Rental & property management
Rent out your Penang property — and never think about it again
Full rental and management for local and overseas owners. A licensed agent finds the tenant, handles the tenancy, and manages the property — so a unit in Penang works for you whether you live down the road or on the other side of the world. The agent fee is one month's rent for a one-year tenancy, and you know exactly what you keep before you start.
Most owners rent on a one-year tenancy — the standard in Penang. A lease usually means a longer commitment, around three years, more common for commercial space or a corporate tenant. Either way, the work is the same and I'll set the term that fits your unit and tenant.
📲 Talk to Zac on WhatsAppWho this is for
Local or overseas, the service is the same — the difference is how much of it you need.
Local owners
You have a unit, a job, and no time to chase a leaking tap or a late payment. Hand the whole tenancy over — finding the tenant, the agreement, the collection, the maintenance — and get a monthly statement, not a monthly headache.
Overseas owners
You bought in Penang and you live abroad. You need eyes on the property, a person the tenant can reach, and someone who keeps the tenancy running while you are half a world away. That is precisely what full management is for.
MM2H & foreign investors
Buying to hold and rent out is a common MM2H strategy, and the rental and management runs the same whether you live here or visit. A quick word with a tax agent on your residency status is worth having — but the day-to-day is handled for you either way.
How it works
Right rent, not the highest number
A frank rental assessment from recent tenancies in your building and area — the number that finds a good tenant quickly, not an inflated one that leaves your unit empty for months.
Find and screen the tenant
Marketed to the right pool — expats, professionals, corporate leases — across this site, PropertyGuru and iProperty. Every applicant is checked: employment, references, and who is actually going to live there.
Tenancy done properly
A tenancy agreement that protects you, correctly stamped, with the deposit structure and handover inventory documented. The paperwork most disputes come down to, handled before the keys change hands.
Ongoing management
Rent collection, repairs, tenant issues, renewals and the annual condition check. For an overseas owner, this is the part that matters most — someone on the ground who answers the phone when the aircon fails.
What full management covers
Take the whole thing, or just the tenant search — your call.
Tenant sourcing & screening
The right tenant is the whole game. Marketed, shown, and vetted before anyone signs.
Rent collection
Rent in on time, remitted to you, with a clear statement. Chasing late payment is our problem, not yours.
Maintenance & repairs
A trusted network of contractors for the aircon, plumbing and electrical issues that always come at the worst time.
Renewals & inspections
Tenancy renewals negotiated, annual condition checks done, and the property kept in the state you left it.
What renting out actually costs, and what you keep
Worked on a RM3,000/month unit — a typical Penang island condo rented out, RM36,000 a year. Every line is a published scale or a verified rate, and the same one-year tenancy nets a Malaysian and a foreign owner very differently.
| Item | Malaysian owner | Foreign owner |
|---|---|---|
| Annual rent | RM36,000 | RM36,000 |
| Agent fee, one-offOne month's rent for a one-year tenancy | −RM3,000 | −RM3,000 |
| Tenancy stamp dutyStamp Act scale on the full annual rent, plus a RM10 duplicate copy | −RM154 | −RM154 |
| Tenancy agreement, one-offPreparation of the agreement — typically RM200–800 for this size | −RM400 | −RM400 |
| Roughly what you keep, year one | RM32,446 | RM32,446 |
Rental income is taxable, and how much you pay depends on your residency, not your passport. A Malaysian or Malaysia-resident owner is taxed on the ordinary scale; a non-resident owner is taxed at a flat rate. Either way it is charged on your net rent — after deductions like loan interest, repairs, assessment, quit rent and this agent fee — not on the gross. The exact figure is a question for your tax agent, and it is worth asking before you model the yield.
Sources. Agent fee: one month's rent for a one-year tenancy (REN 64593, the common Penang market rate). Tenancy stamp duty: Stamp Act 1949, First Schedule — the former RM2,400 exemption was removed January 2025, so it is charged on the full annual rent. Tenancy-agreement preparation varies by preparer. Rental income tax depends on residency and is charged on net rent — confirm your position with a tax agent. This is general information from a licensed estate agent, not tax advice.
Disclaimer. This is a worked illustration on one example unit, not a quote or a rental appraisal. Your actual figures depend on the rent achieved, your costs, your residency for tax and the specific property — and the tenancy and tax rules can change. Nothing here is financial, tax or legal advice. Confirm your own numbers with a licensed tax agent before you rely on them.
If you own in Penang and live abroad
An empty unit costs you money every month. A badly-let one costs you more — a tenant nobody screened, a deposit dispute nobody documented, a repair nobody attended. Distance makes every one of those harder to fix.
Full management is the answer to distance: a licensed agent on the ground who finds and vets the tenant, stamps the tenancy correctly, collects the rent, handles the repairs, and keeps the paperwork and the tax position tidy for you. You get a clear statement and a property that stays in good order, without a 3am phone call in the wrong time zone.
📲 Discuss overseas managementCommon questions
How do I rent out my property in Penang?
Engage a licensed agent to price it against recent tenancies in your building, market and screen tenants, and prepare a stamped tenancy agreement. Zac Ong (REN 64593) handles the whole process, and optional full management adds rent collection, maintenance and renewals afterwards — which is what most overseas owners take.
How much does a property agent charge to rent out a property in Penang?
The common Penang market rate, and the rate Zac charges, is one month’s rent for a one-year tenancy. That covers finding and screening the tenant and preparing and stamping the tenancy agreement. Ongoing full management is arranged separately.
Can you manage my Penang property if I live overseas?
Yes — full property management is built for overseas owners. Tenant sourcing, the tenancy agreement, rent collection, repairs, renewals and inspections are all handled on the ground with a clear statement to you. You do not need to be in Malaysia at any point.
How is my rental income taxed if I am a foreign owner in Malaysia?
Rental income is taxable, and how much you pay turns on your residency for tax rather than your nationality. It is charged on your net rent — after deductions like loan interest, repairs, assessment, quit rent and the agent fee — not on the gross. The exact rate is a question for your tax agent, worth confirming before you model the yield; the renting and management runs the same either way.
Do you handle the tenancy agreement and deposit?
Yes. A tenancy agreement that protects you, correctly stamped under the Stamp Act, with the standard deposit structure (typically two months’ rent plus half a month utility deposit) and a documented handover inventory. Most tenancy disputes trace back to paperwork that was skipped — this is where they are prevented.
What areas of Penang do you cover for rental and management?
Across Penang Island — Tanjung Tokong, Tanjung Bungah, Gurney Drive, Pulau Tikus, Bayan Lepas, George Town and the central corridor — and selected Seberang Perai mainland stock. If you are unsure whether your building is one Zac actively manages, just ask.
Thinking of selling instead? See how I sell in Penang. Weighing whether to rent short-term? Read whether a foreigner can rent out Penang property and the short-term rental income tool. Selling later? The RPGT rates and retention decide what you keep.
Ready to let your property?
Tell me the building and the unit, and I'll give you an honest rent, a clear fee, and a plan to have it tenanted well.
📲 Message Zac on WhatsApp