The Minor Repair Clause in Singapore Tenancies: What Landlords Should Agree Before Signing

Key takeaways

• The minor repair clause sets a cost cap per item per incident. Below it, the tenant pays; above it, the landlord bears the excess unless the tenant caused the damage.
• CEA’s templates leave the cap blank. There is no official default amount, so it must be agreed and filled in.
• The templates provide for a problem-free period at the start, during which the landlord rectifies defects notified in writing. In the private residential template, the tenant’s minor repair duty starts after it ends.
• The tenant should get the landlord’s prior written consent before carrying out a repair that costs more than the cap.
• The templates are a guide, not a requirement. What binds the parties is the agreement they actually sign.
• CEA does not handle repair disputes between landlords and tenants. Mediation, the Small Claims Tribunals or legal action are the routes CEA points to.

Background

Most residential tenancies in Singapore are documented in a written tenancy agreement. CEA’s website provides tenancy agreement templates for HDB flats and for private residential property. CEA states that these templates serve as a guide, that parties are free to amend them, and that landlords and tenants can negotiate the terms before signing.

Both templates contain a minor repair item in the schedule, with blank dollar amounts for the parties to fill in, and a set of operative clauses on repairs, maintenance and air-conditioner servicing.

This article explains how the CEA templates frame repairs. It does not interpret any specific signed agreement.

Latest guidance

The two CEA tenancy agreement templates used here are Version 1.3, updated on 11 March 2024. CEA’s Renting or renting out page was last updated on 4 November 2025, and its page on renting out an HDB flat or bedroom was last updated on 1 April 2026. The Judiciary’s page on cases eligible for a small claim was last updated on 2 June 2026. All sources were checked on 7 November 2026.

This article does not report a new rule or effective date. If CEA publishes a newer template version, check the current clause wording before you rely on it.

Who is affected

This guide is for owners renting out a whole HDB flat, condominium or other private residential unit under a written tenancy agreement, and for owners renewing a tenancy and reviewing its repair terms.

The landlord planning page covers the wider rental process; this article focuses on one clause. It is most relevant if the unit comes furnished or with appliances and air-conditioners, because those items are where minor repair questions usually arise.

Who is not affected

Commercial and industrial leases follow different documents and are outside this guide. Owners who are not using a written agreement, or whose agreement departs substantially from the CEA templates, should read their own clauses rather than rely on the template positions described here.

HDB rental eligibility and approval rules are separate from the repair clause and are not covered in this article.

What remains unchanged

• The tenancy agreement both parties sign decides who pays for what.
• Use of CEA’s templates is not mandatory, and the dollar cap is always a negotiated figure.
• Damage caused by a tenant’s negligence or default is treated differently from ordinary wear and tear in the templates.
• A property agent’s role ends once the tenancy agreement is signed. CEA treats repairs during the tenancy as property management, which is outside its regulatory purview.
• No rental income, tenancy outcome or repair cost is guaranteed.

Planning considerations

1. Fill in the repair cap, and both blanks

The minor repair item in the CEA templates has a blank for the cost per item per incident that the tenant pays, and a second blank for the tenant’s share when a repair costs more than that. Leaving either blank, or writing a figure without discussing it, is a common source of disputes later. Agree a figure that suits the unit’s age, appliances and rent, and make sure both parties understand it applies per item, per incident.

2. Agree a realistic problem-free period

The templates provide for a problem-free period of a number of days that the parties fill in. During that period, the landlord cannot hold the tenant responsible for defects identified and notified in writing, and must rectify them. In the private residential template, the tenant’s minor repair duty starts after it ends. Hand over a unit in working order and ask the tenant to report defects in writing early.

3. Set how larger repairs are approved and paid

Under the templates, a tenant must get the landlord’s prior written consent before going ahead with a repair that exceeds the cap, and the landlord reimburses the excess within seven days. The private residential template also says the tenant cannot recover the cost of landlord-obligated work started without giving the landlord the chance to act. Agree in advance how quotes are sent and approved, for example by message or email, so urgent repairs are not delayed.

4. Be clear on air-conditioner servicing

Both templates require the tenant to service the air-conditioners at least once every three months at the tenant’s expense. The landlord is responsible for breakdowns and replacement of parts unless the breakdown is due to the tenant’s negligence or lack of maintenance. Ask for servicing receipts so there is a record if a breakdown is disputed.

5. Keep the landlord’s own repair duties in view

The templates require the landlord to keep the structural condition of the unit, including sanitary pipes, electric wiring and concealed drains, pipes and conduits, in good and tenantable repair. Where an item is faulty and beyond repair, the landlord bears the replacement cost unless the tenant was at fault. Budget for these costs rather than expecting the tenant to absorb them through the minor repair clause.

6. Document condition at the start and the end

The private residential template treats the inventory list and property condition report as conclusive evidence of condition at the start of the term, and fair wear and tear is excepted when the unit is handed back. A dated photo record, an accurate inventory and a written log of repair requests make deposit and repair discussions far easier. The handover checklist and the end-of-tenancy checklist cover these steps.

7. Know where disputes go

CEA states that it cannot act on private contractual disputes between landlords and tenants, including disputes over the repair or replacement of items in the rental unit. Its HDB rental page points to mediation at a Community Mediation Centre, the Small Claims Tribunals, or your own legal action. The Judiciary states that the Small Claims Tribunals can hear claims on a tenancy agreement for residential premises not exceeding two years, with a claim value of up to $20,000, or up to $30,000 if both parties sign a Memorandum of Consent, filed within two years of the event giving rise to the claim. For advice on a specific dispute, speak to a lawyer.

8. Get help with the wider rental plan

The repair clause is one part of a tenancy that also covers rent, deposit, tenant profile and handover. The landlord planning page explains how Melvin supports owners with rental planning, tenant search and tenancy preparation. Legal interpretation of a clause remains with a lawyer.

FAQ

This article provides general educational information based on CEA’s published tenancy agreement templates. It is not legal advice. The terms that apply are those in the tenancy agreement you sign; for questions about a specific clause or dispute, consult a lawyer.