Cleaning Of Rental On Moveout

[JimTripper]

I'm staying in a managed rental and am moving out at the end of an annual lease. The place has become a bit dirty. Nothing in the contract about cleaning.

 

How is this usually handled in Thailand? Should I hire someone to come in and clean it to move in condition, or does the  property manager usually do that anyway after move out no matter how clean it is and deduct it from my deposit? I probably can't get it as clean as when I moved in.

 

The landlord is not very approachable (never communicated with them) and the real estate agent will handle return of keys at the property on day of checkout.

Edited May 25 by JimTripper

[Denim]

If its only dust don't worry. The thing to take care of is all rubbish , empty bottles etc. As long as there is no damage and the place is  left tidy should be no problem.

[scubascuba3]

Even if you clean it they may charge for a professional clean anyway and take out the deposit. Maybe ask the agent 

[JimTripper]

8 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Even if you clean it they may charge for a professional clean anyway and take out the deposit. Maybe ask the agent 

What do you think is a reasonable charge for that clean. It's 96 sqm. 1-2k?

Edited May 25 by JimTripper

[scubascuba3]

33 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

What do you think is a reasonable charge for that clean. It's 96 sqm. 1-2k?

Should be less than 1 but will probably be 1-2

[worgeordie]

4 hours ago, JimTripper said:

What do you think is a reasonable charge for that clean. It's 96 sqm. 1-2k?

The deposit ......too many Thai landlords find all kinds of things wrong after

you have left and keep the deposit...

 

regards worgeordie

[OneMoreFarang]

You never know if they will deduct something from your deposit.

 

Personally, I think you should clean it to a condition like you would like to see it to move in.

Maybe hire one of the cleaning people in the building - if it is a condominium.

 

Just be a reasonable person. That will increase the chance that the landlord or agent act like reasonable people. 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

28 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

The deposit ......too many Thai landlords find all kinds of things wrong after

you have left and keep the deposit...

 

regards worgeordie

 

But not all of them.

Recently I got my total deposit back - after about 3 years.

"I" cleaned everything, paid the bills, etc. Just like a reasonable person should do.

[JimTripper]

1 hour ago, worgeordie said:

The deposit ......too many Thai landlords find all kinds of things wrong after

you have left and keep the deposit...

 

regards worgeordie

I have real estate agent handling it this time, so I think I may get it back. I gave the deposit to him in cash and he said he would return it in cash, though technically the contract says it was remitted to the landlord after it was paid. It's a sizable amount (40k baht) so I'm hoping for the best. Will update here if there is a problem.

 

If it's not returned it falls on the agent as far as I am concerned, since I handed them cash.

Edited May 25 by JimTripper

[scubascuba3]

10 hours ago, JimTripper said:

I have real estate agent handling it this time, so I think I may get it back. I gave the deposit to him in cash and he said he would return it in cash, though technically the contract says it was remitted to the landlord after it was paid. It's a sizable amount (40k baht) so I'm hoping for the best. Will update here if there is a problem.

 

If it's not returned it falls on the agent as far as I am concerned, since I handed them cash.

Agents usually keep the deposit, rather than pass on to the landlord. Thailand needs a third party deposit process like many other civilised countries

[JimTripper]

Well, just an update. I did get most of my deposit back. Landlord kept 3k baht (2,500 for deep cleaning the unit and 500 for washing the bedding). I left the place clean and tidy but did not do an all day move out clean, just a cleaning that a typical person would do.

 

I felt it was excessive, but no choice in the matter really. The fees were not in the contract.

 

Left a 1k baht porch chair and a 1k baht fan there when I left. Next time I will just ditch everything.

 

No hard feelings. Won't pay two months deposit again though, as I was too worried about getting it returned during the rental, it being a 40k deposit.

 

Some of these landlords need that 2 months deposit and are short of cash. So it's a matter of being able to pay that back at the end, not just a willingness to. A year is a long time and some of these people are running at a loss and not really wealthy, especially in Pattaya. Consider that when handing over a big deposit. A lot of them end up having to sell the units, especially if they don't rent out right away.

 

Another thing is the water pressure stopped working for about a week before I moved out, so I got out at a good time. Was glad to be out.

Edited Monday at 03:44 PM by JimTripper

[Tropicalevo]

19 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

Well, just an update. I did get most of my deposit back. Landlord kept 3k baht (2,500 for deep cleaning the unit and 500 for washing the bedding). I left the place clean and tidy but did not do an all day move out clean, just a cleaning that a typical person would do.

 

I felt it was excessive, but no choice in the matter really. The fees were not in the contract.

Thanks for the update.

2,500 is not too bad for a deep clean - we charge 3,000 baht. 

But we only charge 2,000 baht on a long term rental check out. (It is in the contract.)

The LT charge is slightly lower as we expect 'wear and tear' to make a difference.

As an aside, in more then 20 years in the business, I have only held back a deposit once. The guest stole linen, towels, kitchen items and there was damage by a pet dog. He did a runner and did not give notice.

[JimTripper]

10 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Thanks for the update.

2,500 is not too bad for a deep clean - we charge 3,000 baht. 

But we only charge 2,000 baht on a long term rental check out. (It is in the contract.)

The LT charge is slightly lower as we expect 'wear and tear' to make a difference.

As an aside, in more then 20 years in the business, I have only held back a deposit once. The guest stole linen, towels, kitchen items and there was damage by a pet dog. He did a runner and did not give notice.

Good luck, but I think that traditional rental situation is becoming less popular in Thailand.

 

I'm just doing Airbnb's for the time being. Max is 3 months. No hidden charges or deposits and you have the reviews. You also have all the dishes, linens and everything I need already there, not to mention the price is the same as I was paying under contract for a similar place.

 

 

[PingRoundTheWorld]

On 5/25/2024 at 7:46 AM, scubascuba3 said:

Even if you clean it they may charge for a professional clean anyway and take out the deposit. Maybe ask the agent 

You're unlikely to see much or any of your deposit back anyway, so don't bother with cleaning. Even if they charge you(r deposit) for cleaning it'll only be 1-2k, but you're guaranteed they will find "damage" and other things allegedly wrong with the place and deduct it from your deposit. In ~8 years in Thailand I have never gotten my deposit back, from any landlord. Illegal? yes. But there's not much you can do and going through legal channels for small amounts is a waste of time.

 

I'm a landlord myself (not in Thailand) so I can see their side and why they would want to receive the place back in perfect condition, however in reality wear and tear happens, and it is THEIR responsibility, not the renter's. Unfortunately most landlords I've encountered are out to squeeze every last baht they can out of the property so will nickel and dime you for anything you allegedly caused, even if it was already there before. (and then they'll pass it on to the next renter WITHOUT fixing it, and when they move out "find it" again)

 

P.S. These were all Thai landlords. I haven't had any foreign landlords (so far). Not sure which would be better...

Edited Monday at 04:29 PM by PingRoundTheWorld

[JimTripper]

18 minutes ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

You're unlikely to see much or any of your deposit back anyway, so don't bother with cleaning. Even if they charge you(r deposit) for cleaning it'll only be 1-2k, but you're guaranteed they will find "damage" and other things allegedly wrong with the place and deduct it from your deposit. In ~8 years in Thailand I have never gotten my deposit back, from any landlord. Illegal? yes. But there's not much you can do and going through legal channels for small amounts is a waste of time.

 

I'm a landlord myself (not in Thailand) so I can see their side and why they would want to receive the place back in perfect condition, however in reality wear and tear happens, and it is THEIR responsibility, not the renter's. Unfortunately most landlords I've encountered are out to squeeze every last baht they can out of the property so will nickel and dime you for anything you allegedly caused, even if it was already there before. (and then they'll pass it on to the next renter WITHOUT fixing it, and when they move out "find it" again)

 

P.S. These were all Thai landlords. I haven't had any foreign landlords (so far). Not sure which would be better...

I think I got off well here because I had a good real estate agent. They were there for the move in and out and handled the money, inspections, etc.

 

The owner (a foreigner who I had never seen previously) did show up for the move out inspection. He just passed me in the lobby, gave me a weird look and looked kind of shifty. No introduction or anything. Then he just left the building quickly afterwards. Not someone I would hand a big deposit to under normal circumstances.

Edited Monday at 04:46 PM by JimTripper

[scubascuba3]

5 hours ago, JimTripper said:

The owner (a foreigner who I had never seen previously) did show up for the move out inspection. He just passed me in the lobby, gave me a weird look

Don't you get that a lot?

[bkk6060]

So, will there be a thread in the near future about a foreigner who left their room filthy dirty?

Of course clean it.  I always have them professionally cleaned.  Leave it super clean show them who you are.

[JimTripper]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Don't you get that a lot?

Happens a lot in Pattaya but not in other areas. I would suggest only airbnb's in the pattaya area so there is no big deposit needed. Deposits to juristic or building management are ok, just not private parties.

Edited yesterday at 12:24 AM by JimTripper