Singapore | Homejourney Safety Playbook and 新加坡房东筛选租客最佳实践：Homejourney权威指南 .
Here, we zoom in on the costs and practical steps of tenant screening in Singapore – what to check, how to verify tenants, what you can reasonably charge or absorb, and when to invest in professional help.
What does “tenant screening” mean in Singapore?
In Singapore, tenant screening is the process of evaluating a prospective tenant’s suitability before you sign a tenancy agreement.
It typically covers four main aspects:
- Identity and immigration status – confirm the person is who they claim to be and is legally allowed to stay in Singapore.
- Employment and income stability – assess their ability to pay rent reliably.
- Rental and behavioural history – look for past issues such as chronic late payment or property damage.
- Fit with your house rules and neighbours – align expectations on noise, visitors, pets (where permissible), and use of the property.
Under Singapore’s common law framework, there is no dedicated tenant protection statute – your rights and obligations largely come from the tenancy agreement, plus general contract law and related legislation such as the Stamp Duties Act (for lease stamp duty) and the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA).
Because there is no rent control and disputes often go to the Small Claims Tribunals (SCT), a good screening process is your first line of defence before problems arise.
Step-by-step tenant screening checklist (with typical costs)
Below is a practical, Singapore-focused workflow you can follow for each prospective tenant, with indicative costs and local tips from the ground.
1. Pre-screening through listing and initial questions
Before you even schedule a viewing, use your listing and first contact to filter out poor matches.
- Be clear in your listing on rent, minimum lease, maximum occupancy, no subletting, and any non‑negotiables (for example, no home‑based business that causes disturbance).
- On Homejourney, craft a listing with explicit tenant selection criteria (e.g. income at least 3x rent, 2‑year lease preferred) so prospects self‑screen before messaging you. Use Property Search to check comparable rentals and adjust expectations.
- When a prospect enquires, ask basic questions: intended lease start date, length of stay, number of occupiers, whether they have rented in Singapore before.
Cost: $0 (your time). Many experienced landlords in areas like Punggol, Tampines and Jurong West do this over WhatsApp or SMS first to avoid unnecessary viewings, especially on weeknights.
2. Identity and immigration status verification
For non‑Singapore citizens, verifying immigration/work status is a regulatory requirement when a property agent is involved, and a best practice even in direct landlord‑tenant deals.
The Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) requires property agents to check and keep copies of foreign tenants’ passport and immigration/work/student passes for rental transactions.[4]
- Ask to see the original passport and the original ICA/MOM card for foreign tenants (e.g. Employment Pass, S Pass, Dependant’s Pass, Student’s Pass).
- Check the name, FIN and photo against the passport, and confirm that the pass validity comfortably covers the lease period.
- For HDB landlords, ensure the prospective tenant is eligible under HDB’s subletting rules (e.g. Work Permit holders from certain sectors can only rent rooms, not whole flats).[5]
- Do not photocopy or share documents beyond what is required for the transaction – this is part of PDPA compliance.
Cost: Usually $0, unless your agent charges an admin fee built into their commission. Some landlords also pay for secure digital storage solutions for documents (around $5–10/month) to avoid ad‑hoc sharing via messaging apps.
3. Employment and income verification
This is where you assess if the tenant can reliably service the monthly rent.
- For salaried employees, request the latest 3 months’ payslips and/or a recent CPF contribution history (for Singaporeans/PRs).
- For EP/S Pass holders, a recent employment letter stating salary and position is common, especially for new hires.
- For self‑employed or business owners, ask for NOA (Notice of Assessment) from IRAS, or bank statements showing regular business income.
- Where comfortable, some landlords also call the stated employer’s main line (not a mobile number) to verify that the person works there – a quick and discreet background check tenant tactic used by many landlords around Raffles Place and One‑North, where expats are common.
Cost: $0 in direct documentation, but budget your time. If you engage a professional agent through Homejourney’s or , their commission (typically half‑month to one‑month rent, depending on market conditions) often covers this verification work.
4. Rental history and reference checks
Because Singapore does not have a public eviction database, landlords rely on references and informal checks.
- Ask for the contact of the previous landlord (or current one if they are still renting).
- Key questions to ask previous landlords:
- Did they pay rent on time?
- Any major complaints from neighbours or MCST?
- Did they keep the unit reasonably well and hand back in acceptable condition?
- Would you rent to them again?
Locally, many landlords in older condos in Bukit Timah and East Coast rely heavily on this step, because large units attract sharers and students, and noise or wear‑and‑tear can be significant.
Cost: $0 (your time). If using a tenant screening service or agent who does outbound calls and summarises findings, expect this to be bundled into professional fees.
5. Credit and background checks – how far should you go?
In Singapore, a landlord cannot directly pull a tenant’s full credit report, but you can request that the prospective tenant purchases and shows their own credit bureau report (for Singaporeans/PRs) or a similar credit statement from their home country if they are new arrivals.[1]
- Credit Bureau (Singapore) report: roughly $6.50–$8.00 depending on purchase channel; landlords sometimes reimburse this as a goodwill gesture.[1]
- For foreign tenants without local credit history, focus more on length of employment, income stability, and landlord references.
- Some landlords also run basic online checks on names (e.g. court judgments reported in local news). Keep in mind PDPA: use information responsibly and only for tenant selection.
Cost: Typically under $10 per report if you choose to reimburse. If you use third‑party background check services, packages can range from about $50 to over $150 per applicant, depending on depth (identity, sanctions, litigation searches). These are more common for high‑value luxury rentals in districts like Orchard, Sentosa and CBD where monthly rent can exceed $10,000.
Tenant selection criteria: How to select the right tenant
Once you have gathered documents and done your checks, you still need clear tenant selection criteria to make a fair and defensible decision.
Core criteria most Singapore landlords use
- Affordability: Net monthly income of at least 2.5–3 times the monthly rent is a common rule of thumb.
- Length of lease: Many landlords prefer a 2‑year lease to reduce vacancy and re‑letting costs; in central areas with mobile expats, 1‑year terms plus renewal options are common.
- Household size and composition: Ensure the number of occupiers complies with URA/HDB occupancy caps and MCST by‑laws.
- Rental history: No pattern of early terminations, major damages or unpaid rent.
- Behavioural fit: Respectful communication during viewing, realistic expectations, willingness to provide documents.
