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The responsibilities of a property agent end once the tenancy agreement has been signed, but one Ina Sultan recently went the extra mile for her client, when she found 11 tenants staying in their flat.

According to HDB rules, in 3-room HDB flats and larger, a maximum of six tenants is allowed.

The property agent from ERA Realty Network had to advise the tenants to move out as this constitutes overcrowding. And she did it while speaking in flawless Mandarin.

Ina shared her experience in a series of three videos on Tiktok.

Tenants: Maybe we can come back after HDB checks?

In the earliest video posted on Feb. 11, Ina is shown conversing with the tenants in the flat.

@inasultan Its important to find a solution to protect my clients. This is after 1hr of talking, the tenants said they put in more people to share the high rental cost now. We want to help but we are bound to HDB rules too. #tanyakakina #kakinaejenrumah #hdb #hdbagent #Sellbuyrent #hdbsg #condosg #landedsg #sgproperty #sgpropertyagent #sghouseagent #buying #res #sgrealtor #erashielddivision #malaysg #tiktoksg #sgtiktok #rental #overcrowding ♬ original sound - ina_sultan

The tenants suggest to Ina that they can evacuate the extra tenants when HDB performs their spot checks, then let them back in after HDB leaves.

In Mandarin, Ina emphatically explains, "No, they (HDB) have already checked. On Monday, they want to see that you (extra tenants) have moved out."

"So must we immediately move out?" a tenant asks, "Can we move out tomorrow?"

Ina responds firmly, "I (previously) told you that you needed to move out by today. Since you haven't, I can give you another day, but you must definitely do it because I need to lock (the house)."

She also tells them that it is not reasonable to expect her to come down daily to check on them.

Tenants mentioned high rental costs

In her caption for the video, Ina noted that the tenants talked to her for one hour, even pleading that they had to sublet to extra tenants because of the increase in rental costs.

While she was sympathetic and wanted to help, she said that property agents like her were bound by HDB rules too.

In the comments for the video, a few commenters expressed admiration for her language skills:

One commenter expressed surprise at the sheer number of people staying in that unit.

Others praised her for going the extra mile as a property agent.

Evicting tenants "difficult", and there may be "fights or tears"

In a follow-up video posted on Feb. 12, Ina returned to the HDB unit one day after giving them the reminder, to check whether the extra tenants had moved out yet.

@inasultan Goosebumps lah! #tanyakakina #kakinaejenrumah #hdb #hdbagent #Sellbuyrent #hdbsg #condosg #landedsg #sgproperty #sgpropertyagent #sghouseagent #buying #res #sgrealtor #erashielddivision #malaysg #tiktoksg #sgtiktok #rental #overcrowding #kickout #part2 ♬ original sound - ina_sultan

She also provided more context on the situation.

Property agents asked to take action

According to her, HDB was made aware of the overcrowding situation and had asked the property agents on both sides to take action.

This is because the owner who rented out the unit to the tenants lived overseas, while the appointed Power of Attorney was away on a short trip.

Ina shared that she has handled such situations "dozens of times", but she feels a sense of nervousness every time.

She added that these situations can be difficult to handle, because there "may be fights, and people might be in tears".

Family members as 'bodyguards'

For the sake of safety, Ina involves her family members.

Ina said that she opted to bring along her son and husband for protection in tense situations. She referred to them as her "bouncers" or "bodyguards".

While she empathised with the tenants' struggles, Ina tries to find ways to compromise, like giving them more time to find a new place to stay.

Ultimately, she hopes that the issue can be settled amicably and that the tenants will move out quickly, given that her client (the owner) is quite "worried".

Unauthorised rental is viewed seriously by HDB. Punishments for errant owners include financial penalties of up to S$50,000, and in the most serious cases, having their flats repossessed by HDB.

Negotiations successful

Her efforts in negotiating with the tenants appears to have been successful, because in her third video posted on Feb. 13, Ina arrived at the flat to find that the tenants had cleared the place out.

@inasultan Owners overseas. POA overseas. When HDB reports overcrowding, u must ask them to leave soonest, so owners dont get SAMAN or worse, HSE REPOSSESSED. Sorry dear tenants, we wish u well. #tanyakakina #kakinaejenrumah #hdb #hdbagent #Sellbuyrent #hdbsg #condosg #landedsg #sgproperty #sgpropertyagent #sghouseagent #buying #res #sgrealtor #erashielddivision #malaysg #tiktoksg #sgtiktok #rental #illegal #part3 ♬ My Heart Will Go On (Instrumental) - Jack Ontario Soundorchestra

Furniture, appliances, and personal belongings could be seen strewn on the floor outside the flat and even across the void deck downstairs.

Workers from the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council were also on hand to dispose of the discarded items.

In a note on the video, Ina reminded prospective tenants and landlords to check the regulations before renting, as well as to make sure their paperwork is in order.

She also offered her well-wishes to the tenants of that unit.

MND: Owners must comply with the occupancy cap when renting to tenants

In a written answer from the Ministry of National Development (MND) in Nov. 2022, MND stated that HDB flats are primarily meant for owner-occupation.

Flat owners must seek HDB’s approval before renting out their flats, and must comply with the terms and conditions for flat rental, including the occupancy cap.

This serves to minimise the potential unpleasantness caused by overcrowding in public housing estates, and maintain a conducive living environment for all residents.

HDB also investigates public feedback received on suspected infringement and carries out regular flat inspections for suspected cases.

Top image via Ina Sultan on Tiktok.