Renting a home usually comes with several upfront costs, but one Malaysian woman recently found herself questioning whether one particular fee should even be her responsibility.
Her experience has since gone viral, sparking debate over whether tenants should be paying agent fees when securing a rental.
“Agent fees is it by me? Or owner?”
In a series of screenshots shared online, the woman showed her conversation with a property agent who provided a breakdown of rental costs for a unit.
The list included:
- One month advance rental of RM1,200
- One month earnest deposit of RM1,200
- Utilities deposit of RM600
- Indah Water fee of RM180
- Access cards costing RM50 each
However, what stood out was an additional charge labelled “Agent commission + 8% (SST) = RM1,296”, along with RM210 for agreement fees.
Wanting clarity, she asked the agent directly:
“Agent fees is it by me? Or owner?”
The agent replied:
“By you ya.”
Pushback after citing what she knows about the law
Unconvinced, the woman explained that based on her understanding, the fee should instead be paid by the property owner.
She then added that she would verify the matter with a lawyer before proceeding.
While the agent initially responded calmly, the conversation took a turn when she asked which agency the agent represented.
Agent refuses to disclose agency, tells her to look elsewhere
Instead of providing the information, the agent responded firmly and refused to reveal their agency, stating:
“If you are not willing to pay agent fees, then please find other agent… no need for your lawyer to know which agency I’m from.”
The exchange ended shortly after, with the woman sharing the screenshots online to seek opinions from others.
Guidelines say fees should come from whoever appoints the agent
As the post gained traction, many netizens pointed to existing guidelines from the Board of Valuers, Appraisers, Estate Agents and Property Managers.
According to the circular, an agent should only collect fees from the person who appoints them, which is typically the property owner.
This has led many to argue that tenants should not be the ones bearing the cost if they did not engage the agent’s services.
“By law under owner”, but reality may differ
Several netizens echoed this understanding, with one commenting:
“By law it’s under owner not tenant, can report as well.”
However, others pointed out that in reality, especially in places like Penang, tenants are often still expected to pay.
Some shared that it can be difficult to find listings directly from homeowners, leaving renters with little choice but to accept the extra charges.
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