Landlord headache: Bedok condo tenants allegedly owe $60k in rent, refuse to move out

It's never pleasant when a guest overstays their welcome. What more when they're tenants who simply refuse to leave.

One landlord's attempt to evict his tenants on Tuesday morning (Oct 27) turned nasty when they called the cops on him, accusing him of assault and harassment. The police confirmed the incident, adding that investigations are ongoing.

The landlord and his cousin had been trying to saw open the front gate of the unit, located in Bedok Court, when the tenants allegedly doused him with water and called the police for assistance, Lianhe Wanbao reported.

The tenants, who were not identified, allegedly owe over $60,000 in rent and have refused to move out or pay up, the landlord — a 60-year-old businessman — told the Chinese daily.

"Before they moved in, they paid one month's rent. But every time I ask for money from them, they give all sorts of reasons to evade payment," said the landlord, adding that the one-year lease was signed in July last year.

"They say their money is overseas and can't be transferred over, or that they have millions of dollars confiscated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. They even said they want to buy the unit from me."

The family also claimed that the unit had leaking issues and that its lock was faulty, citing these as reasons for their rent to be waived, the landlord said.

However, he maintained that he had spent $200,000 renovating the place. The family had also inspected the place before moving in and had not raised any concerns, he said.

Despite their various complaints and the expired lease, the family still has not moved out. And things have gotten increasingly acrimonious.

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The landlord said he visited the family multiple times to reason with them to no avail. In his frustration, he even locked up the front gate with a metal chain once to "scare them away", he confessed.

However, the family simply called the police for assistance and engaged a locksmith to remove the chain, he said, adding, "I've been doing business for 19 years but it's the first time I have met people like this."

Both parties have reportedly called the cops on each other at least six times.

The tenants declined to comment on the matter when approached by a Lianhe Wanbao reporter.

Not the family's first rodeo

The tenants had made headlines in 2017 for not paying rent on several terrace houses and bungalows in the East Coast area, according to Lianhe Wanbao. As a result, they were reportedly slapped with a court order to pay about $100,000 in compensation to their landlords. 

To evict tenants who have breached their tenancy agreement, landlords should send them a written tenancy notice.

If the tenant refuses to comply, the landlord may have to take the matter to the Small Claims Tribunals (for rent or damages of up to $20,000), the Magistrate's Court, or the District Court.

kimberlylim@asiaone.com