Documents you need to rent a home in Malaysia

Malaysian and PR tenants

• MyKad (IC), front and back
• Proof of income: your latest 3 months' payslips, or an employment letter stating your salary
• Bank statements, sometimes, especially if you've just started a new job
• Emergency contact details

Expats and foreign tenants

• Passport: the photo page and your current Malaysian pass or visa endorsement
• A valid pass: Employment Pass, Residence Pass-Talent, Dependant Pass, DE Rantau or similar
• Employment contract or offer letter showing your employer and salary
• Recent payslips, if you've already started work here

If your Employment Pass is still being processed, many landlords will accept your offer letter and proof of the application. Tell them upfront. See the expat renting guide for more.

Students

• MyKad or passport, plus your student pass if you're an international student
• Offer letter or student ID from your university or college
• A guarantor, usually a parent, with their IC and proof of income. Many landlords ask for one.

Self-employed and business owners

• MyKad or passport
• Business registration (SSM) documents
• 6 months' bank statements, or your latest income tax return

Renting in a company's name

If your employer is the tenant (a corporate lease), the landlord will usually want:

• The company's SSM company profile
• A letter of authorisation naming who signs for the company, plus that person's IC or passport
• Details of the occupant, meaning you

Check who is responsible for the deposit and for the property during the tenancy. With a corporate lease, that's usually the company.

Documents you should ask the landlord for

This is the step most tenants skip. Before you pay an earnest deposit, ask to see:

• The owner's IC or passport, and check the name matches the person you're paying
• Proof of ownership: a recent assessment or quit rent bill in the owner's name, or a land title search
• A letter of authorisation if someone else is renting it out for the owner, such as a family member or property manager
• The agent's REN card, which you can check on the LPEPH register

Protecting your personal documents

• Share copies, never originals.
• Write across each copy: “For tenancy application at Unit 12-3, Residensi Example, only. 1 Oct 2026.”. It makes misuse much harder.
• Send documents only to a verified agent or the owner, never to a number you found in a random listing.
• Under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010, anyone collecting your data must say what it's used for. It's fine to ask.