What to do when your tenant gives notice: the landlord's checklist for the final month

By Winfred Quek · CEA R073319H · Published 22 August 2026

Rates and thresholds change. The current figures are kept in one place: the Singapore property rules reference.

Facts verified against the sources linked throughout this guide.

The message arrives, sometimes as a formality you expected, sometimes out of nowhere: your tenant is not renewing. What separates a smooth handover from a month of avoidable disputes and empty weeks is not luck, it is a fixed sequence, applied from the day you get the notice rather than pieced together in the final week.

Confirm the notice in writing first

Get the vacating date confirmed in writing, even if the conversation happened over a call or in person. Two months is the standard notice period in Singapore tenancies, though the exact figure depends on what your tenancy agreement actually says, so check the clause rather than assuming. Once the date is confirmed, treat it as the anchor for everything else in this checklist, the inspection booking, the marketing timeline and the utilities transfer all work backward from it. Our tenancy renewal glossary entry covers how renewal and non renewal notice typically works in a Singapore lease.

Decide whether to try to retain the tenant, or move on

Before you shift into relisting mode, decide deliberately whether a good tenant is worth a conversation about staying. This is a negotiation, not a given, and it is worth doing properly rather than as an afterthought. Our lease renewal negotiation guide covers when to hold rent flat to retain a good tenant, how to benchmark against current comps, and how to frame the conversation so it does not feel like an ultimatum. If the tenant has already made their decision and the conversation will not change it, do not waste the notice period on it, move straight to preparing the unit for the next tenant instead. Our complete landlord's guide to renting out your property covers the mechanics of getting a unit back on the market, including what a Singapore tenancy agreement must include and how to set the right rent.

If the exit is early, via a diplomatic clause

Not every notice arrives at the natural end of a fixed term. If your tenant is leaving early under a diplomatic clause, the process and the proof requirements differ from a standard end of lease notice, and the deposit treatment can differ too. Our diplomatic clause guide for landlords covers what proof to expect, how the notice period typically works for an early exit, and how to run the handover cleanly when the departure was not simply the lease running its course. Our explainer on how the clause works is worth reading too if this is your first time handling one.

Coordinating viewings during the notice period

If you plan to relist immediately, the notice period is your window to start marketing without a vacancy gap. Arrange viewings with your outgoing tenant's cooperation, giving reasonable notice each time rather than treating their remaining weeks as already yours. A cooperative outgoing tenant who is given a heads up each time is far more likely to keep the unit presentable for viewings than one who feels ambushed. Weigh this against simply accepting a short vacancy gap if the unit needs work before the next tenant moves in, our guide to the real cost of a vacant unit sets out what an empty unit actually costs beyond the lost rent, which helps you decide how much urgency the relisting deserves.

The move out inspection and deposit return

The final stretch is where most disputes are born, and where a fixed sequence pays off most. In the days before the vacating date, confirm the date in writing one more time and agree on an inspection appointment, ideally close to when the tenant actually hands over the keys. Locate the original condition report and photographs from the start of the tenancy, since without them your ability to assess fair wear and tear against genuine damage is weakened considerably. Remind the tenant in writing of their obligations under the agreement: removal of belongings, any cleaning required by the lease, return of all keys and access cards, and restoration of any alterations made during the tenancy. Confirm the outstanding utility account status and request final meter readings ahead of time so there is no scramble on the day itself.

On the day, conduct a room by room inspection with the tenant present rather than after they have left. Walk through systematically, walls, floors, fixtures, fittings and appliances, and photograph everything as you go. Where possible, have both parties acknowledge the condition on the spot, this protects you and the tenant from a later dispute about when any damage was actually noted.

On the deposit itself, the standard convention in Singapore is a security deposit of 1 month's rent for a 1 year lease or 2 months' rent for a 2 year lease, returned within the timeframe stated in the tenancy agreement, subject to deductions for damage beyond fair wear and tear, outstanding rent, or outstanding utility bills still in your name. Our landlord obligations glossary entry covers what a landlord can and cannot fairly deduct, worth reviewing before you finalise the return so the number you propose is defensible if the tenant queries it.

Keep every receipt for any repair or cleaning cost you intend to deduct, an estimate without a receipt rarely holds up if the tenant disputes it, and a written record of the condition report signed by both parties is the difference between a deposit return that closes cleanly and one that drags on. Return whatever is left of the deposit within the timeframe your own tenancy agreement commits you to, a delayed return with no explanation is one of the more common, and most avoidable, sources of a soured final impression with an otherwise good tenant.

Printable final month checklist

Everything above, condensed to one page for the day the notice lands. Print this checklist

Frequently asked questions

How much notice does a tenant typically give in Singapore?

Two months is the common convention, though the exact figure depends on what your specific tenancy agreement states, so check the clause rather than assuming it matches the market norm.

Can I insist my tenant renews?

No, a fixed term tenancy simply ends on its expiry date unless both sides agree to renew. If you want to keep a good tenant, that is a negotiation to open early, not an entitlement to enforce.

What if the tenant is leaving early through a diplomatic clause?

The process differs from a standard end of lease notice, the tenant needs to provide proof matching the qualifying trigger, and the notice period and deposit treatment follow the clause as written rather than general convention.

Can I bring prospective tenants through while the current tenant is still there?

Yes, this is common practice, but arrange it with the outgoing tenant's cooperation and reasonable notice each time rather than assuming access. A tenant who feels ambushed is less likely to keep the unit presentable.

What can I deduct from the security deposit?

Legitimate deductions typically cover damage beyond fair wear and tear, outstanding rent, and outstanding utility bills still registered in your name. Deductions should be backed by the condition report and photographs, not an estimate.

Winfred Quek is an Associate Marketing Consultant at Crestbrick Pte Ltd (CEA Licence No. L31010886H), CEA Registration No. R073319H. The information on this page is general and does not constitute financial, legal or tax advice. Always conduct independent due diligence and consult qualified professionals, including your conveyancing lawyer, before making any property decision.