Short-Term Accommodation

All residential properties in Singapore (e.g. condominiums, walk up apartments, flats, bungalows, semi-detached and terrace houses) are intended for long-term residence.

Under the law, they are not allowed to be used for short-term accommodation – defined as stays of less than three consecutive months. An example of short-term accommodation is when short-term visitors, such as tourists, book and stay at such properties for a few days.

The purpose of this regulation is to safeguard the safety, privacy and security of homes, and the residential character of local communities, which would be compromised by the presence and frequent coming-and-going of short-term visitors.

Guidance to property owners and tenants

It is illegal for owners and tenants to rent out their properties for short-term accommodation. This includes renting them out as ‘hotels’, ‘hostels’, ‘motels’, ‘Bed and breakfast’, or ‘Homestays’ to short-term visitors, frequently done through online ‘home-sharing’ platforms.

Property owners who fail to exercise due diligence to safeguard their properties against misuse will be held responsible. Owners are also urged to regularly check on their properties to ensure that they are not rented out by tenants for short-term accommodation.

Under the Planning Act, any individual found guilty of engaging in short-term accommodation will minimally face a fine of up to $5,000. Those who are recalcitrant or engage in short-term accommodation at multiple properties will be taken to Court. To date, many such individuals have been charged in Court, resulting in the imposition of significantly heavier fines.

More on renting out private residential properties.

Guidance to Management Corporations

Management Corporations (MCSTs) play an important role in tightening security measures to minimise the occurrence of short-term accommodation activities at their developments. For example, they can step up the screening of visitors seen carrying luggage, and note down details of their units and entry/exit dates.

URA will work closely with MCSTs to investigate suspected short-term accommodation activities. It is important that MCSTs provide accurate and up-to-date information promptly to URA. This will help expedite investigations and the ensuing enforcement actions to be taken.

Members of the public can report suspected short-term accommodation activities to URA.

Advisory for visitors seeking accommodation in Singapore

Visitors to Singapore should also take note of the regulations. For those staying less than three consecutive months, available accommodation options include hotels (no minimum stay duration) and serviced apartments (minimum stay duration of seven days).

Visitors who opt to book short-term accommodation at private residential properties may be required to assist in investigations, if they are found staying at the property during checks by the authorities.

They may also suffer inconvenience and incur additional costs for alternative accommodation as a result, as MCSTs and security officers of some developments have been actively enforcing the regulations (“NZ family that unknowingly booked illegal Airbnb stay in Singapore turned away”, The Straits Times, 15 March 2018).