Security Deposit and Reinstatement Costs
Short answer: If you don't complete reinstatement, that's a breach of your lease, and SingaporeLegalAdvice.com's overview of common Singapore commercial lease terms says a landlord may then use your security deposit, typically equivalent to 3 months' gross rent, to cover the cost.
When the landlord can use the deposit
SingaporeLegalAdvice.com's overview of common Singapore commercial lease terms explains that if a tenant has breached any term of the lease, "the landlord may use the security deposit to offset any losses suffered as a result of the breach." Not completing your reinstatement obligation is a breach of the lease, so the same deposit, typically equivalent to 3 months' gross rent, is what a landlord would look to first to cover the cost.
This is exactly why the cost estimates in our reinstatement cost and timeline data page matter early in your tenancy planning, not just near lease end. A rough sense of your likely reinstatement bill lets you judge whether your deposit will actually cover it, well before you're under handover time pressure.
How to avoid a shortfall
Get quotes early enough that you have time to budget for the gap, if there is one. Our guide on the dilapidation and handover timeline recommends starting this process 2 to 3 months before lease expiry for a typical office reinstatement, longer for retail or F&B. Completing the work yourself, on your own schedule and with a contractor you chose, is also generally cheaper than letting the landlord complete it and deduct the (often higher) cost afterward.
Frequently asked questions
Can a landlord charge more than the reinstatement actually costs?
The lease should tie any deduction to actual reinstatement cost, not an arbitrary figure, but landlord-nominated contractor pricing can run higher than the market rate you'd get by shopping around. Requesting an itemised breakdown, and comparing it against independent quotes, is a reasonable check even when you don't get to choose the contractor.
Get quotes
Tell us about your space and lease end date and we will pass your details to reinstatement contractors.
Related guides
Sources
Checked July 2026.