Co-Living Agreement (Singapore)
Shared living space occupancy agreement compliant with URA co-living guidelines
Co-Living Agreement
CO-LIVING AGREEMENT This Co-Living Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into on [Agreement Date] between: [Operator Name] (UEN/NRIC: [Operator U E N]) ("Operator"); and [Resident Name] (NRIC/FIN/Passport: [Resident Pass No], Phone: [Resident Phone], Email: [Resident Email]) ("Resident").
1. Room and Property
1.1 Property Address: [Property Address] 1.2 Room / Unit: [Room Description] Furnishing: [Furnishing Level] 1.3 Shared Facilities. The Resident is entitled to access the following shared facilities: [Shared Facilities]. 1.4 The Resident acknowledges that this is a shared living arrangement and agrees to use all shared facilities respectfully and in accordance with the house rules.
2. Rent, Deposit, and Term
2.1 Monthly Rent: [Monthly Rent] (SGD). Utilities included: [Utilities Included]. 2.2 Rent is payable monthly in advance on the 1st day of each month by PayNow / bank transfer to the Operator's nominated account. 2.3 Security Deposit: [Deposit Amount] (SGD), payable upon signing. The deposit will be refunded within 14 days of the Resident's departure, less any deductions for unpaid rent, damage, or cleaning costs. 2.4 Commencement Date: [Commencement Date] Minimum Rental Term: [Minimum Term] 2.5 In accordance with URA co-living guidelines, the minimum rental period is 3 consecutive months. Early termination within the minimum term may result in forfeiture of the security deposit.
3. House Rules
3.1 The Resident agrees to observe the following house rules at all times: a) Overnight Guests: [Guest Policy] b) Smoking: [Smoking Policy] c) Quiet Hours: [Quiet Hours] d) Cleanliness: The Resident is responsible for keeping their room and any shared areas they use clean and tidy. Common areas should be cleaned after use. e) Noise: The Resident shall not play music, conduct calls, or engage in activities that disturb other residents. f) Damage: The Resident is responsible for any damage to the room or shared property caused by the Resident or their guests. g) Subletting: The Resident shall not sublet or share their room with any other person without the Operator's prior written consent.
4. Termination
4.1 After the minimum rental term, either party may terminate this Agreement by giving [Notice Period] written notice. 4.2 The Operator may terminate this Agreement immediately upon written notice if the Resident: (a) fails to pay rent within 7 days of the due date; (b) breaches any house rule and fails to remedy the breach within 3 days of written notice; (c) engages in conduct that is dangerous or harmful to other residents. 4.3 Upon termination, the Resident shall vacate the room and remove all personal belongings by the agreed departure date.
5. General
5.1 The Resident's personal data is collected and processed by the Operator in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (PDPA) and the Operator's Privacy Policy. 5.2 This Agreement is governed by the laws of Singapore. 5.3 Any dispute shall be referred to the Singapore courts or the Small Claims Tribunal (for claims under S$20,000). 5.4 This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties regarding the Resident's occupancy of the room.
Operator / Landlord
________________
Signature
Resident
________________
Signature
What Is a Co-Living Agreement (Singapore)?
A Co-Living Agreement in Singapore fixes the respective duties and entitlements of the parties to the arrangement.
Co-living arrangements in Singapore take several forms: purpose-built co-living developments approved by URA under the Serviced Apartment or Residential category, HDB flats sublet under the Housing and Development Board (HDB) subletting scheme, and private condominiums or landed properties where the owner rents individual rooms to multiple tenants. Each arrangement triggers different regulatory requirements. HDB subletting requires prior approval from HDB under Section 56 of the Housing and Development Act (Cap. 129), and the flat owner must have occupied the flat for the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) — typically five years — before subletting is permitted. The total number of occupants in an HDB flat, including the owner, must not exceed six persons, as stipulated under HDB's prevailing occupancy guidelines.
For private residential properties, URA's Master Plan zoning determines whether a property may be used for co-living purposes. Properties zoned as 'Residential' under the URA Master Plan may be used for long-term co-living arrangements (minimum stay of three consecutive months), while short-term rentals below three months are prohibited under the URA's guidelines on short-term accommodation and the Planning Act (Cap. 232). The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) maintains the land title registry under the Land Titles Act 1993 (Cap. 157), and a Co-Living Agreement should reference the property's title particulars to confirm the landlord's legal authority to grant occupancy rights.
A Co-Living Agreement differs from a standard Tenancy Agreement in several material respects. Where a Tenancy Agreement grants exclusive possession of a defined unit, a Co-Living Agreement typically grants a licence to occupy a specific room or bed space within a shared property, with shared access to common areas such as the kitchen, living room, bathroom, and laundry facilities. The distinction between a lease (which grants exclusive possession) and a licence (which grants permission to use) has legal significance under Singapore law — the Singapore High Court in Lee Tat Realty Pte Ltd v Lim Geok Huat [1995] examined the factors distinguishing a licence from a tenancy, including the degree of control retained by the property owner.
The Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (PDPA) applies to co-living operators who collect personal data from residents — including NRIC numbers, passport details, and employment information — during the application and check-in process. Under Sections 13 and 20 of the PDPA, the operator must obtain consent, notify residents of the purposes of data collection, and implement reasonable security measures. The Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) has issued advisories restricting the collection of NRIC numbers to situations where collection is required by law or necessary for accurate identification, and co-living operators should design their application processes accordingly.
Stamp duty obligations under the Stamp Duties Act (Cap. 312) depend on the characterisation of the Co-Living Agreement. The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) requires stamp duty on tenancy agreements for leases exceeding one year, and operators granting fixed-term occupancy rights should assess whether the agreement constitutes a dutiable instrument. On forms-legal.com, the Co-Living Agreement template addresses URA compliance, HDB subletting requirements, PDPA obligations, and house rules provisions specific to Singapore's shared-living regulatory environment.
When Do You Need a Co-Living Agreement (Singapore)?
A Co-Living Agreement in Singapore becomes necessary whenever a property owner, co-living operator, or HDB flat owner grants a resident the right to occupy a room or bed space within a shared residential property. Below are the principal scenarios requiring a written agreement.
Private property owners renting individual rooms in a condominium, apartment, or landed house to multiple tenants need a Co-Living Agreement to define each resident's allocated room, rental amount, shared area access rights, and house rules. Under Singapore common law of contract, verbal room rental arrangements are legally enforceable but present significant evidentiary challenges if a dispute reaches the Small Claims Tribunal or the State Courts. A written agreement protects the owner against claims of unfair eviction and protects the resident against arbitrary rent increases or rule changes.
HDB flat owners subletting bedrooms under the HDB subletting scheme must execute a written agreement with each subtenant. HDB requires the flat owner to obtain prior approval before subletting, and the subletting application through HDB's My HDBPage portal requires disclosure of the subtenant's particulars. Under Section 56 of the Housing and Development Act (Cap. 129), unauthorised subletting is a criminal offence carrying fines of up to SGD 50,000 per person and potential compulsory acquisition of the flat. The Co-Living Agreement should reference the HDB approval and incorporate HDB-mandated conditions including the maximum occupancy cap of six persons per flat.
Purpose-built co-living operators — such as those approved by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) under the Serviced Apartment category or the Residential with Home Office (RWHSO) classification — require standardised Co-Living Agreements for each resident to comply with URA licence conditions. URA-approved co-living developments must maintain minimum unit sizes, comply with maximum plot ratios under the Master Plan, and observe the minimum three-month stay requirement for residential-zoned properties under the Planning Act (Cap. 232).
Foreign professionals and expatriates arriving in Singapore on Employment Passes or S Passes issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) frequently seek co-living arrangements as a flexible housing solution during their initial months in the country. A Co-Living Agreement provides the foreign resident with an official tenancy document that may be required for bank account opening, Employment Pass renewal, or address registration purposes.
Landlords offering co-living arrangements that include utilities, cleaning services, and furnished common areas need a written agreement to define the services included in the rental package, the responsibility for utility costs (whether included in rent or billed separately based on SP Group meter readings), and the maintenance obligations for shared furniture and appliances. Without a written agreement, disputes over service standards, utility allocation, and maintenance responsibility are common and difficult to resolve.
Student housing operators near National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore Management University (SMU), or other tertiary institutions may offer co-living arrangements to enrolled students, and a written agreement defines the academic-year tenancy period, vacation break arrangements, and deposit refund conditions specific to student housing cycles.
What to Include in Your Co-Living Agreement (Singapore)
A well-drafted Co-Living Agreement for Singapore should contain the following essential elements to protect both the operator (or landlord) and the resident under Singapore law.
Party identification must include the full legal name of the landlord or co-living operator, their NRIC or Unique Entity Number (UEN) as registered with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA), and the resident's full legal name, NRIC (for Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents) or FIN (for foreign residents holding Employment Passes, S Passes, or Student Passes issued by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) or the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA)). The agreement should also record the resident's emergency contact details and, for HDB sublets, the HDB subletting approval reference number.
Property and room details must identify the property address, the specific room or bed space allocated to the resident, and the shared common areas (kitchen, living room, bathroom, laundry facilities) accessible under the agreement. For private properties, the agreement should reference the strata title lot number under the Land Titles (Strata) Act (Cap. 158) or the land lot number under the Land Titles Act 1993 (Cap. 157). For HDB flats, the block number, street name, and flat type should be recorded along with the HDB lease commencement date and remaining lease tenure.
Rent, deposit, and payment terms must specify the monthly rental amount, the payment due date, the accepted payment methods (bank transfer, PayNow, GIRO through a participating bank), and the security deposit amount — typically one month's rent for a 12-month agreement or two months' rent for a 24-month agreement. The agreement should state whether the rental amount includes GST (applicable where the landlord is a GST-registered entity under the Goods and Services Tax Act (Cap. 117A) with annual turnover exceeding SGD 1 million) and whether utilities are included in the rent or charged separately based on SP Group meter readings.
Occupancy period and renewal provisions must define the fixed term of the agreement — commonly 3, 6, or 12 months — the renewal mechanism (automatic renewal, renewal by mutual agreement, or expiry without renewal), and the notice period required for termination. For properties zoned as Residential under the URA Master Plan, the minimum stay period is three consecutive months under URA guidelines and the Planning Act (Cap. 232). The agreement should state the move-in date, the move-out date, and the handover inspection procedure.
House rules and shared living standards must define the behavioural expectations for residents sharing common spaces. Essential house rules include quiet hours (commonly 10:30 PM to 8:00 AM), guest policies (maximum number of overnight guests, registration requirements), shared kitchen and bathroom cleaning rosters, smoking restrictions (smoking in common areas of residential premises is prohibited under the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Act (Cap. 310)), pet policies, and the consequences of rule violations — typically a warning system culminating in termination with notice.
HDB-specific compliance provisions are required where the property is an HDB flat. The agreement must confirm that the flat owner has obtained HDB subletting approval, that the total number of occupants (including the owner and all subtenants) does not exceed six persons, and that the subtenant is an eligible person under HDB's subletting policy. Non-citizens subletting HDB bedrooms must hold valid immigration passes, and the agreement should require the resident to notify the landlord of any change in immigration status that could affect HDB subletting eligibility.
Termination and deposit refund provisions should define the circumstances under which either party may terminate the agreement — including breach of house rules, non-payment of rent, damage to property, or illegal activity on the premises. The agreement should specify the deposit refund timeline (commonly 14 to 30 days after the move-out inspection), the deduction criteria for deposit withholding (cleaning, repairs, outstanding utility charges), and the dispute resolution process — typically the Small Claims Tribunal at the State Courts for claims up to SGD 20,000. A well-structured Co-Living Agreement on forms-legal.com includes all these elements with dedicated fields for HDB approval references, URA compliance declarations, and detailed house rules schedules.
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Reference this free template in an article, syllabus, or research note:
Forms Legal. (2026). Co-Living Agreement (Singapore) (Singapore) [Legal document template]. Forms Legal. https://forms-legal.com/singapore/real-estate/leases/co-living-agreement-singapore
"Co-Living Agreement (Singapore) (Singapore)." Forms Legal, 2026, https://forms-legal.com/singapore/real-estate/leases/co-living-agreement-singapore.
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title = {Co-Living Agreement (Singapore) (Singapore)},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://forms-legal.com/singapore/real-estate/leases/co-living-agreement-singapore}},
note = {Free legal document template. Based on Land Titles Act 1993 (Cap. 157)}
}Also available for these jurisdictions:
Frequently Asked Questions
Operating a co-living space in a private residential property in Singapore is legal, subject to compliance with the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) zoning regulations and the Planning Act (Cap. 232). Properties zoned as 'Residential' under the URA Master Plan may be used for long-term residential co-living arrangements with a minimum stay period of three consecutive months per resident. Short-term rentals — defined as occupancy periods below three months — are prohibited in residential-zoned private properties unless the property holds a specific URA approval for short-term accommodation (which is rarely granted for private residential units). The URA enforces these restrictions through the Planning Act and has taken action against property owners offering unauthorised short-term rentals through platforms such as Airbnb. Property owners must also comply with the strata by-laws of their condominium management corporation (MCST), established under the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act (Cap. 30C), which may impose additional restrictions on room rentals, maximum occupancy, or commercial co-living operations within the development. Violations of URA zoning rules may result in fines of up to SGD 200,000 and a daily penalty of up to SGD 10,000 for continuing offences under the Planning Act.
An HDB flat owner in Singapore may sublet bedrooms for co-living purposes, subject to prior approval from the Housing and Development Board (HDB). Under Section 56 of the Housing and Development Act (Cap. 129), flat owners must apply for subletting approval through HDB's My HDBPage portal before any subtenant moves in. The flat owner must have completed the Minimum Occupation Period (MOP) — typically five years from the date of key collection — before subletting is permitted. The total number of occupants in the flat, including the owner and all subtenants, must not exceed six persons under HDB's prevailing occupancy guidelines. HDB restricts subletting to specific tenant categories based on nationality and pass type: Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents may sublet to any eligible occupant, while non-citizen flat owners face additional restrictions. Each subletting approval is valid for a maximum of three years and must be renewed before expiry. Unauthorised subletting is a criminal offence under Section 56 of the Housing and Development Act, carrying fines of up to SGD 50,000 per person involved in the unauthorised arrangement, and HDB may exercise its right to compulsorily acquire the flat. The Co-Living Agreement should reference the HDB approval number and incorporate HDB-mandated subletting conditions.
The minimum rental period for co-living arrangements in Singapore depends on the property type and its zoning classification under the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) Master Plan. For private residential properties zoned as 'Residential,' the URA requires a minimum stay of three consecutive months per occupant. This three-month minimum applies to all residential-zoned properties including condominiums, apartments, and landed houses. The restriction is codified through URA's guidelines on short-term accommodation and enforced under the Planning Act (Cap. 232). Purpose-built co-living developments approved by URA under the Serviced Apartment category may offer shorter minimum stays — typically one week to three months — depending on the specific approval conditions granted by URA. For HDB flats, HDB's subletting policy does not prescribe a specific minimum rental period, but practical considerations — including the requirement for prior HDB approval for each subtenant and the administrative burden of frequent tenant turnover — mean that most HDB co-living arrangements operate on terms of six months or longer. The Co-Living Agreement should state the fixed occupancy period and confirm that the duration complies with the applicable URA or HDB requirements for the specific property type.
Utility payment responsibility in a Singapore co-living arrangement is determined by the terms of the Co-Living Agreement and varies between operators. Three common models exist. In the inclusive model, the landlord or co-living operator includes electricity, water, and gas charges (supplied by SP Group or Geneco/Keppel Electric/Senoko Energy under the Open Electricity Market) in the monthly rental amount, absorbing usage fluctuations. In the capped model, the landlord includes utilities up to a specified monthly cap — for example, SGD 100 per room — with excess consumption charged to the resident based on meter readings or an agreed per-unit rate. In the separate billing model, utilities are excluded from rent entirely, and each resident pays their proportionate share based on SP Group meter readings divided by the number of occupants. The Public Utilities Act (Cap. 261) governs the supply of water, and the Electricity Act (Cap. 89A) governs electricity supply in Singapore. Where utilities are separately billed, the agreement should specify the calculation methodology, the billing cycle, and the payment deadline. Co-living operators should note that reselling electricity at a markup above the SP Group tariff may raise compliance issues under the Electricity Act, and the agreement should reference the applicable tariff structure to maintain transparency.
The security deposit at the end of a co-living tenancy in Singapore is governed by the refund and deduction provisions of the Co-Living Agreement and by general principles of Singapore contract law (based on English common law, received under the Application of English Law Act 1993). Upon the resident's move-out date, the landlord or co-living operator conducts an inspection of the allocated room and shared areas to assess any damage beyond normal wear and tear. The agreement should define the inspection procedure, including whether the resident has the right to be present during the inspection and the timeline for completing the assessment — typically within 7 to 14 days of move-out. Permissible deductions from the security deposit commonly include: repair costs for damage caused by the resident (documented with photographs and repair invoices), outstanding rent or utility charges, professional cleaning fees if the room is not returned in the agreed condition, and replacement costs for missing inventory items. The remaining deposit balance must be refunded to the resident within the timeframe specified in the agreement — commonly 14 to 30 days after the move-out inspection. Disputes over deposit deductions may be referred to the Small Claims Tribunal at the State Courts for claims not exceeding SGD 20,000, under the Small Claims Tribunals Act (Cap. 308). The Tribunal offers a simplified adjudication process without the need for legal representation, making it accessible to individual tenants and small-scale landlords alike.
The Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (PDPA) applies to co-living operators in Singapore who collect, use, or disclose personal data of residents in the course of their operations. During the application and check-in process, co-living operators typically collect personal data including the resident's full name, NRIC or FIN number, passport details, employment information, emergency contacts, and bank account details for deposit refunds. Under Section 13 of the PDPA, the operator must obtain the resident's consent before collecting this data and must inform the resident of the purposes for collection under Section 20. The Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) issued Advisory Guidelines restricting the collection of NRIC numbers — operators may collect NRIC numbers only where required by law (such as for HDB subletting applications) or where NRIC collection is necessary for accurate identification and no alternative identifier is available. Under Section 24 of the PDPA, the operator must implement reasonable security measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, including secure storage of physical documents and encryption of digital records. The mandatory data breach notification regime, effective 1 February 2021, requires the operator to notify the PDPC within three calendar days of assessing that a breach is notifiable. Maximum financial penalties under the amended PDPA are SGD 1 million or 10% of annual turnover in Singapore, whichever is higher.
A co-living resident in Singapore may be asked to vacate the premises in accordance with the termination provisions of the Co-Living Agreement and the general principles of Singapore contract law (based on English common law, received under the Application of English Law Act 1993). The agreement should specify the grounds for early termination by the landlord, which commonly include: persistent non-payment of rent (typically defined as rent remaining unpaid for 14 or more days after the due date), material breach of house rules (after a written warning), damage to the property, illegal activity on the premises, or breach of HDB subletting conditions for HDB properties. The landlord must provide written notice of termination — the notice period is defined in the agreement, commonly 30 days for a fixed-term tenancy. If the resident refuses to vacate after the notice period expires and the agreement has been lawfully terminated, the landlord may apply to the State Courts for a court order for possession. Self-help remedies — such as changing locks, removing the resident's belongings, or cutting off utilities — are not lawful under Singapore law and may expose the landlord to civil claims for wrongful interference with the resident's possessory rights. For HDB flats, the flat owner must also notify HDB of the subtenant's departure and update the subletting records through the My HDBPage portal. The Small Claims Tribunal handles security deposit disputes arising from eviction, while the State Courts handle applications for possession orders and claims exceeding the Tribunal's SGD 20,000 jurisdictional limit.
The stamp duty treatment of co-living arrangements in Singapore depends on whether the Co-Living Agreement is characterised as a lease or a licence under the Stamp Duties Act (Cap. 312). The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) requires stamp duty on tenancy agreements and leases, with rates varying based on the lease duration: for leases not exceeding one year, the duty is 0.4% of the total rent; for leases exceeding one year but not exceeding three years, the duty is 0.4% of the annual average rent; and for leases exceeding three years, the duty is 0.4% of four times the annual average rent. Co-living arrangements structured as licences — where the operator retains control over the premises and the resident does not have exclusive possession of the property — may not constitute dutiable leases, though IRAS has the authority to look beyond the label of the agreement and assess its substance. The tenant (or resident) is typically responsible for stamp duty payment, which must be completed within 14 days of signing the agreement if executed in Singapore. Late stamping incurs a penalty of up to four times the duty payable. Co-living operators should consult IRAS guidelines or seek professional advice on the stamp duty classification of their specific arrangements, as the distinction between a licence and a lease is fact-dependent and has been examined by the Singapore High Court on multiple occasions.
This template is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change over time. Consult a qualified attorney for advice specific to your situation.Full disclaimer
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