Well, this came as a shock to me. When I moved in I was rather ill so trusted a Thai friend to tell me about the lease and rules of living in this room. I am looking at the lease now because the owner wants me to pay for the broken aircon saying I never had it cleaned. That is one issue.

 

The big issue I found is that it is a 1 year lease  15/2/2020 to 15/2/2021.  Still being ill in 2021 I just kept making the payment every month and nothing was said. The lease states, and I believe I read Thai law states also, at the end of the lease the lessor must give back the property.

 

Some places I have lived in the world since I am occupying it, I have rights. Other places, the renter has no rights at all and the owner could take everything.

 

Anyone know where I stand? Clearly I need to make an updated lease, but I want to know where I stand legally first. On the humanity side, the owner has been decent. Not giving much and also not demanding anything. On that front, I don't feel any obligations or friendship - it is just business.

 

I am more than happy to move out. Rooms in this building go empty for years if she doesn't want my money, and other rooms are the same size and amenities for less.

 

Thoughts?

Clean the aircon, cost a couple of hundred THB and tell her it doesn't work (or it might after cleaning).

Renter needs to pay for small things, light bulbs and the likes. Major repairs are for her to pay, so she is not allowed to take that out of the deposit. Either stay with a new lease or find something else.

We had the same, you rolled over onto a month-by-month arrangement. You still have the same basic rights as stated in your expired lease.

If it suits you and the landlord just continue that way (we did for 7 years after the 1-year lease expired). 1 month notice on either party.

 

As to the A/C, that's normally the landlord's issue, but if you didn't keep up your part of the deal by cleaning it ... Is the beast repairable?

What does the lease say about it, if anything?

 

Would the landlord come to a deal on the A/C say 30/70 (you being the 30)?

A newer A/C would save on energy so your power bills would reduce.

 

I suppose it boils down to how much you like living there.

1 hour ago, SailingHome said:

the broken aircon

Define "broken" and you may get better responses.

 

Doesn't turn on at all?

Runs but doesn't blow cold air?

Leaks?

 

Did you contact your landlord at any point over the past 3.5 years about the broken AC?

 

Update: They had to remove the aircon and are replacing it. The lease is simple and just states I do standard maintenance. No one ever told me an aircon needs to be serviced every 6 months. It may seem "common sense" but define that in a court of law.

At the end of the day, I think she worries more about not having a tenant for many years if I leave, and her daughter is thinking about future resell when mom dies, so daughter told her to put in a new unit.

On the lease, I had her agree in a chat we are month to month. Maybe I am dumb, but I am fine with that.