Record the number of keys, cards and remotes handed over. For digital locks, clarify routine battery replacement and report faults early rather than waiting until access is lost.
Start with the document
Check the signed tenancy agreement, inventory and any written amendments or messages that form part of the arrangement. The exact facts and wording matter.
Keep evidence
Keep relevant photos, receipts, payment records and messages. Good records make it much easier to establish what happened and what was agreed.
Resolve it clearly
Communicate the issue and proposed solution clearly. If both sides agree to change an existing arrangement, record that agreement in writing.
Who pays for a missing access card?
A tenant loses a card while a digital lock battery also fails.
What to do next
- Check the inventory and lock clauses.
- Ask MCST about authorised replacement.
- Keep receipts and approvals.
JC’s practical takeaway: Different causes may mean different cost responsibility.
General Singapore rental information only; not legal advice. Rules and individual contracts can change. Check the latest official guidance where relevant.
Who pays when an access card goes missing?
Only one gate remote is handed over, although the inventory lists two. Months later the landlord asks the tenant to replace the missing remote.
What I would check next
- Count keys, remotes and access cards at move-in and move-out.
- Record shortages immediately in the signed inventory.
- Check MCST replacement fees and authorisation requirements.
- Confirm whether the missing item was supplied before allocating replacement costs.
JC's takeaway: Check the applicable rules and signed agreement, then confirm decisions in writing.
Who pays for a lost access card or faulty digital lock?
A tenant loses an access card while a digital lock fails from ordinary use.
What I would check first
Check the inventory and relevant clause; contact MCST for replacement-card rules; assess whether the lock failed through wear, batteries or misuse.
JC's practical takeaway: Record exactly which keys, remotes and access cards were handed over.