Handyman Fixes Worth Doing Before You Hand Back a Rental
A small repair done now usually costs less than the same repair deducted from your deposit at your landlord's contractor's rates. Here's where to start.
The short answer
- Check firstsome repairs are the landlord's to do
- Fixholes, taps, sealant, bulbs, hinges and drains
- Leaveelectrical work to a licensed electrician
Fix what a landlord's inspection will notice: holes in walls, marks, dripping taps, mouldy sealant, blown bulbs, loose hinges and slow drains. Most are straightforward to do yourself, or cheap to have done. Check your tenancy agreement first — some repairs are the landlord's responsibility, and some agreements restrict alterations such as repainting. Leave anything electrical beyond a light bulb to a licensed electrician.
Before you start: check who pays
Many Singapore tenancy agreements make the tenant responsible for minor repairs up to a set amount per repair, with larger repairs falling to the landlord unless the tenant caused the damage. Some also prohibit alterations — painting, drilling — without the landlord's consent. Read yours before you fix anything: it tells you what you need to do, and what you shouldn't touch. The tenancy handover checklist covers which clauses to look for.
Walls: holes, marks and touch-ups
Nail and screw holes
The single most common handover repair. Fill each hole, let the filler dry, sand it flush, and touch up with matching paint. If you don't know the colour, ask the landlord or agent before you guess — a patch that's slightly off can look worse than the hole.
Wall fixtures you put up
Shelves, TV brackets, curtain rods, hooks: unless the landlord has agreed in writing that they can stay, take them down and patch the holes.
Scuffs and marks
Many come off with a melamine sponge and a little water. Test a small area first — on flat or matte paint, scrubbing can leave a shiny patch that's more noticeable than the mark itself.
Kitchen and bathrooms
Mouldy or peeling silicone
Discoloured sealant around sinks, basins, bathtubs and shower screens is one of the first things an inspection notices. If cleaning doesn't shift it, cut out the old silicone, clean and dry the surface completely, and run a new bead.
Grout
Dirty grout often comes clean with a grout brush and cleaner. Grout that's cracked or missing needs redoing.
Dripping taps and running toilets
A dripping tap usually needs a new washer or cartridge; a toilet that keeps running usually needs a new flush valve or seal. Both are quick jobs — just turn off the water supply first.
Slow drains and floor traps
Clear hair and debris from floor traps and sink drains. A drain that's still slow after that may need a plumber rather than more chemicals.
Doors, cabinets and fittings
- Loose or sagging hinges on doors and cabinets — usually just a matter of tightening, or fitting longer screws where the old holes have worn.
- Cabinet doors that don't line up — most concealed hinges have adjustment screws.
- Broken handles and knobs — replace with a matching part if you can find one.
- Curtain tracks and blinds that have come loose or stopped running smoothly.
- Locks — check every door and window lock works, and that you have every key to hand back.
Lights and the aircon
Replace any blown bulbs with the same type and colour as the rest of the room, so the new one doesn't stand out. If the aircon is due for servicing under your agreement, have it done before handover and keep the receipt. What servicing involves.
What not to do yourself
Electrical work beyond changing a bulb — replacing a switch or power point, new wiring, anything at the distribution board — should be done by a licensed electrical worker. The same goes for anything involving gas. It isn't worth the risk, and a botched repair can cost you more of your deposit than the original problem.
It's also worth getting someone in for jobs where a poor result is worse than no attempt at all: regrouting a whole bathroom, repainting a full wall, or anything involving water behind a wall.
Keep a record
Photograph each repair once it's done, and keep receipts for parts and any work you paid for. If the landlord later questions something, you can show what was fixed and when. Then book the move-out clean for after the repairs, so any dust or filler residue gets cleaned up too.
Common questions
Should I repaint before handing back a rental?
Not usually the whole flat — normal fading is wear and tear. Touch up marks and patched holes in the matching colour, and check your agreement first, as some prohibit repainting without the landlord's consent.
Who pays for repairs in a rental?
It depends on the agreement. Many Singapore tenancy agreements make the tenant responsible for minor repairs up to a set amount, with larger repairs falling to the landlord unless the tenant caused the damage.
Can I leave wall fixtures I installed, like shelves or a TV bracket?
Only if the landlord agrees in writing. Otherwise, remove them, then patch and touch up the holes before the inspection.
Is electrical work something I can do myself?
Changing a bulb, yes. Anything beyond that — new points, rewiring, or work at the distribution board — should be done by a licensed electrical worker.