How to rent Black and White houses in Singapore

 Ever dream about living in a Black and White house?

What are Black and White houses?

Black and White houses are colonial houses that have Tudorbethan style architecture design with local influences from Malay Kampong houses. They are often designed with high ceilings for ventilation and can be easily distinguished by their dark timber beams and whitewash walls. 

They are a part of Singapore's heritage, with only around 500 remains in Singapore. These houses were built by British officials and military personnel for residential uses between 1903 and 1928 and are often found in prime neighbourhoods or close to areas where the British had air and naval bases. When they left, the houses were sold to the Government. Today, Singapore Land Auhority.

Source: SLA

These houses usually have 5000 square feet or build space and often more than 30,000 square feet of land. The magnificent plot could even outshine some Good Class bungalows in Singapore. They are not for sale but you can rent one from SLA. SLA manages about 262 of such bungalows with media size of 38,000 sqft and median rental of $13,000 as of Aug 2022.

How to Rent Black and White Houses

Every once in a while, some units will be released on SLA website. To get one do the following.

1 Visit SLA Website
Any available black and white houses for rent will be posted on the SLA website.

2 Contact the Managing Agent

If you see a unit you are interested in, contact the managing agent whose contact details are in the listing. You can arrange for an appointment to view the property and select time. 

3) Submit a bid

Print the bidding form and submit the necessary documents to the agent.

4 Wait for news

Once done, SLA will evaluate the tender. You may need to attend a tender interview if necessary

5 Sign tenancy agreement, pay deposit and stamp duties

Once approved, sign the prescribed tenancy agreement. You also need to prepare a month's rental in advance, three months worth of secucirty deposit, stamp duties and administrative fess.

Points to note

No Predetermine Rental

Monthly Rent is not disclosed, you have to submit a bid and if accepted it is your monthly rental. Based on 2022, average rental is about $13,000 per month and can be as high as $20,000. Given the size of the land, it is a steal if you get one.

Depending on location, you might be lucky enough to be the sole bidder.

A Blank Canvas

Source: SLA

Black and White houses are not turnkey. They are usually  vacant with minimal white goods. That means no water heaters and air cons in some cases. While rent is cheap, you would need to budget for major renovation.

Open to Foreigners

While Foreigners cannot buy landed properties on the main land without approval, these houses are available for rent.

Property Guru Listing are not the real Black and White Houses

If you are thinking of heading to Property Guru to rent instead of SLA, do note that most are Black and White inspired properties and are not necessarily the real deal.

Should you rent one?

If you are looking for space and want to save on rental, Black and White Houses gives more bang for the buck. While you probably need to renovate first before it is liveable, it is small fee to pay for exclusivity in Singapore.

Want to rent one now?

Source SLA

There is a Black and White House available for rent from SLA  at 5 Seton Close. The property is located just opposite St Regis Hotel with Orchid Road a 5 minutes walk away. 

Closing date fore Property Biddng is 29 May. Viewing is available from 27 May.

Check out the listing here.

 You can also check out previous Black and White Bunglows released by SLA on their Tiktok Channel.

@singaporelandauthority This is #HeritageLivingSLA experience at its finest. With 83,000 sq ft of land, there’s enough space for everyone in the family and more in this colonial bungalow at 24 Mount Rosie Road. Spacious and grand are the right words to describe this beautiful stately home. For more info, visit https://app.sla.gov.sg/spio/preview/SLP2023020001R #rental #singapore #colonial #stateproperty #home #architecture #heritage ♬ original sound - Singapore Land Authority (SLA)