Huttons Asia

Use agency scale for inventory breadth, then judge the agent on response time and contract hygiene. Never skip reading the tenancy agreement because someone is 'in a hurry.' On tenant representation, insist on a CEA prescribed Estate Agency Agreement that states commission, GST, and whether renewal attracts a further fee — there is no statutory rate, and surprise year-two invoices are a recurring expat complaint. Landlord’s agents who demand tenant commission while also being paid by the owner are a CEA dual-rep red flag — verify who engaged whom in writing and report with evidence if both sides paid the same salesperson. Push for written clarity on professional cleaning, curtain dry-clean, and pest / defect-free wording before you sign — end-of-lease invoice theatre starts in the LOI. On the buy side, treat ABSD and BSD timelines as critical path — foreigners often underestimate cash due within days of the OTP. Ask whether the agent has closed FTA-remission purchases before if you are US or EFTA-national; process mistakes are expensive at 60% ABSD. Pay the agency with a receipt; dual commission from both sides of one deal is an offence.