Landlady refusing to give 130,000 baht deposit back after moving out-what can I do?

[ujayujay]

Go to Police and tell the Facts. They normally help in such cases! My Experience: Once my Landlord came with the "have no Money" Story. After Police called him, he came to pay 120k cash! Alternatively you can sell the bill to your local Loanshark..... 

[tomauasia]

On 1/13/2021 at 4:05 PM, mangyH2obuffalo said:

I moved out the end of August.  The place was arranged by an agency, so I guess they will file some lawsuit or something on my behalf.  Is there anything I can do to have more teeth?  I had remembered someone saying before I could tell her I am going to file a complaint with such and such agency because most property owners don't pay their taxes and notifying such and such agency would put a squeeze on her to give me my money back.

 

I want to name and shame but the defamation law here could bite me.  Maybe when I leave the country I will before I relocate.

 

 A rich girl who mommy and daddy gave a property to rent out.  She is horrible with money and wrote us a threatening letter after we paid the first months rent.  We paid it on time according to the date written in the contract and had to show her.......a real idiot.  In our last month there she constantly sent potential new buyers to our place without any notice.  These things are a bit off topic, but add to the anger of her overall behavior.......

 

Anyways, if you have been in this situation or know what to do please share.......please 130,000 baht is a lot of money. ????   It was a nice apartment arranged by my wife's employer.

First make a written police report and you should have taken pictures of the property 

Then go to a cheap lawyer send her a letter 

[grego49]

17 hours ago, VyacheslavKHV said:

For 9 years here, it was only once, when the landlord tried to keep the deposit (75k), fixed by one call to my friend in the police. Got my money 15 minutes after. 

 

You should go to police,  better with Thai friend. Explain them situation and offer tips. Will be done faster than you can imagine.  

If you don't have any, PM me i will give you my guy contact,  he will help. 

 

Its the way to go,,,,

[DUNROAMIN]

As a farang here in Thailand, kiss your money good bye, anyway, who pays 130K for bond money, did you rent a whole hotel??

[Nout]

130k? Deposit? 130k? An Agency? Wife's employer?...The mind boggles!

[brianthainess]

7 hours ago, madmen said:

  On 1/13/2021 at 3:19 PM, mangyH2obuffalo said:

She simply says that she doesn't have the money.

Does she own a car ? if so she has the money.

[Captor]

9 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

That is an astonishingly high deposit. Wow. Have your attorney draft a letter, threatening to sue her. A good place to start. Ask her earnestly, if she has anything of value, to give you in lieu of the debt. Gold, a used car, etc. If not, stay on her like white on rice. In the past I have had people who owed me money. Nearly always, I was able to collect. Rarely did I ever go to court. I kept up relentless pressure on them. I used social media, I used their relatives, their tenants, whatever angle I could find to increase the pressure, increase the hurt, the shame, the embarrassment, the guilt. It nearly always works. The last thing in the world you should do is take off the pressure. Keep on hammering her, in every way imaginable. She will likely succumb. It is very likely she has the money, or can easily get her hands on the money, to take care of her legal obligation to you, but she likely thinks you do not have much recourse, and you will back down. 

 

The last guy who tried to steal some money from me, when he paid me back in cash, in full, told me that the only reason I got my money back, is that he needed to get his life back. It became a game for me. It looks two full years. But, it was almost fun, by the end. A real challenge. 

Now it is forbidden to talk about this issues in social media. For example mention the depth on Facebook. It is forbidden to make them loose their face.  So I think it is harder now. Maybe go to their workplace and stand outside things like that is still not forbidden. But that takes more of your time.

[snowgard]

The right agency it the consumer protection board.

They have a office in the city hall on the north pattaya road opposite of Tesco Lotus.

https://www.ocpb.go.th/ewtadmin/ewt/ocpb_en/main.php?filename=index___EN

[Captor]

If you in the end not get your money back then maybe you can talk with her about the taxes she need to pay for that income.  Talk with the tax agency because she has for sure not mentioned that money or the rent.

[Scott]

Troll post reported and removed.

 

[richard_smith237]

9 hours ago, PGSan said:

21 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Peoples requirements are different.

Sure, but such a large deposit does sound a bit OTT.

 

Not really -  Two months deposit on a 65,000 baht rent is 130,000 baht - not uncommon at all. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kensawadee]

On 1/13/2021 at 12:19 AM, mangyH2obuffalo said:

She simply says that she doesn't have the money.

Tell her then to just give you the keys for her BMW and BENZ till she gets the money for you.

[hgma]

of course you have a receipt,

then write her your demand without threats.

you want to resolve this peacefully,

if she refuse, get a lawyer and go to court.

 

[arick]

On 1/13/2021 at 3:05 PM, mangyH2obuffalo said:

I moved out the end of August.  The place was arranged by an agency, so I guess they will file some lawsuit or something on my behalf.  Is there anything I can do to have more teeth?  I had remembered someone saying before I could tell her I am going to file a complaint with such and such agency because most property owners don't pay their taxes and notifying such and such agency would put a squeeze on her to give me my money back.

 

I want to name and shame but the defamation law here could bite me.  Maybe when I leave the country I will before I relocate.

 

 A rich girl who mommy and daddy gave a property to rent out.  She is horrible with money and wrote us a threatening letter after we paid the first months rent.  We paid it on time according to the date written in the contract and had to show her.......a real idiot.  In our last month there she constantly sent potential new buyers to our place without any notice.  These things are a bit off topic, but add to the anger of her overall behavior.......

 

Anyways, if you have been in this situation or know what to do please share.......please 130,000 baht is a lot of money. ????   It was a nice apartment arranged by my wife's employer.

Can just file a civil case. Easy to do with a Thai lawyer for 20,000 you can come to an arrangement. There is nothing to do with defamation. Until it goes to an appeal court then past  to a criminal case. Which would never happen for a deposit. I hope it was a nice penthouse for that deposit. With corvid many court are closed and cases are postponed. 

[arick]

4 hours ago, Captor said:

If you in the end not get your money back then maybe you can talk with her about the taxes she need to pay for that income.  Talk with the tax agency because she has for sure not mentioned that money or the rent.

Your responsible for giving 10 percent withholding tax each month. She  can sue you for that if its in your contract. 

[scorecard]

On 1/13/2021 at 7:43 PM, bkk6060 said:

People have reported on here that there are legal avenues one can take to get the deposit back.

Not sure what they are, but with that amount maybe worth a visit to an attorney to get proper advice.

 

Yes but any lawyer will first check how powerful/ruthless her family are. Self protection at work.

[liddelljohn]

If she does not pay  up  wait severl months and burn her car   , people like her  usually have so  many enemies  in my experience that they cant work out which one is most  angry

[Travel Dude]

Step 1 is to go to the Police. This will make your complaint official as it will be recorded and you will get a copy of the complaint. 

[CH1961]

On 1/13/2021 at 3:05 PM, mangyH2obuffalo said:

... but I am blessed enough to get a job at what most would say is the number 1 public university ... 

 

The place was arranged by an agency ... 

 

It was a nice apartment arranged by my wife's employer ... 

 

I was unaware farangs had to provide a passport to travel within Thailand ... countless times the last 7 years and many times I used a driver's license from abroad or presented a Thai government ID no problem ... 

I have now read the previous posts and must say the landlady certainly had a reason to keep the deposit ????

[seancbk]

On 1/14/2021 at 2:24 AM, hydraides said:

If you gave her a 130,000 baht deposit........than means you either paying 130k baht a month or 65k/month...........Jesus!!! Why so much? Where are you staying, the royal palace?

 

For Thailand that's an insane price to pay ..................You can get EVERYTHING you need  in an apartment for 20k-30k a month

 

Everyone knows when you give a deposit to a thai landlord, theres 80% chance you're not getting in back. It always a risk you take, Even if she gave some of it back, she would probably charge for 120k baht as the cleaning fee

 

You can't have sit down dinner parties for 20 people in a 20K a month apartment.  You won't get a maids room off the kitchen in a 20K a month apartment. 
You won't get more than 1 decent sized bedroom for 20K a month.   

And the list goes on as to what you don't get for 20K that the OP might have wanted. 

[spidermike007]

10 hours ago, Captor said:

Now it is forbidden to talk about this issues in social media. For example mention the depth on Facebook. It is forbidden to make them loose their face.  So I think it is harder now. Maybe go to their workplace and stand outside things like that is still not forbidden. But that takes more of your time.

 

Nah. The defamation laws were written by cowards, in an effort to help people cover up crimes, and avoid guilt. The guilty are banking on you being cowered into submission. Do not let that happen. They must be fought. Never cower in the face of a heinous and totally unjust law. Defy any bad and unrighteous law, short of the LM stuff. Whatever it takes. Let them come after me. 

[jomtienisgood]

20 hours ago, mr mr said:

consider it a donation. 

Or investment in a better future life. 

[ifmu]

i know exactly what to do  ...  look at the contract that was given to u and see what it says ... 

[Lambou69]

Never pay that much in the first place

[Nout]

On 1/14/2021 at 2:58 AM, richard_smith237 said:

 

Peoples requirements are different. You can fly from the UK to Thailand with Air India transiting in 8 hours Mumbai and could argue - you got EVERYTHING you needed, or you could fly direct, in Business class, in comfort and have a far more tolerable experience - its down to personal choice. 

 

Not everyone wants to be squeezed into 50sqm apartment or a scruffy house. With Particularly with accommodation peoples standards vary - Some are ok with a roof over their head and AC others want a home they can enjoy living in. 

 

There are many nice apartments and houses - none I’ve seen in central Bangkok come in at the rent you are suggesting (two places I’ve lived in over the past 5 years the rent has been 75,000 baht per month and another 60,000 baht per month).

 

My Wife and I were looking to rent a new place closer to my Son’s school last year - We couldn’t find anything for the size and location we liked or wanted for less than 80,000 per month - We found an ok house for 35,000 baht per month, but it was way too far out of town. We ended up buying a place instead. 

 

So, with that ‘distraction’ handled and I’ve educated you that other peoples needs are different to yours, the issue is not what people spend on accommodation, but a deposit not being returned - After all, if the Op had rented an apartment from this lady for 20-30,000 baht - she would still be refusing to return it and the issue would still exist. 

 

-------

 

In 20 years - I’ve never not had my deposit returned. I guess I’ve been lucky. 

 

Op - this is a tough one - Of course, get your agency involved (they are a reputable agency? i.e. RELAX ?)

 

It would be interesting to learn what legal recourse there is. 

 

 

Not everybody has the same needs true. But the same people who need a 130 thousand baht a month condo and can afford to pay it can probably afford to lose one month's deposit...

[Nout]

5 hours ago, seancbk said:

 

You can't have sit down dinner parties for 20 people in a 20K a month apartment.  You won't get a maids room off the kitchen in a 20K a month apartment. 
You won't get more than 1 decent sized bedroom for 20K a month.   

And the list goes on as to what you don't get for 20K that the OP might have wanted. 

My 106 sq metre condo on Cozy Beach was 15 k with gym, pool and good management.  As for needing a domestic slave, ie maid,..this is 2021 not 1821. People who spend lavishly can afford to lose money.

[spidermike007]

33 minutes ago, Nout said:

My 106 sq metre condo on Cozy Beach was 15 k with gym, pool and good management.  As for needing a domestic slave, ie maid,..this is 2021 not 1821. People who spend lavishly can afford to lose money.

 

Being in a position to be able to lose the money, and losing money to a greedy, seedy, money grubbing landlord, who it is likely can easily afford to pay back the money she rightfully, ethically, and legally owes to a departing tenant, are two completely separate areas, and issues. It is about being taken advantage of. That really gets my goat, and I end up in battle mode. I would fight for years, to get that money back, not because I desperately needed it, but because the misery, pain, lack of comfort, embarrassment, harm to her reputation, shame and loss of face I would inflict on my ex-landlord would be like recreation to me. That is the least she deserves. 

Edited January 15, 2021 by spidermike007

[seancbk]

2 hours ago, Nout said:

My 106 sq metre condo on Cozy Beach was 15 k with gym, pool and good management.  As for needing a domestic slave, ie maid,..this is 2021 not 1821. People who spend lavishly can afford to lose money.

 

You won't find 106 sq/m next to a BTS on Sukhumvit in Bangkok for that cheap and I don't want to live anywhere else. 

 

 

[katatonic]

On 1/14/2021 at 4:12 PM, PGSan said:

As a landlord I have never returned a deposit, but always with good reason—usually this is lack of notice.

Fortunately the law now protects against unscrupulous landlords.

[katatonic]

19 hours ago, seancbk said:

 

You won't find 106 sq/m next to a BTS on Sukhumvit in Bangkok for that cheap and I don't want to live anywhere else. 

 

 

Central Bangkok is bound to be a whole different kettle of fish to the rest of Thailand. For those who oddly want to live in 'the smoke' or people who need to for business the situation is very different to those who come here for the beaches and holiday environment. In Phuket you will find many pool villas or 100m2 condos  close to west coast beaches for under 65k, and now considerably less. I pay 15k (annual contract) for a lovely house with a fabulous hillside sea-view, nice garden, few neighbours well away, etc. I paid 45k for my first, 'luxury development' condo in a posh area but the neighbours were intolerable, the management downright thieves and too close to several others. Way happier where I am and I could afford a lot more. Been there 12 years and no intention to move anywhere else either.