Renewing a Tenancy in Singapore: Option to Renew, Rent, Deposit and Stamp Duty

Most renewal conversations start with one question, "will the rent go up?", and stop there. The details that cost money later sit elsewhere: the notice window in the option clause, the stamp certificate nobody remembers to get, a deposit that no longer matches the rent, and a move-in inventory that quietly stops being the reference point for reinstatement. Here is how a renewal actually works, for tenants, landlords and the agents in between.

What is an option to renew, and do you need one?

Option clauses in Singapore residential leases tend to share three conditions. The tenant must give written notice within a set window, often no later than two or three months before expiry. The tenant must not be in breach, so late rent or unapproved alterations can cost you the right. And the new rent is usually "at the prevailing market rate", sometimes with a cap such as no more than a stated percentage above the current rent. If the clause says nothing about rent, expect a negotiation rather than an automatic rollover.

Adding an option to an existing lease is cheap. IRAS treats a variation that only adds an option to renew, without changing the rent or term, as not chargeable to stamp duty. Our breakdown of tenancy agreement clauses every renter should know covers how the option sits alongside the rest of the lease.

How do you renew a tenancy, step by step?

1. Check the deadline. Find the option clause and work back from the expiry date. A notice sent one day late can be refused.
2. Send written notice. Email or letter to the landlord or their agent, quoting the clause. Keep proof of the date it was sent.
3. Agree the commercial terms. Rent, term, any diplomatic clause, who pays minor repairs, and whether the landlord will fix outstanding issues before the new term starts.
4. Document it. A short renewal letter referencing the original agreement is common. A fresh tenancy agreement is cleaner if many terms change.
5. Stamp it. Pay stamp duty on the extension through IRAS e-Stamping within 14 days of signing.
6. Settle the deposit. Confirm in writing that the existing deposit carries over, and pay any top-up.

Can the landlord raise the rent when you renew?

Treat the market data as your negotiating anchor. URA publishes median rents for private non-landed projects by quarter, and HDB publishes median rents by town and flat type. If the proposed increase is well above comparable units in the same development, say so with numbers. Landlords also weigh the cost of a vacancy: one empty month on a S$4,000 unit is S$4,000 lost, plus agent fees and possibly a fresh round of repainting to attract the next tenant. A reliable tenant who renews is worth something, and both sides know it.

Do you pay stamp duty again on a renewal?

Duty is rounded down to the nearest dollar. Rates per IRAS "Renting a Property" guidance as at October 2026.

The deadline matters more than the amount. Stamping within 14 days of signing carries no penalty. Up to three months late, the penalty is S$10 or the duty, whichever is greater; beyond that it rises to S$25 or four times the duty. An unstamped renewal also cannot be relied on as evidence until it is stamped, which matters if the tenancy ends in a dispute. Our tenancy agreement stamp duty guide has the full rate tables.

What happens to the security deposit when you renew?

Put the carry-over in writing. The renewal letter should state the deposit amount held, the top-up paid, and that the deposit secures the tenant's obligations under the original and renewed terms together. That one sentence prevents a later argument over whether damage from year one can still be deducted at the end of year three.

Does renewing reset the reinstatement obligation?

This is where long tenancies go wrong at the end. Photos from the first move-in get lost, the agent who did the inventory has moved on, and the landlord remembers the unit as better than it was. Use the renewal as a checkpoint:

• Do a short joint walk-through and photograph each room. Note anything that has changed since move-in and agree whether it is wear and tear or damage.
• Record approved alterations. Shelving, a mounted TV, or invisible grilles added mid-tenancy should be listed with whether they must be removed at handover. See getting landlord consent for alterations.
• Agree on repainting. Paint that has simply aged over several years is usually fair wear and tear for the landlord. Say so in the renewal so it is not argued at move-out.
• Re-attach the original inventory to the renewal letter so the baseline is never in doubt.

If you are a landlord, a renewal is also the cheapest moment to fix things. Defects reported and repaired mid-tenancy rarely turn into deposit disputes later.

What changes if the flat is an HDB flat?

Tenants should ask to see the renewed approval, and agents should not let the renewal letter be signed until it is in hand. Maximum approval periods depend on the tenant's citizenship, so check the current rule on HDB's renting out a flat page rather than assuming the last approval's length still applies. For first-time HDB landlords, our guide to renting out a BTO flat after MOP covers the initial approval.

What if the landlord won't renew?

If you hold a valid option, gave notice on time and are not in breach, a refusal is a breach by the landlord and worth a lawyer's letter. If you do not hold an option, start the exit early: our 30-day end-of-lease countdown and the note on what holding over costs are the two pages to read next.