Legal Question About Rental Apartment

[farangau]

I moved out of a Bangkok apartment a month ago where it was a monthly rental contract - I received back my security deposit (minus electricity, cleaning etc) and have the signed/stamped paper to say everything was paid up. The manager then rang two weeks ago saying he had made a mistake and that I still owed one week's rent - which he said was 6,000baht (a full month was only 14,000baht). I said that I was never told about this extra week's payment and did not want to pay. He offered a 'discount' so I am now being asked to pay 4,000bht - on a teacher's salary this is still a lot of money (on top of my current rent and expenses) so I am reluctant to pay as I was never informed before I moved out and if I had been informed I would have moved out a week earlier. I am now getting texts and calls with threats of legal action if I don't pay.

What should I do? Will they really go to lawyer/court to collect 4,000bht? Would they win if they did go to court? Should I pay so this situation just goes away?

If anyone with Thai legal/real estate knowledge could advise me it would be much appreciated.

[namoo]

I moved out of a Bangkok apartment a month ago where it was a monthly rental contract - I received back my security deposit (minus electricity, cleaning etc) and have the signed/stamped paper to say everything was paid up. The manager then rang two weeks ago saying he had made a mistake and that I still owed one week's rent - which he said was 6,000baht (a full month was only 14,000baht). I said that I was never told about this extra week's payment and did not want to pay. He offered a 'discount' so I am now being asked to pay 4,000bht - on a teacher's salary this is still a lot of money (on top of my current rent and expenses) so I am reluctant to pay as I was never informed before I moved out and if I had been informed I would have moved out a week earlier. I am now getting texts and calls with threats of legal action if I don't pay.

What should I do? Will they really go to lawyer/court to collect 4,000bht? Would they win if they did go to court? Should I pay so this situation just goes away?

If anyone with Thai legal/real estate knowledge could advise me it would be much appreciated.

He won't go to court over 4000THB in Thailand I wouldn't have thought. More likely send the motorcycle boys round to extract the cash the old fashioned way.

Do you owe him 1 week rental or not? You must know the dates you moved in and the date you moved out. If you owe it just pay it. If not tell him to shove it.

At the of the day its 4000thb if you DO owe it just pay up - its just a decent night outs worth. And really not worth the hassle.

Edited May 22, 2009 by namoo

[farangau]

I moved out of a Bangkok apartment a month ago where it was a monthly rental contract - I received back my security deposit (minus electricity, cleaning etc) and have the signed/stamped paper to say everything was paid up. The manager then rang two weeks ago saying he had made a mistake and that I still owed one week's rent - which he said was 6,000baht (a full month was only 14,000baht). I said that I was never told about this extra week's payment and did not want to pay. He offered a 'discount' so I am now being asked to pay 4,000bht - on a teacher's salary this is still a lot of money (on top of my current rent and expenses) so I am reluctant to pay as I was never informed before I moved out and if I had been informed I would have moved out a week earlier. I am now getting texts and calls with threats of legal action if I don't pay.

What should I do? Will they really go to lawyer/court to collect 4,000bht? Would they win if they did go to court? Should I pay so this situation just goes away?

If anyone with Thai legal/real estate knowledge could advise me it would be much appreciated.

He won't go to court over 4000THB in Thailand I wouldn't have thought. More likely send the motorcycle boys round to extract the cash the old fashioned way.

Do you owe him 1 week rental or not? You must know the dates you moved in and the date you moved out. If you owe it just pay it. If not tell him to shove it.

At the of the day its 4000thb if you DO owe it just pay up - its just a decent night outs worth. And really not worth the hassle.

I was offered an exit date that was a week later than end of the contract - because they had broken contract and offered the apartment to a new tenant without informing me during my tenancy. It was never mentioned that I had to pay an extra-high cost for that final week - including during the security deposit hand-over and signing of the exit form. The first time I heard about this cost was 2 weeks after moving out, and they admitted they had made a mistake. I would have felt I had owed them a week if I had been informed about cost prior to the return of security deposit and moving out - charging me after moving out seems wrong. I know 'seems wrong' is not a legal argument

I agree that at the end of the day 4000bht is not worth all the hassle - as they don't know my new address, the 'motorcycle boys' can't find me... but still don't want legal action hanging over my head...

[spacefruit]

Re read what you posted and then please tell me you dont think you owe them a weeks rent....?