By Winfred Quek · CEA R073319H · Published 26 October 2026
Facts verified: 26 October 2026 · Sources listed below
Repair arguments rarely start with a big failure. They start with a $60 call out for a faulty shower mixer, and one side believes the other should pay. The minor repair clause exists to settle that in advance. My tenancy agreement clauses guide lists it as one of several clauses. This page goes deeper on the repairs themselves: how the official templates split the cost, which pieces of the clause matter, and how to run it day to day. Condo common property is a different question, covered in common property versus your unit.
What the official templates say
CEA publishes tenancy agreement templates for private residential property and for HDB flats, developed by the Digitalised Property Transactions Workgroup. CEA describes them as a guide, not compulsory, and says you are free to negotiate any term. I read both templates on 26 October 2026. They share the same repair structure, summarised here.
| Piece | What the template says |
|---|---|
| Minor repair item | Tenant pays all minor repairs so long as the cost per item per incident does not exceed an amount left blank. Above it, the tenant pays that amount and the landlord pays the balance. |
| Problem free period | A number of days, left blank, from the first day of the tenancy. Within it, the landlord does not hold the tenant responsible for defects the tenant identifies and reports in writing, and the landlord rectifies them. |
| After that period | Tenant is responsible for minor repairs and replacement of parts and other expendable items, including electrical appliances and light bulbs, within the amount. Excess is borne by the landlord unless the damage is due to the tenant's negligence or wilful default. |
| Above the amount | The tenant needs the landlord's prior written consent to proceed, and the landlord reimburses the excess within seven days. |
| Beyond repair | The landlord bears the full cost of replacing the item, if the fault is not due to the tenant's negligence or wilful default. |
| Air conditioners | Tenant arranges servicing by a qualified contractor at least once every three months at its own cost. The landlord handles breakdowns, repairs, replacement of parts and chemical cleaning, unless the breakdown is due to the tenant's negligence or non maintenance. |
| Structure | Landlord keeps the structural condition in repair, including sanitary pipes, electric wiring and concealed drains, pipes and conduits. |
| Self help | The tenant may not authorise repairs without written consent. If the tenant starts works the landlord is obliged to do, without giving the landlord a chance first, the tenant cannot recover the cost. |
| No fault found | If the landlord's contractor attends and finds no fault, or the fault is the tenant's or visitors', the tenant bears the contractor's charge out rate. |
Source: CEA, Tenancy Agreement Template for Private Residential Property and Tenancy Agreement Template for HDB Flats, linked from cea.gov.sg renting a private residential property and cea.gov.sg renting out an HDB flat or bedroom, checked 26 October 2026.
The blank amount, and why I do not quote one
The template does not say how much is a minor repair. It leaves the dollar cap blank, and it leaves the problem free period blank too. I found no CEA, HDB or URA figure for either, so I will not state a number as if it were standard. What you see in practice varies between agents, landlords and properties, and it should reflect the age of the unit, who owns the appliances and how willing each side is to handle small jobs. What matters is that the number is written in, because a blank leaves the argument open.
Illustration with an assumed cap
This uses a deliberately round assumed cap of $100 per item per incident, chosen only to make the arithmetic easy. It is not a market norm and not an official figure. The repair bills are also assumed.
| Case (assumed) | Cost | Under the template structure |
|---|---|---|
| Replacing a light fitting driver, after the problem free period | $70 | Tenant pays $70, within the cap |
| A washing machine pump, not caused by misuse | $250 | Tenant pays $100, landlord pays $150, and the tenant needs the landlord's prior written consent before the work |
| A fridge that is beyond repair, not the tenant's fault | New unit | Landlord bears the full replacement cost |
| The same pump fault reported in week 2, inside an assumed problem free period | $250 | Landlord rectifies it, if the tenant reported it in writing |
| A leak from a concealed pipe in the wall | Varies | Structural item, landlord keeps it in repair |
Notice the cap is per item and per incident, so two faults on two days are two incidents, and one fault that keeps recurring may be one item with several incidents. That is the sort of detail you can settle in the clause rather than in a dispute.
Variations you will see in practice
These are drafting habits, not official positions. Agree on them in writing if you want them.
- A longer or shorter problem free period. A landlord with a newly renovated unit may set a short period. A tenant moving into an older unit may ask for a longer one. The template just provides the blank.
- Who picks the contractor. Some landlords insist on using their own contractor, which helps control quality and cost. If you do, say so in the agreement, because the template's self help clause already stops the tenant from authorising repairs without consent.
- Which appliances are covered. The template mentions electrical appliances and light bulbs within the tenant's minor repairs. If the landlord supplies a furnished unit, list the appliances in the inventory so both sides know what is being repaired and what it is worth.
- Response times. The template sets a seven day reimbursement and a fourteen day period for the tenant to fix the problems it caused. Anything else you want, such as how fast an urgent leak is handled, has to be added as an extra clause.
How to run the clause day to day
- Document the starting condition. The private template has the tenant prepare two copies of a Property Condition Report within the problem free period for the landlord's endorsement, and describes it as conclusive evidence of the condition at the start. Dated photos support it.
- Report faults in writing. A message is enough, as long as it is dated. It starts the clock and shows the problem was raised inside the free period.
- Get consent for anything above the cap. Written, before the work. Keep the quote.
- Keep receipts. Both for what the tenant paid and for the landlord's reimbursement.
- Arrange air conditioner servicing and keep the receipts. The template asks for proof of regular servicing, and a breakdown linked to non maintenance shifts the cost to the tenant.
What the clause does not decide
It does not decide common property repairs in a condo, which follow the development's by laws and the management corporation, as in this guide. It also does not make anything unlawful lawful: an HDB owner must still follow HDB's rental rules, covered in the subletting rules page. And it does not replace a deposit clause, which says what can be deducted at the end, see the deposit guide.
If you and the other party cannot agree, CEA says it cannot act on disputes that do not involve a property agency or a property agent, and suggests mediation at a Community Mediation Centre, the Small Claims Tribunal, or your own legal action. That is another reason to settle the clause before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays for minor repairs in a Singapore tenancy?
Under the CEA tenancy agreement templates, the tenant pays minor repairs up to an amount per item per incident that the parties fill in, and the landlord pays the balance above it. The templates are a guide, not compulsory, so your own agreement governs.
What is the problem free period in a tenancy agreement?
It is a number of days, left blank in the CEA templates, from the start of the tenancy. Within it, the landlord does not hold the tenant responsible for defects the tenant reports in writing, and the landlord rectifies them.
Is there an official dollar limit for a minor repair?
I found no official figure. The CEA templates leave the amount blank for the landlord and tenant to agree, so it varies by agreement.
Who pays when an appliance cannot be repaired?
Under the CEA templates, if an item is faulty and beyond repair, the landlord bears the full cost of replacing it, provided the fault is not due to the tenant's negligence or wilful default.
Want your tenancy repair clause set up properly?
Share your property type and who supplies the appliances, and Winfred will go through the repair cap, problem free period and handover documents with you before you sign. General information only.
Ask Winfred on WhatsApp Book a free 30 minute callWinfred Quek, CEA R073319H, Crestbrick Pte Ltd (L3010886H). General information as at 26 October 2026, not legal, financial, tax or property advice. Clause descriptions come from the CEA templates as at 26 October 2026, which are a guide and not compulsory. Case amounts in the example are assumed. This page makes no price or rent forecast.