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I'm main tenant renting hdb from my landlord. My housemate shared the house with me and just left in the night and go back to Malaysia after 5 months staying and didn't notify anyone. We only found out later and remove her name from hdb registration. We tried contacting her but no reply and I want to make a police report or small court claim. Any advice on this case how can I chase back the balance payment?
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3 Answers

Instead of chasing after the balance payment, I think it could be better to start to look out for the replacement tenant if the landlord allows. The process of claiming back can be drastically long and tiring. As this is a private agreement, police will not handle but if you wish to put it on record, you can try lodging a report. Depending on amount involved, a small claim can be filed but whether does it work or not will definitely not be certain. Read More
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You can still pursue the unpaid rent, but you’ll need to approach it carefully:
1. Document Everything – Keep records of the rental agreement (even if informal), messages, emails, or any evidence showing she agreed to pay rent and the amount she owes.
2. Demand Letter – Start by sending a formal written demand via email or registered mail, stating the amount owed and giving a deadline for payment. This shows you tried to resolve it amicably.
3. Small Claims Tribunal – In Singapore, unpaid rent disputes between individuals can be filed at the Small Claims Tribunals (SCT). You can claim up to S$20,000 per defendant (or S$30,000 if both parties agree). You’ll need:
• Proof of the agreement
• Proof of payment history
• Evidence she stayed there
4. Police Report? – This generally applies if there’s fraud or criminal intent. Non-payment of rent usually falls under civil law, so the SCT route is more appropriate. Only file a police report if you suspect deliberate deceit or fraud.
5. Serving Notice – If she’s overseas, SCT can still serve notice via registered mail or email, but enforcement of payment may be harder. You may need to seek legal advice on overseas debt recovery if she refuses to pay. Read More
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You may want to first take a step back and discuss your options with the agent supporting your case instead of trying to take any legal action.

Ideally, you had a tenant agent that represented you so that you are not in this situation against the landlord as well as the landlord's agent.

One thing to check is whether you co-signed the tenancy agreement with the housemate for the entire flat, or whether it was split room by room? If you signed the agreement for the entire flat jointly without any mention or written proof that the rent was to be split, you may still be liable for the entirety of the rent even if your housemate jets off. If that's the case the best way forward might be to quickly find a replacement housemate that your landlord agrees to add.

Kay Cloud
The Harvard Educated Agent
Propnex Realty Pte Ltd
cloud@propnex.com
Tel: (+6.5.) 8.5.6.7.4.5.8.5
Whatsapp -> https://wa.me/6585674585 Read More
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