Rental Deposits Going One Way In Thailand

[Scott123]

.... I've already had my unit painted twice at my expense so that shouldn't be a problem.

I hope you painted the same color as the original, otherwise the landlord may ask you to pay for the cost of painting back to the original color by his painter. The cost then can be any amount he wants.

Edited January 21, 2009 by Scott123

[siddv]

There is only one way I know to ever get your deposit back from a Thai. Have your TGF, or better yet a really aggressive family pester the living shit out of the landlord or the people in the front office. Offer this family member a % of the deposit they can get back. After a month or so, if you are lucky, you might see a small return. Of course be happy if you can get anything as whatever the family member might be able to wrestle away from the LL the TGF will take!!!!

[luisparis]

And for our office rental we were asked three month deposit. Fairly sure our famously tough owner would lock us out if we don't pay the last months, so I wonder if we will be able to get anything back when downgrading to a smaller office in a few months.

Agord, I had a big smile reading about your senior position and the 15000 baht rent as well, perhaps you should think deeper before insulting other forum members on professionnal or financial issue next time. Besides 120 000tbh/month doesn't even get you a large penthouse in Bangkok. I pay that amount including utilities and can't say the serviced apartment is impressive ( yet I'm quite glad I didn't go for the more expensive penthouse I had initially been negociating because business in BKK has been a disaster since November and I didn't spend much time over there )

Besides a few years back rented a couple of smaller apartments in BKK and had no issue whatsoever to get back the deposit. Not paying the last month seems to be also OK in our serviced apartment although I doubt we will see much of the second month security deposit as the management is quoting ridiculously high prices for appliances and furnitures and we did some damage.

Edited February 1, 2009 by luisparis

[davejonesbkk]

Any update on this?

Agord, did you ever see your deposit returned?

[maichai40]

One thing about Thai people is the loss of face issue. I think if you make it very clear

that you will stop at nothing to publicise and expose the unfairness of the situation

they will back down.

So true. I may have to go Michael Moore on them and bring my camera to their shop. It's really disgusts me to have to resort to playing games when there was a contract. I'm amazed at how someone can be so fake and smile and tell you to your face that they are honest and "don't worry we return to you" and the next minute act like your less than dirt and they don't owe you a thing.

I had three rentals (in Phuket), two from thais, deposit refunded 100% in both cases. Once rented from foreigner (UK) and being scammed on presumed water consumption (before he said never mind is so little money...).

Just the exception that confirms the rule...but i know that normally is the contrary!!

[Scott123]

Any update on this?

Agord, did you ever see your deposit returned?

I am dying to know too.

[agord]

Any update on this?

Agord, did you ever see your deposit returned?

I am dying to know too.

Nope never did and now transfered elsewhere in Asia so not in Thailand anymore.

[007]

I always get a kick out of people suggesting simply not paying last month's rent, LOL. I've rented 5 condos in Bangkok and each and every contract stated that NO SECURITY DEPOSIT SHALL BE USED TO PAY RENT.

I'm currently in a unique situation. I'm about to move out of a place, where supposedly (hearing from former tenants) the (Indian) management will not repay the two-month deposit.

The unique thing is, that I don't even have a valid rental agreement with them. I've been living there for more than 1.5 years. I've had a six-month contract at first, then a one-year agreement, which expired about 2 months ago. My questions are: 1) would withholding the last rent be easier or more difficult? And 2) can the landlord intervene, if my girlfriend moved out with my belongings, and I nominally stayed there?

[agord]

Any update on this?

Agord, did you ever see your deposit returned?

I am dying to know too.

Never did Scott Im not sure what happened regarding their taxes but did report this at the time so hope they got hit for not paying them on the rent. For anyone looking to rent a place in Phuket I would strongly suggest avoiding Welta as your agent even if she wasn't in on it she was anything but cooperative when we asked her for help.

[benchmark]

Oh no.....This post made me nervous now.

I am near the end of my one-year lease. In fact, this is my first year living in Thailand (BKK). My rent is 30K baht per month. So the two month deposit is 60K baht, it is a good sum of money and I would hate to loose it.

Is it common that the landlord steals rent deposit like this at the end of contract?

This is not a common practice but it happens sometimes, mostly with local landlord and sometimes with expat landlords too. I am a property agent and fortunately most of my clients get their deposits back after the lease term. My company is doing home searches for large corporate companies. One important thing is most of the time we are dealing with reputed landlord who are in the business for a long time and got a good track record. If my client get in to a situation like this we will act on our clients behalf to solve the problem. It's a pity that your agent is not doing that. Getting a lawyer to issue a warning notice work in situations like this sometimes. I hope you will find a way to resolve the issue.

Buying Renting Condos or Houses, Contact us for a free consultation visit our Website

Edited November 8, 2009 by benchmark

[agord]

I always get a kick out of people suggesting simply not paying last month's rent, LOL. I've rented 5 condos in Bangkok and each and every contract stated that NO SECURITY DEPOSIT SHALL BE USED TO PAY RENT.

I'm currently in a unique situation. I'm about to move out of a place, where supposedly (hearing from former tenants) the (Indian) management will not repay the two-month deposit.

The unique thing is, that I don't even have a valid rental agreement with them. I've been living there for more than 1.5 years. I've had a six-month contract at first, then a one-year agreement, which expired about 2 months ago. My questions are: 1) would withholding the last rent be easier or more difficult? And 2) can the landlord intervene, if my girlfriend moved out with my belongings, and I nominally stayed there?

Indian managed? don't count on getting anything back but hope it works out for you.

[007]

Indian managed? don't count on getting anything back but hope it works out for you.

Thanks. I know a few former tenants of that mansion -named after a famous Italian city- on Sukhumvit, who didn't get one single baht back, even though they didn't owe any money, nor had inflicted any damage to the property. Can they just do that?

Edited November 9, 2009 by 7

[Soboringtochooseaname]

Hi,

When you do not pay the lasts 2 months, what usually happens ? Does the landlord breaks into the apartment and change the locks ?

Thanks for help.

[travelmann]

Having lived in the kingdom for over three years now I'm sorry to say I have had my "deposit" basically stolen from me 3 of the 5 times I have rented. What recourse can I take? I have a contract with a realesate agent this past time and the owners are not going to return any of the 35,000 THB. Reasons for this extend to me somehow being responsible to fix their air conditioners and plumbing problems to 15,000 to replace a few plants in the garden. I'm at the point where it is too much already and I can no longer be taken advantage of. If anyone can recommend what action to take I would greatly appreciate it. I don't even care about the money so much as it's about one weeks salary for me it's the point of being screwed yet again!

You are not alone. It is a very,very common scam. I were screwed the first of the two times I rented. The second time I just did not pay the two remaining months which covered my deposit. Worked for me, but might not work for everybody...

Reading your post really makes my blood boil. It is the landlord's responsibility to fix the aircon and plumbing anyway (assuming it is faulty due to normal wear and tear). What a lame excuse. Assuming you have a contract, my best advice is to threaten to show your rental agreement to the tax office. Landlords are supposed to pay 15% tax on rental income, and I really doubt this scumbag is doing it.

WB

It MIGHT NOT be the lanlords job to fix aircon, the contract tells you whats what and we have only one half of the story, who knows if the gut wrecked the place, the tenants i love the best are the ones who tell me " they will treat the place like their own" when they leave its trashed!!

[travelmann]

Hi,

When you do not pay the lasts 2 months, what usually happens ? Does the landlord breaks into the apartment and change the locks ?

Thanks for help.

I sure would and its written into my contract.

[travelmann]

Oh no.....This post made me nervous now.

I am near the end of my one-year lease. In fact, this is my first year living in Thailand (BKK). My rent is 30K baht per month. So the two month deposit is 60K baht, it is a good sum of money and I would hate to loose it.

Is it common that the landlord steals rent deposit like this at the end of contract?

This is not a common practice but it happens sometimes, mostly with local landlord and sometimes with expat landlords too. I am a property agent and fortunately most of my clients get their deposits back after the lease term. My company is doing home searches for large corporate companies. One important thing is most of the time we are dealing with reputed landlord who are in the business for a long time and got a good track record. If my client get in to a situation like this we will act on our clients behalf to solve the problem. It's a pity that your agent is not doing that. Getting a lawyer to issue a warning notice work in situations like this sometimes. I hope you will find a way to resolve the issue.

Buying Renting Condos or Houses, Contact us for a free consultation visit our

Nice ad or better still contact us the owners not agent of over 60 rooms direct, havent not given a deposit back yet commercial URL removed

Edited December 5, 2011 by Crossy
commercial URL removed, please contact Admin for advertising

[landofidiots]

Also had two months deposit not refunded to me on a house I was renting through Welta Phuket. The owners claimed that they had to spend all of my 30,000 baht to clean and repair the house. Seeing as I left the house in the same if not better condition than I found it in i could only chalk it up to the owners not WANTING to give me my money back.

[landofidiots]

Any update on this?

Agord, did you ever see your deposit returned?

I am dying to know too.

Never did Scott Im not sure what happened regarding their taxes but did report this at the time so hope they got hit for not paying them on the rent. For anyone looking to rent a place in Phuket I would strongly suggest avoiding Welta as your agent even if she wasn't in on it she was anything but cooperative when we asked her for help.

Wow sounds familiar!

[Thighlander]

Yes, it is a big problem. I am a landlord here and I return deposits within a week. In fact, my property manager holds the deposit. No way I'm paying two months rent as a deposit. I can show them my credit report--perhaps they would like to show me theirs. I did get mine back from a Mr. Kittiwatt at Sathorn....he put it directly in my account, as I was in Chiangmai. I did make one follow up call, and he was just waiting for final bills, although he did his own metering. It's a two way street. I suppose first, last, + deposit would be ok, just a lot of horror stories and the biggest negative to otherwise cheap rent. Don't like the mark-up on utilities, either.

[Darrel]

Don't like the mark-up on utilities, either.

The answer to that is not to sign the contract unless the utility price is at the official government rate.

I pay my electricity bill in 7/11 and that's an end to it.

[saroq]

Having lived in the kingdom for over three years now I'm sorry to say I have had my "deposit" basically stolen from me 3 of the 5 times I have rented. What recourse can I take? I have a contract with a realesate agent this past time and the owners are not going to return any of the 35,000 THB. Reasons for this extend to me somehow being responsible to fix their air conditioners and plumbing problems to 15,000 to replace a few plants in the garden. I'm at the point where it is too much already and I can no longer be taken advantage of. If anyone can recommend what action to take I would greatly appreciate it. I don't even care about the money so much as it's about one weeks salary for me it's the point of being screwed yet again!

You are not alone. It is a very,very common scam. I were screwed the first of the two times I rented. The second time I just did not pay the two remaining months which covered my deposit. Worked for me, but might not work for everybody...

Reading your post really makes my blood boil. It is the landlord's responsibility to fix the aircon and plumbing anyway (assuming it is faulty due to normal wear and tear). What a lame excuse. Assuming you have a contract, my best advice is to threaten to show your rental agreement to the tax office. Landlords are supposed to pay 15% tax on rental income, and I really doubt this scumbag is doing it.

WB

Yes best advice I got regarding the end of a lease is to stop paying the rent until the amount of rent not paid equals the deposit the landlord has. It's not only a Thai issue, the same thing happens in China, Hong Kong, in fact in every Asian country I have lived in.

[letitbe]

I assume it was thai landlords they never ever seem to give deposits back Weve rented out many condos for last 15 years and we always give deposit back in full provided no damage or moneys due for electricity. Thais seem to be totally stupid in this respect only thinking of today. Many of our tenants say thats why they stay with us and will never rent from a Thai again. so apart from it being honest thing to do our places luckily are never empty and so Thai landlords who never spend a baht on repairs and cheat constantly in the end loose out. We even offer to put new tenants in touch with previous ones who will vouch we act perfectly fairly and in fact often recommend us to their friends and others. We have however had tenants try to not pay last 2 months rent saying its the deposit and then we tell them the electricity and water will be cut off next day unless rent is paid in full and our contracts clearly state the deposit cannot be used for rent. Its a shame Thais never seem to think about future business just making a buck today.

My advice is forget it and to be honest if youve lost 3 times now your choosing wrong landlord or trying to get something to cheap. You get what you pay for. We always fix any problems ASAP, Replace anything accidentally broken if its not fault of tenant and unlike most Thai landlords do allow something for fair ware and tear. We also have tenants hwo have been with us for 10+ years and we offer and will redecorate every 4-5 years regrout upgrade TV's to flat screen and replace older fridges and the like. These are all something ive never seen a Thai landlord do. We are not saints but by offering good service being fair even if rents go down a bit our tenants stay with us and so it makes business sense.

Youll be wasting your time trying to get anything back from a thai landlord but if you want to waste considerable money on court hearings out of principle make sure you have photos of place when you moved in and when you left with date on photos and at least 3 witness's (ThaI) to confirm you left place at when you took it on and that you have a proper legal lease agreement stating the deposit will be returned and that youve left place spotless and even then as a forang against a Thai landlord your unlikely to win IMO. You could try getting a solicitor to write a letter to landlord and even threaten to report landlord to Thai tax people but beware if you make a Thai loose face often your inviting very serious revenge and even violent response so best to forget it IMO. Nest time you rent from a Thai offer 6 months in advance instead of a deposit and say your pay 6 months in advance every 6 months or get a decent landlord.

[letitbe]

I assume it was thai landlords they never ever seem to give deposits back Weve rented out many condos for last 15 years and we always give deposit back in full provided no damage or moneys due for electricity. Thais seem to be totally stupid in this respect only thinking of today. Many of our tenants say thats why they stay with us and will never rent from a Thai again. so apart from it being honest thing to do our places luckily are never empty and so Thai landlords who never spend a baht on repairs and cheat constantly in the end loose out. We even offer to put new tenants in touch with previous ones who will vouch we act perfectly fairly and in fact often recommend us to their friends and others. We have however had tenants try to not pay last 2 months rent saying its the deposit and then we tell them the electricity and water will be cut off next day unless rent is paid in full and our contracts clearly state the deposit cannot be used for rent. Its a shame Thais never seem to think about future business just making a buck today.

My advice is forget it and to be honest if youve lost 3 times now your choosing wrong landlord or trying to get something to cheap. You get what you pay for. We always fix any problems ASAP, Replace anything accidentally broken if its not fault of tenant and unlike most Thai landlords do allow something for fair ware and tear. We also have tenants hwo have been with us for 10+ years and we offer and will redecorate every 4-5 years regrout upgrade TV's to flat screen and replace older fridges and the like. These are all something ive never seen a Thai landlord do. We are not saints but by offering good service being fair even if rents go down a bit our tenants stay with us and so it makes business sense.

Youll be wasting your time trying to get anything back from a thai landlord but if you want to waste considerable money on court hearings out of principle make sure you have photos of place when you moved in and when you left with date on photos and at least 3 witness's (ThaI) to confirm you left place at when you took it on and that you have a proper legal lease agreement stating the deposit will be returned and that youve left place spotless and even then as a forang against a Thai landlord your unlikely to win IMO. You could try getting a solicitor to write a letter to landlord and even threaten to report landlord to Thai tax people but beware if you make a Thai loose face often your inviting very serious revenge and even violent response so best to forget it IMO. Nest time you rent from a Thai offer 6 months in advance instead of a deposit and say your pay 6 months in advance every 6 months or get a decent landlord.  </p>