diff --git a/Code/Mantid/Framework/Kernel/inc/MantidKernel/SingletonHolder.h b/Code/Mantid/Framework/Kernel/inc/MantidKernel/SingletonHolder.h
index e189b49c31cd..faca5f0c1c22 100644
--- a/Code/Mantid/Framework/Kernel/inc/MantidKernel/SingletonHolder.h
+++ b/Code/Mantid/Framework/Kernel/inc/MantidKernel/SingletonHolder.h
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ namespace Mantid
     class SingletonHolder
     {
     public:
+      /// Allow users to access to the type returned by Instance()
+      typedef T HeldType;
+
       static T& Instance();
 
     private:
diff --git a/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/inc/MantidPythonInterface/kernel/TrackingInstanceMethod.h b/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/inc/MantidPythonInterface/kernel/TrackingInstanceMethod.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1ed9b12a5487
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/inc/MantidPythonInterface/kernel/TrackingInstanceMethod.h
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+#ifndef MANTID_PYTHONINTERFACE_TRACKINGINSTANCEMETHOD_H_
+#define MANTID_PYTHONINTERFACE_TRACKINGINSTANCEMETHOD_H_
+
+/*
+    Copyright © 2014 ISIS Rutherford Appleton Laboratory & NScD Oak Ridge National Laboratory
+
+    This file is part of Mantid.
+
+    Mantid is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+    it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+    the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or
+    (at your option) any later version.
+
+    Mantid is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+    but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+    MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+    GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+    along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+    File change history is stored at: <https://github.com/mantidproject/mantid>
+    Code Documentation is available at: <http://doxygen.mantidproject.org>
+ */
+#include <boost/python/class.hpp>
+
+namespace Mantid
+{
+  namespace PythonInterface
+  {
+    /**
+     * Add an Instance() & __del__ method to the already exported python type.
+     * The methods track how many times instance() & __del__ are called and clear the
+     * SingletonType object when the count reaches zero.
+     * @tparam SingletonType The main SingletonHolder type. It is expected to have a nested type
+     *                       HeldType that defines the implementation
+     * @tparam PythonType The boost.python C++ exported type 
+     */
+    template<typename SingletonType, typename PythonType>
+    class TrackingInstanceMethod
+    {
+    /// Type returned by instance()
+    typedef typename SingletonType::HeldType InstanceType;
+
+    public:
+      /**
+       * Add the instance tracking methods
+       * @param classType The python type already exported using class_
+       */
+      static void define(PythonType & classType)
+      {
+        classType.def("__del__", &TrackingInstanceMethod::decref);
+        classType.def("Instance", &TrackingInstanceMethod::instance,
+                    return_value_policy<reference_existing_object>(),
+                    "Return a reference to the singleton instance");
+        classType.staticmethod("Instance");
+      }
+      
+      /**
+       * Increment reference count & return the singleton instance
+       * @return A reference to the InstanceType
+       */
+      static InstanceType &instance()
+      {
+        ++g_py_instance_count;
+        return SingletonType::Instance();
+      }
+      
+      /**
+       * @param self The calling object
+       */
+      static void decref(InstanceType & self)
+      {
+        --g_py_instance_count;
+        if (g_py_instance_count == 0)
+        {
+          self.clear();
+        }
+      }
+
+    private:
+      /// Track the number of calls to instance/decref
+      static size_t g_py_instance_count;
+    };
+    
+    /// Initialize static counter
+    template <typename T, typename S>
+    size_t TrackingInstanceMethod<T,S>::g_py_instance_count = 0;
+
+  }
+}
+
+#endif /* MANTID_PYTHONINTERFACE_TRACKINGINSTANCEMETHOD */
diff --git a/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/AlgorithmManager.cpp b/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/AlgorithmManager.cpp
index c501b5edb2e4..c71750cf2350 100644
--- a/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/AlgorithmManager.cpp
+++ b/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/AlgorithmManager.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "MantidAPI/AlgorithmManager.h"
 #include "MantidPythonInterface/api/AlgorithmIDProxy.h"
+#include "MantidPythonInterface/kernel/TrackingInstanceMethod.h"
 
 #include <boost/python/class.hpp>
 #include <boost/python/def.hpp>
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@
 
 using namespace Mantid::API;
 using Mantid::PythonInterface::AlgorithmIDProxy;
+using Mantid::PythonInterface::TrackingInstanceMethod;
 using namespace boost::python;
 
 namespace
@@ -66,7 +68,9 @@ namespace
 
 void export_AlgorithmManager()
 {
-  class_<AlgorithmManagerImpl,boost::noncopyable>("AlgorithmManagerImpl", no_init)
+  typedef class_<AlgorithmManagerImpl,boost::noncopyable> PythonType;
+
+  auto pythonClass = class_<AlgorithmManagerImpl,boost::noncopyable>("AlgorithmManagerImpl", no_init)
     .def("create", &AlgorithmManagerImpl::create, create_overloads((arg("name"), arg("version")), "Creates a managed algorithm."))
     .def("createUnmanaged", &AlgorithmManagerImpl::createUnmanaged,
         createUnmanaged_overloads((arg("name"), arg("version")), "Creates an unmanaged algorithm."))
@@ -83,9 +87,9 @@ void export_AlgorithmManager()
     .def("clear", &AlgorithmManagerImpl::clear, "Clears the current list of managed algorithms")
     .def("cancelAll", &AlgorithmManagerImpl::cancelAll,
          "Requests that all currently running algorithms be cancelled")
-
-    .def("Instance", &AlgorithmManager::Instance, return_value_policy<reference_existing_object>(),
-        "Returns a reference to the AlgorithmManager singleton")
-    .staticmethod("Instance")
   ;
+
+  // Instance method
+  TrackingInstanceMethod<AlgorithmManager, PythonType>::define(pythonClass);
+
 }
diff --git a/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/AnalysisDataService.cpp b/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/AnalysisDataService.cpp
index bdfebc28d73a..ffe453646bad 100644
--- a/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/AnalysisDataService.cpp
+++ b/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/AnalysisDataService.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "MantidPythonInterface/kernel/DataServiceExporter.h"
 #include "MantidPythonInterface/kernel/Registry/DowncastRegistry.h"
+#include "MantidPythonInterface/kernel/TrackingInstanceMethod.h"
 
 #include "MantidAPI/AnalysisDataService.h"
 #include "MantidAPI/Workspace.h"
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@
 
 using namespace Mantid::API;
 using Mantid::PythonInterface::DataServiceExporter;
+using Mantid::PythonInterface::TrackingInstanceMethod;
 using namespace Mantid::PythonInterface::Registry;
 using namespace boost::python;
 
@@ -68,22 +70,18 @@ namespace
 
 void export_AnalysisDataService()
 {
-
-  auto adsType = DataServiceExporter<AnalysisDataServiceImpl,
-                                     Workspace_sptr>::define("AnalysisDataServiceImpl");
+  typedef DataServiceExporter<AnalysisDataServiceImpl, Workspace_sptr> ADSExporter;
+  auto pythonClass = ADSExporter::define("AnalysisDataServiceImpl");
 
   // -- special ADS behaviour --
   // replace the add/addOrReplace,__setitem__ methods as we need to exact the exact stored type
-  adsType.def("add", &addItem,
+  pythonClass.def("add", &addItem,
        "Adds the given object to the service with the given name. If the name/object exists it will raise an error.");
-  adsType.def("addOrReplace", &addOrReplaceItem,
+  pythonClass.def("addOrReplace", &addOrReplaceItem,
        "Adds the given object to the service with the given name. The the name exists the object is replaced.");
-  adsType.def("__setitem__", &addOrReplaceItem);
+  pythonClass.def("__setitem__", &addOrReplaceItem);
 
-  // Add instance method for the ADS singleton
-  adsType.def("Instance", &AnalysisDataService::Instance,
-              return_value_policy<reference_existing_object>(),
-              "Return a reference to the ADS singleton");
-  adsType.staticmethod("Instance");
+  // Instance method
+  TrackingInstanceMethod<AnalysisDataService, typename ADSExporter::PythonType>::define(pythonClass);
 }
 
diff --git a/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/PropertyManagerDataService.cpp b/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/PropertyManagerDataService.cpp
index d2955e3d301c..65cab60bf180 100644
--- a/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/PropertyManagerDataService.cpp
+++ b/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/api/src/Exports/PropertyManagerDataService.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "MantidPythonInterface/kernel/DataServiceExporter.h"
+#include "MantidPythonInterface/kernel/TrackingInstanceMethod.h"
 
 #include "MantidAPI/PropertyManagerDataService.h"
 #include "MantidKernel/PropertyManager.h"
@@ -7,6 +8,8 @@
 
 using namespace Mantid::API;
 using namespace Mantid::Kernel;
+using Mantid::PythonInterface::DataServiceExporter;
+using Mantid::PythonInterface::TrackingInstanceMethod;
 using namespace boost::python;
 
 /// Weak pointer to DataItem typedef
@@ -14,15 +17,14 @@ typedef boost::weak_ptr<PropertyManager> PropertyManager_wptr;
 
 void export_PropertyManagerDataService()
 {
-  using Mantid::PythonInterface::DataServiceExporter;
 
   register_ptr_to_python<PropertyManager_wptr>();
-  auto pmdType = DataServiceExporter<PropertyManagerDataServiceImpl,
-                                     PropertyManager_sptr>::define("PropertyManagerDataServiceImpl");
 
- pmdType.def("Instance", &PropertyManagerDataService::Instance,
-             return_value_policy<reference_existing_object>(),
-             "Return a reference to the ADS singleton");
- pmdType.staticmethod("Instance");
+  typedef DataServiceExporter<PropertyManagerDataServiceImpl, PropertyManager_sptr> PMDExporter;
+  auto pmdType = PMDExporter::define("PropertyManagerDataServiceImpl");
+  
+  // Instance method
+  TrackingInstanceMethod<PropertyManagerDataService, typename PMDExporter::PythonType>::define(pmdType);
+
 }
 
diff --git a/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/kernel/CMakeLists.txt b/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
index 9de90f326cc1..fa48f236c134 100644
--- a/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Code/Mantid/Framework/PythonInterface/mantid/kernel/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ set ( INC_FILES
   ${HEADER_DIR}/kernel/PropertyWithValueExporter.h
   ${HEADER_DIR}/kernel/PythonObjectInstantiator.h
   ${HEADER_DIR}/kernel/StlExportDefinitions.h
+  ${HEADER_DIR}/kernel/TrackingInstanceMethod.h
   ${HEADER_DIR}/kernel/TypedValidatorExporter.h
 )
 
diff --git a/Code/Mantid/MantidQt/CustomInterfaces/test/CMakeLists.txt b/Code/Mantid/MantidQt/CustomInterfaces/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 68f05f3c316c..4b639417edcf 100644
--- a/Code/Mantid/MantidQt/CustomInterfaces/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Code/Mantid/MantidQt/CustomInterfaces/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -6,11 +6,10 @@ if ( CXXTEST_FOUND )
   set ( TESTHELPER_SRCS ../../../Framework/TestHelpers/src/ComponentCreationHelper.cpp 
                         ../../../Framework/TestHelpers/src/WorkspaceCreationHelper.cpp
                         ../../../Framework/TestHelpers/src/ScopedFileHelper.cpp
-                        )
+                        ../../../Framework/TestHelpers/src/TearDownWorld.cpp
+      )
 
   if ( GMOCK_FOUND AND GTEST_FOUND )
-    set ( TESTHELPER_SRCS ../../../Framework/TestHelpers/src/TearDownWorld.cpp )
-
     cxxtest_add_test ( CustomInterfacesTest ${TEST_FILES} ${GMOCK_TEST_FILES} )
     target_link_libraries( CustomInterfacesTest CustomInterfaces DataObjects ${GMOCK_LIBRARIES} ${GTEST_LIBRARIES} )
     add_dependencies( CustomInterfacesTest MDAlgorithms )