Family move out overnight after landlord gives them ultimatum over $6,800 in rent owed

A family of four owed their landlord $6,800 in rent and were given two days to pay the amount owed. But they packed up their belongings and moved out overnight.

In an interview with Shin Min Daily News, the landlord, surnamed Li, had rented out his two-bedroom condominium unit in Yishun to the Singaporean family.

A two-year lease was signed in December 2023, with a monthly rent of $4,300.

The family was punctual with their payments for the first three months of the lease before they began to fall behind.

According to Li, they would pay varying amounts each month, giving a range of excuses to his property agent.

By Oct 19, the family owed Li a total of $6,800.

Frustrated with the situation, the landlord instructed his property agent to give the family an ultimatum to pay the full sum by Oct 21 if they wanted to continue living in the unit.

The tenants seemed amenable to the deadline and agreed to pay their debts.

However, the family failed to make any payment when the deadline rolled over. They also moved out of the unit overnight. Li's property agent made a police report after failing to contact the family.

The family left the unit in disarray, leaving food in the refrigerator and miscellaneous items in the cupboards. Li also said that there were holes in the walls which would need repairs.

In an interview with Shin Min, the tenant, surnamed Wu, claimed that Li still held their $8,600 deposit for the unit.

"We moved out because we couldn't afford to rent it anymore. The deposit is with [the landlord], so he didn't incur any losses."

Wu added that the landlord was able to "profit" from the situation, considering how the family left behind furniture like a sofa and TV cabinet that they had purchased.

The tenant had also installed an electric lock and privacy film on the windows at his own expense, though these were done without Li's permission.

According to Li's property agent, the landlord is entitled to keep the deposit due to Wu's breach of the rental contract.

The tenant is also liable for the remaining payment owed.

Speaking to AsiaOne, the police confirmed that a report was lodged.

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dana.leong@asiaone.com