Few weeks ago I deposited a sum for rent a condo. Now the owner wrote to me that he must cancel the booking as the room has some problem and it's not safe to stay. He also will return the money I sent. Maybe the question is stupid: can he do that? Cancel the booking few days before I will check in? Thank you.

Yes and he already cancelled. Ask yourself, would you really want to stay there now? Quite common these days, especially on Airbnb etc. 

Plenty of other places to stay. 

 

Try a hotel man! Can´t afford it. Just find a cheaper country.

Quite possible the real reason was that owner got better deal elsewhere.

It's Thailand, they do what they want.

 

Any consolation there is no shortage of Condos to rent in Thailand, find another!

7 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

Yes and he already cancelled. Ask yourself, would you really want to stay there now? Quite common these days, especially on Airbnb etc. 

Plenty of other places to stay. 

The OP did not say it was an AirBnb. How did you conclude that? 

 

5 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Try a hotel man! Can´t afford it. Just find a cheaper country.

WTH, he wants a condo why he would go to a hotel. 

As another poster said, most probably he found a better deal. Did you bargain hard to reduce the rent? May be he found another person who he though won't cause any trouble. Try looking for another place. There are plenty. Is it in Bangkok? 

 

Maybe the op @Minocan share how he booked the place and why he says there are no more available? Have you got your deposit back yet?

 

I have a place booked for a month in March.  In checking the rate now, it is more then double what I paid.  Would not be surprised if I get the same cancel notice.

39 minutes ago, soi3eddie said:

 

Maybe the op @Minocan share how he booked the place and why he says there are no more available? Have you got your deposit back yet?

 

1) Booked using a group on Facebook and send the deposit (not a big one).

2) "No more available" is referred to the condo I would like to rent. Sorry for my English.

3) Not yet got the deposit back as got the message just yesterday.

56 minutes ago, Onerak said:

As another poster said, most probably he found a better deal. Did you bargain hard to reduce the rent? May be he found another person who he though won't cause any trouble. Try looking for another place. There are plenty. Is it in Bangkok? 

1) I did not do nothing about the rent. The owner made the price and i accepted it. Asked me a deposit to lock the condo for me and i sent it. Not a big amount, so I did it.

2) Pattaya.

31 minutes ago, Mino said:

1) I did not do nothing about the rent. The owner made the price and i accepted it. Asked me a deposit to lock the condo for me and i sent it. Not a big amount, so I did it.

2) Pattaya.

Condos are dime a doze in Pattaya but prices are slowly creeping up I see. Don't worry you will get find another. 

Believe me the rental market is booming now. Sure there are places still available but the popular ones are getting full

11 hours ago, Mino said:

He also will return the money I sent

I'd consider yourself lucky you got this back, move on and find elsewhere.

Happened to us 3 years ago.  Booked a real nice condo in a high floor overlooking the river near Siam for NYE.   I think the Chinese owner didn't like an American guy or had old clients off Airbnb give him a better offer.   Really screwed us as it's NYE and we are scrambling to find a place near Siam on NYE 2019.   We ended up dealing with a shady Indian guy and the place he gave us didn't match the ad at all.  Worse place to ever stay but we survived.   Airbnb should have a bigger penalty for cancelations by the host. 

Could be true or not anyone guess,  the answer could be why Immigration Is packed with Russian and Chinese from Hong Kong Not wanting to go home?

33 minutes ago, Elkski said:

Happened to us 3 years ago.  Booked a real nice condo in a high floor overlooking the river near Siam for NYE.   I think the Chinese owner didn't like an American guy or had old clients off Airbnb give him a better offer.   Really screwed us as it's NYE and we are scrambling to find a place near Siam on NYE 2019.   We ended up dealing with a shady Indian guy and the place he gave us didn't match the ad at all.  Worse place to ever stay but we survived.   Airbnb should have a bigger penalty for cancelations by the host. 

Rent a Condo less than 1 month is actually not allowed in Thailand. Some places even have sign AirBnb not allowed at all (which I think is not against law, as long it's minimum 1 month).

Actually I understand why most condos don't want persons rent less than 1 month. Some even not want person with less than 3 or 6 months. 

Stay in a hotel for a couple of days while you look for condos on the spot. Every condo I have been in has a notice board listing apartments for rent, with prices.

You also have the advantage of inspecting prior to signing any lease.

Can is irrelevant, since did.  Be thankfully the refund may be coming.

 

Agree with others, either got better price, or got exposed for illegally renting out.  Why I never bother with AirBnB, if that's who OP used.

 

They do have nice large units at good prices.  But I never stay anywhere that long, or stay in that much to enjoy the amenities.  When we're out & about, we're out & about.  I sit in at home.

More and more condos just ignore the law that does not allow rentals under 30 days unless licensed as a hotel which is rare for condos.

The booking engines like airbnb, agoda, etc list these rentals though they must  surelyknow they are illegal under Thai law....and people of course book them.

 

The problem is that what you bought or leased long time as a residence  gets turned into a hotel with big numbers of people checking in/out for a few days...the elevators are full of them as are the pools and public spaces in what was designed as and by law does not allow stays of less than 30 days.  I suspect eventually a lot of the condo owners/residences are going to get fed up with these short time tourists and lack of any enforcement by juristic or police and demand it stop,  Many condos in Bangkok and a very few in pattaya  have had signs in lobby and elevators for long time letting people know that if they have rented for less than 30 days they are in violation and further asking residents to report any units they see abusing the rules.  I think the hotels are also sick and tired of competing with condos that are being run as a hotel with no license, no hotel taxes, etc. 

 

Probably some brown envelopes being distributed as there is a lot of $$ involved.

1 hour ago, PJ71 said:

I'd consider yourself lucky you got this back, move on and find elsewhere.

I have the bank transfer slip, so if he will not pay back, I will report to police, even if it's few thb.

3 hours ago, Mino said:

1) I did not do nothing about the rent. The owner made the price and i accepted it. Asked me a deposit to lock the condo for me and i sent it. Not a big amount, so I did it.

2) Pattaya.

there are thousands and thousands of condos for rent in pattaya go find another

2 minutes ago, Mino said:

I have the bank transfer slip, so if he will not pay back, I will report to police, even if it's few thb.

and do you think the B I B will do anything ??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1 minute ago, blackshadow said:

and do you think the B I B will do anything ??????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Should that be their job or for 5000 thb they don't even bother?

6 minutes ago, Mino said:

I have the bank transfer slip, so if he will not pay back, I will report to police, even if it's few thb.

What would you expect them to do?

Just now, PJ71 said:

What would you expect them to do?

Find the owner and get the deposit back.

2 minutes ago, Mino said:

Find the owner and get the deposit back.

You have a lot to learn young Jedi.

3 minutes ago, PJ71 said:

You have a lot to learn young Jedi.

That's why i join the best forum about Thailand. So, in the case i don't get the deposit back, it will be lost forever?

17 minutes ago, Mino said:

Should that be their job or for 5000 thb they don't even bother?

If you're not in country, would be really hard to follow through with any 'report', and what would be your cost to recover 5k, if you did live in country.

 

1st court appearance continued, 2nd, you win, and owner appeals.  3rd, you win again, and owner appeals again .... yea, Thai legal system.  

 

While scammers only steal multiple small amounts ... knowing tourist can't follow through with legal filings.  Same with criminals, and petty crimes.  Who's going to fly back to testify, someone stole your phone.  They always win on appeal when the accuser doesn't show up.

 

Be happy if you get the refund ... move on.

 

Is this the same 3000 baht you sent at end of November ?

https://aseannow.com/topic/1279097-condo-agreement/#comment-17753957

 

7 minutes ago, PJ71 said:

You have a lot to learn young Jedi.

Yes, owner could live out of country, even in same neighborhood of the 'victims' ... ????

2 hours ago, Elkski said:

Happened to us 3 years ago.  Booked a real nice condo in a high floor overlooking the river near Siam for NYE.   I think the Chinese owner didn't like an American guy or had old clients off Airbnb give him a better offer.   Really screwed us as it's NYE and we are scrambling to find a place near Siam on NYE 2019.   We ended up dealing with a shady Indian guy and the place he gave us didn't match the ad at all.  Worse place to ever stay but we survived.   Airbnb should have a bigger penalty for cancelations by the host. 

I should have mentioned this was when there was a 2 week crackdown on airbnbs.     I do prefer an Airbnb condo over most hotels.  It's the way we roll