Landlords Gouging Flood Victims With High Rents: Thailand

[bkkjohnny69]

being a landlord myself albeit my properties are in the UK, I have happily put the rents up on all my properties as a result of the lack of bank money in the system, nobody can get mortgages and so demand on rental property increases and so the rents go up. I don't feel guilty as nobody would feel sorry for me if the shoe was on the other foot and the interest rates were high and demand was low.

short term renting is a risky business, not only do you have to refurb, you lose rent waiting for the tradesman firstly to be available and then to complete the work. Also, i am not sure in Thailand how the law protect the tenants if they don't pay and rents or don't leave? does it get expensive for the landlord to evict them as it does in the UK?

In my opinion, the landlords are entitled to get what they can, if someone wants charity, then go to the red cross and not to a businessman.

Edited October 29, 2011 by bkkjohnny69

[leo12345]

I think one thing that has been missed is the owners right to charge more for short term clients. These people are not coming and asking for a 1 yr contract, they are asking for a single month. This will be more work for the owner/staff and effectively raise the operating costs of the building. This is almost guesthouse-ish. In that light, these rooms are very cheap.

True you are,

But under these circumstances it would only be during a 1 or 2 month period.

Its not every day that floods drive you out of your house

[GentlemanJim]

Its people like you that are making this situation so bad. And if you are a westerner then its DEFINITELY people like you that make the rest of us look bad.

Why could you not just do the same price and take a larger deposit???

People are in hard times here.

I would love to have encountered you on my travels to find a condo after my house flooded>

Dear OP, compassion seems to be a key word given the circumstances.

Put yourself on the other side of the picture, would you like others to show some compassion?

You all make me laugh. Travelman has got it exactly right. Scorecard, will you have some compassion for Travelman and send him 100K baht to refurbish and refit his room when the occupants pi** off in a month without paying their bills because they dont have a one year contract and don;t care? The market drives the prices, that's why you pay double the price for a hotel room or a flight when you want to take your kids on holiday at easter. If someone is charging 4K a month rent next door then you cant/shouldn't charge 1500. You pay the going rate. I have not heard of people with existing long term contracts being charged an increase, that would be contestable in the local court.

Everyone wants water and eggs at the same price and complain at traders putting the prices up. Have you any idea of the costs associated with going and finding large stocks of bottled water, collecting it and delivering it? It is not a mass organised logistics system that is cheap in the long term, it is an expensive short term fix that requires time, effort and gasoline. Of course it is going to cost more, there are higher costs to incur by the trader. I can provide as many people with rice that need it. I just have to drive 3 hours to the border with Malaysia and stock up, but before I even sell it to you I have incurred 3K baht worth of fuel costs and a full days work to just collect the rice. Is your bag of rice going to go up in price? You do the maths, but to charge at the 'normal price' would mean I incur a massive loss, and that does not make sense for any trader.

This has nothing to do with eggs, rice or higher fees due to gasoline pirce increase.

This is not about business and making money. The people are in tough times, hotels at the moment are dropping their prices by upto adn over 70% for flood affected people.

Its so simple to just ask for a higher deposit and get their I.D so that you have record of their whereabouts if they do pi** off.

If cards were in the other hands I wonder what the ones overpricing would be saying?

I didn't mention higher gasoline prices. I mentioned that there is a cost to everything, and the extra costs of those people who supply the goods has to be covered.

Market demand drives the cost of everything. You are being naive Do not think for a moment the hotels are displaying some kind of good behaviour here. They are desperate to fill rooms because of the massive cancellation rates. That is the only reason they have dropped their prices.

Getting a Thai's ID card is no guarantee at all of getting your money should they do a runner or cause significant damage to your property.

[bigbamboo]

The end result would be the same though. People complaining they can't rent a property because you have increased the deposit price beyond their means. What you going to do? Let them pay the deposit monthly?

If they really do not have the money then they would not be looking.

The point is that the ones who don't have the money are going into shelters, while the ones who do have money are being overcharged.

The owners could change the overcharging side to be a larger de[posit which on departure if there are no damages the customer gets their money back.

Like jet skis.

[leo12345]

I didn't mention higher gasoline prices. I mentioned that there is a cost to everything, and the extra costs of those people who supply the goods has to be covered.

Market demand drives the cost of everything. You are being naive Do not think for a moment the hotels are displaying some kind of good behaviour here. They are desperate to fill rooms because of the massive cancellation rates. That is the only reason they have dropped their prices.

Getting a Thai's ID card is no guarantee at all of getting your money should they do a runner or cause significant damage to your property.

Actually I work in one of these hotels and we have not lost much occupancy.

The owner also offers free housing for staff that are in trouble.

Many hotels are operating with good occupancy at the moment, but the hotrels close to the river are not doing so well.

[saengsureeya]

Hm many problems here I too have been asked " have you got a room for a month"

My fear is

they move in not only themselves but 5-6 other people into a studio room , dont want to pay a big deposit and then dissapear after the month leaving my room destroyed, what they want is a room at a 12 month price for 1 month, well it aint hapening in one of my units

You want to stay a month your'e gonna pay a 3 month price.

Its people like you that are making this situation so bad. And if you are a westerner then its DEFINITELY people like you that make the rest of us look bad.

Why could you not just do the same price and take a larger deposit???

People are in hard times here.

I would love to have encountered you on my travels to find a condo after my house flooded>

People like this should have their property confiscated by the Thai government and shouldn't be able for the next 20 years to obtain any other property. Scum of the Earth.

[farang000999]

The solution is simple, to take a large deposit for short term rental.

The price should not go up for the room though and the larger deposit would cover for any damages occured

and whom subsidizes the apartment owners who have had their units flooded and wont be able to collect rent or rent out new units?

[leo12345]

The solution is simple, to take a large deposit for short term rental.

The price should not go up for the room though and the larger deposit would cover for any damages occured

and whom subsidizes the apartment owners who have had their units flooded and wont be able to collect rent or rent out new units?

What does that have to do with people looking for an apartment in a dry area and having their prices risen?

[elcent]

The solution is simple, to take a large deposit for short term rental.

The price should not go up for the room though and the larger deposit would cover for any damages occured

and whom subsidizes the apartment owners who have had their units flooded and wont be able to collect rent or rent out new units?

what about insurance?

[needforspeed]

"Jacked up their rental fees by much as 100 per cent"

"Increased the monthly rent from Bt2,000-Bt2,500 to Bt3,000-Bt3,500"

That's 50 and 40 % ,

Edited October 29, 2011 by needforspeed

[farang000999]

Probably half the reason there is no food and water in many parts of flood affected areas. I'd pay double or more the price of goods if they were available. Someone could drive a ute to another provence, buy goods, come back to BKK and sell them and make a profit also. Kills 2 birds, people in BKK have food/water, and the people selling make a profit, but they are too scared of being arrested or fined. Well done to the government for implementing this law!

Sure, but that is different from gouging. When the floods hit i started paying more at the restaurant i normally eat (inside the mu bahn always eat there) Just to cover her extra expenses she did not want to raise prices.

You want to pay extra.. and i would pay extra for some supplies too.. im cut of here the closest Big C is empty but we got enough oatmeal here for 2 weeks for sure maybe longer. Too bad no milk

yes i am sure many people stocked up at the normal price which made less for you to buy. if they just let tesco jack the price up 400% at the beginning then people who still needed ot buy could have done so and the others who were already stocked would have passed.

[farang000999]

The solution is simple, to take a large deposit for short term rental.

The price should not go up for the room though and the larger deposit would cover for any damages occured

and whom subsidizes the apartment owners who have had their units flooded and wont be able to collect rent or rent out new units?

what about insurance?

if the road outside is flooded they wont pay cause u cant rent rooms out.

[leo12345]

Here in BKK all of the imported items are still on the shelves.

Its only the local products that are empty.

No milk, but lots of low fat milk

[mussen]

Probably half the reason there is no food and water in many parts of flood affected areas. I'd pay double or more the price of goods if they were available. Someone could drive a ute to another provence, buy goods, come back to BKK and sell them and make a profit also. Kills 2 birds, people in BKK have food/water, and the people selling make a profit, but they are too scared of being arrested or fined. Well done to the government for implementing this law!

Do you really think the Thai government is unique in doing that during a crisis? If you think any other Thai government would have done any differently you are so deluded.

Don't remember posting anything about what I thought were unique or non-unique policies. I may have though, as I'm often quite deluded.

[thaimat]

i think they call this supply and demand.

Calling taking unscrupulous advantage of people's needs, when they are desperate, "supply and demand", is one way to justify cold hearted greed.

[elcent]

The end result would be the same though. People complaining they can't rent a property because you have increased the deposit price beyond their means. What you going to do? Let them pay the deposit monthly?

If they really do not have the money then they would not be looking.

The point is that the ones who don't have the money are going into shelters, while the ones who do have money are being overcharged.

The owners could change the overcharging side to be a larger de[posit which on departure if there are no damages the customer gets their money back.

Like jet skis.

pretty much the same scams ... no excuses

imagine a volunteer who voluntary just helped filling up thousands of sand bags to help protect these scams and now wants a month or two to recover from the stress and has to pay 7000 for a one room studio, plus higher deposits. should they also not ask for double and triple salary for their jobs then? Let's say charging the apartment owners especially for their job, lets say 1000 Baht per head and day.

You see where that is going?

[Payboy]

i think they call this supply and demand.

Nah, its called gouging and extortion. Just like what the title says.

[manutoo]

People preying on weakened refugees and calling that "fair market price". What a joke !

And they don't demand free rent, just normal price.

In times like this, the world is divided into two kinds of people :

- those who help each other

- the covetous

[leo12345]

People preying on weakened refugees and calling that "fair market price". What a joke !

And they don't demand free rent, just normal price.

In times like this, the world is divided into two kinds of people :

- those who help each other

- the covetous

Pity isn't it.

It would be nice to see the tables turned

[ableguy]

i think they call this supply and demand.

I think its pretty unfair to change the rent price at a time like this for EXISTING lease contracts.

Lets face the truth here, this is a dog eat dog society and money is god, thought before this it was only farangs that were fair game to be ripped off, here in Hua Hin the merchants are just the same bottled water has gone up 35% as the stores run out, eggs have doubled in price in the local market today 60 baht for ten last week 30 baht and so it goes in the miracle land of smiles.

[SADWING]

My fiance and I bought a 10 Baht head of cabbage for 40 baht.

The only place that isn't gouging is the Tesco.

btw... we've been in Pathum Thani, in our room for over two weeks now.

They have run out of water to sell us. Our only recourse is to head to BKK and find a place for a couple days before we have to do our visa runs.

[BigRick]

It is surprising people just don't recycle the plastic bottles they use and fill them up at the Iso water machines. I have yet to buy one bottle of water in this crisis we keep 60L worth of storage 6LX10 plus another 15 in 1.5L bottles. I keep the 6L's filled constantly cost me 4 Baht(4 x 1.5L). To all those people raising their prices what do you expect? They have a lot more to lose. Its cruel but they pull this kind of stuff on us everyday. The flip side of this is the huge number of people helping. I have been helping at the stadium in Bang Kapi and it is amazing how many people are bringing in 10,000's of baht worth of food,water,medicine. Businesses are incurring a lot of extra costs I am sure those brick walls don't come cheap and they serve no other purpose other than flood protection. They are a preventative expense and hence no financial gain only financial asset protection.

[me313]

It sounds like a callous answer, but that is the way a lot of people think they just don't let it show until they have an excuse to bare their fangs and exploit people when they are weak.

Hm many problems here I too have been asked " have you got a room for a month"

My fear is

they move in not only themselves but 5-6 other people into a studio room , dont want to pay a big deposit and then dissapear after the month leaving my room destroyed, what they want is a room at a 12 month price for 1 month, well it aint hapening in one of my units

You want to stay a month your'e gonna pay a 3 month price.

[canadarider]

well, I guess I have to mind my manners, it is people like you, could use more colourful language, that make human beings the scum of the world. Money over humanity is the cause of every problem in this world, the root cause is greed period, and you my friend, are the proof. Gouging is the topic of this and how people turn into scum sucking animals when the opportunity arises. People are homeless and in need of help, food and water are scarce, children are hungry and scared and heartless people who put their own greed above a human in need will get their dues. Yin and yang. You have done the yin and I hope with all my heart that yang comes to see you soon.

Hm many problems here I too have been asked " have you got a room for a month"

My fear is

they move in not only themselves but 5-6 other people into a studio room , dont want to pay a big deposit and then dissapear after the month leaving my room destroyed, what they want is a room at a 12 month price for 1 month, well it aint hapening in one of my units

You want to stay a month your'e gonna pay a 3 month price.

[rockderk]

This has nothing to do with eggs, rice or higher fees due to gasoline pirce increase.

This is not about business and making money. The people are in tough times, hotels at the moment are dropping their prices by upto adn over 70% for flood affected people.

Its so simple to just ask for a higher deposit and get their I.D so that you have record of their whereabouts if they do pi** off.

If cards were in the other hands I wonder what the ones overpricing would be saying?

My wife's relatives recently finished refurbishing after their rental property was burned down by tenants who then fled. She has had the police on the case for 3 months, with copies of their ID cards.. That is the end of my story.

[lhvdberg]

Hm many problems here I too have been asked " have you got a room for a month"

My fear is

they move in not only themselves but 5-6 other people into a studio room , dont want to pay a big deposit and then dissapear after the month leaving my room destroyed, what they want is a room at a 12 month price for 1 month, well it aint hapening in one of my units

You want to stay a month your'e gonna pay a 3 month price.

Its people like you that are making this situation so bad. And if you are a westerner then its DEFINITELY people like you that make the rest of us look bad.

Why could you not just do the same price and take a larger deposit???

People are in hard times here.

I would love to have encountered you on my travels to find a condo after my house flooded>

Dear OP, compassion seems to be a key word given the circumstances.

Put yourself on the other side of the picture, would you like others to show some compassion?

You all make me laugh. Travelman has got it exactly right. Scorecard, will you have some compassion for Travelman and send him 100K baht to refurbish and refit his room when the occupants pi** off in a month without paying their bills because they dont have a one year contract and don;t care? The market drives the prices, that's why you pay double the price for a hotel room or a flight when you want to take your kids on holiday at easter. If someone is charging 4K a month rent next door then you cant/shouldn't charge 1500. You pay the going rate. I have not heard of people with existing long term contracts being charged an increase, that would be contestable in the local court.

Everyone wants water and eggs at the same price and complain at traders putting the prices up. Have you any idea of the costs associated with going and finding large stocks of bottled water, collecting it and delivering it? It is not a mass organised logistics system that is cheap in the long term, it is an expensive short term fix that requires time, effort and gasoline. Of course it is going to cost more, there are higher costs to incur by the trader. I can provide as many people with rice that need it. I just have to drive 3 hours to the border with Malaysia and stock up, but before I even sell it to you I have incurred 3K baht worth of fuel costs and a full days work to just collect the rice. Is your bag of rice going to go up in price? You do the maths, but to charge at the 'normal price' would mean I incur a massive loss, and that does not make sense for any trader.

I agree with the commercial pricing. You buy something its normal that you have to ask double, thats trading. But in the past the chinese traders had sugar in stock, and kept it in stock. They just let the sugar price go up, and shops run out of stock. This also happened with the cooking oil. Now what do you think will happen the coming months? Right, rice, sugar, oil, and other products the chinese own prices will go up.

And about renting a room, when you are in this bussiness, you know how to charge people. This situation should not change it. So when you get a costumor for 1 month, what do you usually charge? When this changed now, because of demand, the people who overcharge are sick. When you charge like you normally do I agree. Making a fortune out of flooding, hmm I hope the future won't bring bad luck to these people. The one they overcharge now might offer them help in the future, but against what price? There is a nice story about a lion and a mouse. First the lion wants to eat the mouse. But the mouse convinces him not to kill. Later the lion gets trapped in a net, and the mouse bites the net. Best friends after that. Story for kids, but some adults could learn from it.

[GentlemanJim]

some of you are living in a dream world honestly. The OWNER of a property is under no obligation to let anyone move in to his or her house/apartments. The management reserve the right and all that. They can charge 1 million baht a week if they want, those that agree to pay it, do so of their own free will. Remember that all of these people fleeing the floods are strangers. Just as many dishonest, thieving thugs are fleeing the water as honest people. They (the thugs) will just as quickly take advantage of this situation, and if they think they can occupy a house or condo for a month or two and then bugger off without paying their due bills then they will do. What will you all propose then, that TV members have a whip round for affected members? It is as someone said, dog eat dog.

If you know people or they are relatives then of course you can be charitable, after all charity begins at home, but if they are strangers then you better beware. And Leo, major hotels have reported a significant drop in occupancy rates, that is a fact. If they want to fill the rooms with flood victims at a lower price that is their choice, but I don't think the flood is the reason for them lowering prices. they need to fill the rooms. the tourists are not coming, so fill them with locals at a 'Thai rate" is the best they can do.

[johnefallis]

So Thais are complaining they are being "Faranged" wonder if the irony of someone charging more because of who you or the situation sinks in on them?

Nice!

[robertson468]

Hm many problems here I too have been asked " have you got a room for a month"

My fear is

they move in not only themselves but 5-6 other people into a studio room , dont want to pay a big deposit and then dissapear after the month leaving my room destroyed, what they want is a room at a 12 month price for 1 month, well it aint hapening in one of my units

You want to stay a month your'e gonna pay a 3 month price.

Its people like you that are making this situation so bad. And if you are a westerner then its DEFINITELY people like you that make the rest of us look bad.

Why could you not just do the same price and take a larger deposit???

People are in hard times here.

I would love to have encountered you on my travels to find a condo after my house flooded>

I agree entirely what an unpleasant person he is. Albeit I live on Koh Samui, I have several fully furnished westernised houses for rent and I am happy to let the two bedroom houses for 10K per month and the single bedroom houses for 7K per month for two months for flood victims if that helps anyone, plus a security deposit in case of damage. This is in some cases is a 50% reduction on the normal rent, as a goodwill gesture to those who are having an unpleasant time of it due to the floods. I would want proof that you are a flood victim either by producing your House Blue Book or a copy of your Lease Contract in Bangkok, showing your address. Hopefully ThaiVisa will allow those in need to contact me (they have my phone number) so that I can help in this small way, but could be quite critical to someone stranded in BKK. Sorry I am not nearer to BKK, but if you have the means to get here, we will do our best to take good care of you until the floods recede. I also hear this morning of a Family member who is buy a truck full of bottled water and is off to BKK to sell them for 150 baht each. They were surprised to hear how disgusted I am that they consider it good business to profit from those who are in desperate times - the nature of some members of the human race, I am sorry to say>

[GentlemanJim]

well, I guess I have to mind my manners, it is people like you, could use more colourful language, that make human beings the scum of the world. Money over humanity is the cause of every problem in this world, the root cause is greed period, and you my friend, are the proof. Gouging is the topic of this and how people turn into scum sucking animals when the opportunity arises. People are homeless and in need of help, food and water are scarce, children are hungry and scared and heartless people who put their own greed above a human in need will get their dues. Yin and yang. You have done the yin and I hope with all my heart that yang comes to see you soon.

name='travelmann' timestamp='1319844222' post='4803895']

Hm many problems here I too have been asked " have you got a room for a month"

My fear is

they move in not only themselves but 5-6 other people into a studio room , dont want to pay a big deposit and then dissapear after the month leaving my room destroyed, what they want is a room at a 12 month price for 1 month, well it aint hapening in one of my units

You want to stay a month your'e gonna pay a 3 month price.

Canadarider

So your wish for ill fortune to befall the poster is just as bad as the attitude displayed by 'the scum'. If you wish bad luck to befall the poster then you attract your own bad ying and yang. For those of you so dismayed then open up your own houses for free, pay for unfortunate people to travel to you and house and feed them. Hey even give them your own bed, but when they trash the place and leave in 2 months, don't say you weren't warned.