A Yishun “Landlord” Who’s Not a Landlord Took $1,000 Deposit & Allegedly Banished a Knife When Prospect Requested Deposit Back

Yes, it’s Yishun again.

And yes, it’s a Yishun condominium again.

Unlike the previous news of a Singapore family moving out overnight from a Yishun condominium, this latest news involves a rental dispute as well, but it’s about…a “landlord” who’s actually not a landlord.

Here’s what happened.

A Yishun “Landlord” Who’s Not a Landlord Took $1,000 Deposit & Allegedly Banished a Knife When Prospect Requested Deposit Back

A couple’s attempt to recover their $1,000 rental deposit sparked a physical altercation with a “tenant” at a Yishun condominium last Sunday night.

The incident, which occurred around 7 PM on November 10, led to multiple police interventions.

According to Shin Min Daily News, the male prospective tenant, Mr Chen, 41, is  a renovation contractor who has lived in Singapore for about 10 years since moving from China’s Jiangsu province.

He had spotted an attractive rental listing on 13 October.

You see, the listing featured a four-bedroom, three-bathroom unit priced at $4,200 monthly – nearly $1,000 less than his current rent.

He contacted the poster that same evening at 9 PM.

The poster identified herself as a tenant who was subletting the unit. “She said she could sublet the apartment to me once she got the owner’s permission,” Mr Chen said.

After viewing photos and videos of the unit that night, he transferred a $1,000 deposit via PayNow.

Wait, what?

A week later, the deal fell through when the main landlord reportedly refused to allow subletting, as the woman had only been renting for a month.

When Mr Chen requested his deposit back, he received no refund.

The situation boiled over when Mr Chen and his wife visited the condominium last Sunday evening with the woman’s permission.

But as you’d have expected, it didn’t turn out well.

The discussion turned violent, with both his wife and the woman claiming the other party struck first.

Video footage shows a woman in a white dress holding a fruit knife in one hand and a phone in the other, while M  Chen’s wife can be heard shouting in the background.

Police confirmed they arrested a 45-year-old woman for criminal intimidation at the scene. They also seized a knife as evidence.

A 47-year-old woman is helping with investigations for alleged voluntary causing hurt.

Moral of the story?

If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.