Landlord sets overly strict rules for tenants in Bedok, living conditions likened to ‘prison’
What was meant to be a simple room rental turned into a month-long ordeal for one tenant in Singapore, who described his landlord’s strict rules and constant surveillance as akin to “being in prison”.
From a long list of house rules to surveillance cameras pointed at the toilet entrance, the man said his short stay left him shocked and determined to warn others about such “strange landlords”.
Landlord allegedly imposes over 20 rules, installs CCTV camera facing toilet
Ye Guohua (name transliterated from Chinese), a 48-year-old mobile phone shop assistant, told Shin Min Daily News that he came across a Facebook listing and rented a bedroom at Block 529 Bedok North Street 3 for S$1,050 a month.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
He signed the lease without scrutinising the terms, and the property agent reportedly did not raise any red flags either.
It was only after moving in that he discovered the landlord had imposed more than 20 house rules, some of which he found extreme.
Among them were:
- No mobile phone use or loud talking in the living room
- Washing machine usage allowed only on Fridays
- Tenants must pick up fallen hair after showering
- Shampoo and body wash cannot be left in the bathroom
Mr Ye’s girlfriend also received frequent “friendly reminders” from the landlord not to close doors loudly or leave personal items in the bathroom.
Additionally, tenants were banned from using the living room or even switching on its lights, forcing Mr Ye to walk through the dark at night just to use the toilet.
What alarmed him most, however, was the presence of three surveillance cameras installed inside the unit — one of which was pointed in the direction of the bathroom.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
“It felt like we were being watched all the time,” he said, adding that the landlord often sent messages at 3am or 4am warning them not to violate the tenancy terms.
Couple moves out but deposit withheld
Unable to bear the constant scrutiny and restrictions, Mr Ye and his girlfriend moved out on 4 June — but their troubles didn’t end there.
On the day of their move, he allowed the movers to use the unit’s toilet, which the landlord claimed was a breach of contract.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
As a result, half of Mr Ye’s deposit was withheld.
“He only refunded about S$500 to me and claimed that, technically, I breached the contract and the full deposit should have been forfeited,” Mr Ye said.
Another tenant says wife had nightmares about landlord
Shin Min Daily News later managed to track down another tenant, Mr Lü, who also suffered under the same landlord’s extreme rules.
He and his wife moved in in March, only to be overwhelmed by the long list of conditions and the constant sense of being watched.
“It felt like we couldn’t do anything without being monitored,” he said. “The landlord could even tell you the exact minute you did something ‘wrong’ and then send you a warning.”
The pressure became so intense that Mr Lü’s wife began experiencing insomnia and even nightmares involving the landlord, sometimes waking up in a panic during the night.
The couple moved out on 6 June and are currently staying with relatives.
Failure to disclose cameras may breach privacy laws
A PropNex property agent told Shin Min Daily News that while landlords can include specific conditions in tenancy agreements, these must not break the law.
Tenants should read contracts carefully and clarify any unclear terms. As some clauses may be vague or subjective, he advised both parties to resolve disputes amicably, with agents mediating if needed.
That said, he warned that landlords who install surveillance cameras without disclosing them in the agreement could be violating privacy laws.
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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News.
