Co Owned Rental Property: Who Signs and How Tax Is Split

By Winfred Quek · CEA R073319H · Published 26 October 2026

Facts verified: 26 October 2026 · Sources listed below

Two or more names on the title is common: spouses, parents and children, siblings, or friends who bought together. When the home is rented out, three practical questions follow. Who reports the rent to IRAS, who signs the tenancy agreement, and who is responsible for the stamp duty. This page sets out what IRAS and HDB publish on each, with one worked example using assumed figures. It is general information, not tax or legal advice. For the ownership structures themselves, see joint tenancy versus tenancy in common, and for the wider tax picture see the rental income tax guide.

The IRAS rule: tax follows legal share, not who collects the rent

IRAS says that where a property is jointly owned, the rental income is taxed on all the joint owners based on their legal share in the property. It adds that it does not matter which party receives the rent or whether the owners paid for the property. Any rental loss is also apportioned to the joint owners by legal share. For a sole owner, by contrast, the income is taxed 100% on that owner even if a third party receives the rent.

One owner may collect the rent into a single account for convenience, which does not change the tax position. IRAS's own filing FAQ makes the same point: each co owner should declare the full rental income and related expenses in their individual Income Tax Return, and indicate their percentage share of the net rent based on their legal share. So a co owner cannot skip the declaration just because another owner has already filed. For filing dates, see landlord tax filing deadlines.

Joint tenancy or tenancy in common: what "legal share" means

HDB describes the two ways of holding a flat. Under joint tenancy, the co owners together own the whole interest and the right of survivorship applies. Under tenancy in common, each co owner holds a separate and distinct share, and HDB's example uses 60% and 40%. The same two structures exist for private property.

Where owners hold as tenants in common, the legal share is the stated share, so a 60/40 holding points to a 60/40 split of the net rent for tax. For joint tenants, there are no separate stated shares to read off the title. The IRAS page quoted above does not spell out how it treats that case, so we do not assume a split here. If you hold as joint tenants and the rent is meaningful, ask IRAS or a tax professional how your split should be reported.

Worked example (assumed figures, not a forecast)

These numbers are invented to show the method. Suppose two siblings own a flat as tenants in common, 60% and 40%, and rent it for $3,600 a month, so $43,200 for a year. IRAS lets landlords of residential property claim deemed expenses of 15% of gross rent, plus mortgage interest on the loan taken for the tenanted property, or claim actual expenses instead. The table uses the 15% route and leaves out mortgage interest, to keep it simple.

Each owner then adds their own share to their other income, so the tax each pays depends on their personal circumstances. The point of the example is the split, not the tax bill. Whoever received the $3,600 each month, the reporting follows the 60/40 legal share.

Who signs the tenancy agreement

Neither IRAS nor HDB publishes a rule on this, so what follows is common practice rather than an official rule. Most tenancy agreements name every registered owner as the landlord and have every owner sign. That keeps the tenant's right to occupy clear and avoids a later argument that one owner could not grant the lease alone. If one owner will sign for the others, written authority from the other owners is the usual route, and an owner who is overseas may need a formal power of attorney.

Stamp duty: who pays and by when

IRAS says to check the tenancy agreement first, because the document should state who is liable to pay stamp duty. When it does not, the Third Schedule of the Stamp Duties Act applies, and for a lease or tenancy agreement the party listed is the lessee, meaning the tenant. Co owner landlords can still agree in the contract to pay or share it.

On the amount, IRAS charges lease duty on the rent. Where the lease period is four years or less, the duty is 0.4% of the total rent for the period, rounded down to the nearest dollar. On the example above, 0.4% of $43,200 is $172.80, which rounds down to $172. A document signed in Singapore should be stamped within 14 days of signing to avoid penalties. The mechanics are in the e Stamping portal guide, and the cost side in tenancy stamp duty.

If the co owned home is an HDB flat

HDB sets conditions that matter more than the tax split. On its pages today:

• Whole flat: only Singapore Citizens can rent out an HDB flat, and Singapore Permanent Resident flat owners are not allowed to. The owner must have completed the minimum occupation period (5 years in most cases). Owners of Prime and Plus flats are not allowed to rent out the flat even after the 10 year MOP.
• Fresh clock after a part share sale: after a resale of part share, the owners have to meet a fresh MOP computed from the effective date of the resale. Where flat ownership was transferred, the MOP runs from the effective date of transfer or from when the owner was included as an authorised occupier.
• Approval first: you must obtain HDB's approval before you rent out the flat. The application goes through the MyHDB Page or app, with an administrative fee of $18. If an owner is overseas during the rental period, a certified true copy of a Power of Attorney lodged with the High Court must be submitted.
• Bedrooms: owners of a 3 room or bigger flat can rent out bedrooms, with HDB approval before the tenancy begins, and the owner must keep living in the flat. The fee is $9 per bedroom.

These pages do not set out how HDB treats the consent of several owners, for example whether one owner can apply alone. Do not assume. Ask HDB before you advertise, and keep a signed note between the owners recording who agreed to what. For tenant side limits, including the cap on how many people may live in the flat, see the HDB occupancy cap and HDB and condo renting rules.

What the owners should settle before listing

• Who is the contact person, and who collects the rent and pays the bills.
• How rent, repairs, agent fees and any stamp duty are shared, in writing.
• How each owner will keep the records needed for their own tax return.
• What happens if one owner wants to exit during the lease. See when a co owner refuses to sell and buying with a sibling or parent.

Frequently asked questions

If one co owner collects all the rent, who pays the tax?

IRAS taxes the rent on all the joint owners according to their legal share in the property. It does not matter which owner receives the rent or who paid for the property. Each co owner declares the full rental income and related expenses in their own return and indicates their percentage share of the net rent.

Does joint tenancy or tenancy in common change how the rent is split for tax?

IRAS goes by legal share. For tenants in common the shares are stated, such as 60% and 40%. IRAS's rental income page does not spell out how it treats joint tenants, so confirm with IRAS or a tax professional before you file.

Who pays stamp duty on a tenancy agreement?

Check the agreement first, because it should state who is liable. If it does not, IRAS says the Third Schedule of the Stamp Duties Act applies, and for a lease or tenancy agreement that is the lessee or tenant. Lease duty is 0.4% of total rent for a lease of four years or less.

Can one co owner of an HDB flat apply to rent it out alone?

HDB's pages say only Singapore Citizens can rent out an HDB flat and that approval must be obtained before renting. They do not set out how consent among several owners is handled, so ask HDB before you advertise and keep a written note of the owners' agreement.

Winfred Quek, CEA R073319H, Crestbrick Pte Ltd (L3010886H). General information as at 26 October 2026, not legal, financial, tax or property advice. Figures and rules are from IRAS and HDB pages checked on that date and may change. The worked example uses assumed figures. This page makes no price or rent forecast.