Do Thai landlords pay for Air Conditioner repairs?

[schbang]

I had to pay for the cleaning of a leaking house air-conditioner. Is it customary for Thai landlords or renters to pay for property repairs like air conditioner repairs?

[Johnniey]

It deoends how naive and gullible the renter is.

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[tjhorner]

While I have never had any problems with my A/C units that needed repair, I assume my landlord would take care of any repair cost if needed. She does have them cleaned and serviced twice a year......

[I knew this would happen]

While I have never had any problems with my A/C units that needed repair, I assume my landlord would take care of any repair cost if needed. She does have them cleaned and serviced twice a year......

Then you´re lucky. I think in reality it is like more like the traffic in Thailand, there are almost the same regulations as back home, but nobody gives a f*c*.

When we asked for any favours they never seemed to care a lot. Until this year when we were very lucky and now recieve the same care as back home. But this time the landlord lived abroad a long time in the UK and has a different view of the world anyway

But the problem is that you will be broke if you fix everything for renters. We also rent out some cheaper 4-7K B apartments and i have nothing bad bad experience with Thai renters. Some just disappaer and even steal the fuse box, plugs and leave everything behind broken. Mostly the security deposit is hardly enough to restore the room to a decent condition. I can understand that many landlords might just be tired of cleaning up other peoples mess.

[lomatopo]

This may/should be covered in the terms of your lease. If it is not then you may be required to pay. You could negotiate this, and/or get it added to a new lease going forward. I imagine each situation will be different, with some owner/landlords wanting to service and maintain the infrastructure which is part and parcel of their property, while others may not give a hoot.

[cpofc]

When mine packed up I didn't even bother to find out. I rented a typical 2xBR, 2 x Bathroom townhouse for about 7.5 years. I installed one air con unit of my own, which I took with me when I moved, and the one in the main bedroom belonged to the owner. When the indoor unit went U/S in the main bedroom I didn't stuff about, I got my local Air Con Man in. He is a terrific, honest bloke and he replaced the unit with a 2nd hand one he had for around 3000 Baht! Plus fitting, cleaning, gas etc.

I was only paying 5 grand per month rent, and it did not go up in the 7 1/2 years I was there! I never saw the owners for the entire time either. I paid the 5000 PM through my mother in law who stiched up the deal in the first place.

I reckon it was worth the small amount I paid. Jesus, I spend more than that on a night out downtown. No hassles. No grief.

BTW I never had a lease, no paperwork, no contract.

But I understand this is not the case for everyone.

Edited September 27, 2013 by cpofc

[Briggsy]

What kind of cleaning are you talking about? Cleaning of the filters of the air conditioner or cleaning of the floor and walls caused due to leaking.

I would say landlord pays for the former as it is a job that should be done every year or so, the latter you could do yourself and not have to pay for a cleaner or just leave it dirty if you so wish and see if the landlord deducts anything from the deposit when you leave.

[i claudius]

Our landlady pays for anything over 2000 baht ,never ever had a problem ,doesnt even want to see the bill ,couldnt ask for better .

[Hedghog]

I have never had a problem with landlords.

Rayong,Samui, Krabi, Phitsanulok,anything that needs fixing,they foot the bill.

I have Thai tenants,renting my business,they have been no problem over the last three years.

If anything needed fixing it was sorted post haste.

But they have paid a hefty security deposit.

Luck of the draw I guess.

[elektrified]

I've never known a Thai landlord to ever pay for anything on rentals (except large repairs like a new roof).

Who cares about cleaning the A/C. It's only about 500 Baht per unit + freon. We get all ours done twice a year. If they try and sell you gas every time, you are being scammed. We have not had to top up freon on 2 of our units for more than 2 years now.

[harrry]

my view is that cleaning the airconditioner is the tenants responsibility as it is just as much part of regular maintainance as sweeping the room and keeping the drains clear or defrosting the fridge.. It probably should be the landlords responsibility if for example the compressor fails.

Edited September 27, 2013 by harrry

[YeahSiam]

I've never known a Thai landlord to ever pay for anything on rentals (except large repairs like a new roof).

I've never known a Thai landlord to NOT pay for repairs. Guess it depends on the price range you're in. 5k a month, could have a problem; 10k+, rarely an issue; 20k+ , complete non-issue

my view is that cleaning the airconditioner is the tenants responsibility as it is just as much part of regular maintainance as sweeping the room and keeping the drains clear or defrosting the fridge.. It probably should be the landlords responsibility if for example the compressor fails.

You can reasonably expect the average tenant to have the skills required to sweep a room, defrost a fridge or clear a drain.

You can't reasonably expect the average tenant to have the skills to mess around with filters or other parts of an air conditioning unit particularly when some of them are high up and difficult to reach.

The maintenance of the units is the landlord's responsibility.

Wouldn't even THINK of it being any other way and in 8 years of renting in various properties here, my expectations have never been deemed unrealistic.

[farang000999]

look at the lease.

[CaptHaddock]

My landlord pays because I put a clause into the lease when we negotiated it requiring him to pay.

[isawasnake]

I don't think op should be paying. To me, it all boils down to the fact that you could move into a place and the next day there could feasibly be repairs needed. Should renter have to pay them? Of course not. All cases are just varying degrees of that example; renters are already paying with their monthly fee imo. The people who are saying you can't make money if you pay for stuff didn't calculate repairs/maintenance into their purchase price. If you can't make money, don't buy.

[weescotsguy66]

Cleaning you should be doing yourself, a leaking A/C is done by the landlord, normally when you get an A/C you get a maintenance contract also normally twice a year they get it serviced and they will clean it for you then you should clean it any time in between.

Ask you landlord when is the maintenance for the A/C.

[johnlandy]

It deoends how naive and gullible the renter is.

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Probably also has something to do with what the rental contract says.

If you don't have a written contract you're fair game.

Edited September 28, 2013 by johnlandy

[cheeryble]

My lease says extraordinary repairs are down to landlord but regular things......light bulbs, tap washers, servicing air conditioners......is for the tenant.

Seems reasonable.

[Nowhereman60]

When I rented in Bangkok, I had problems a few times and always called my landlord who had someone fix it that same day. My bedroom air was replaced when it died, no charge to me at all. I had a great and fair landlord Thank God.

[thaidel48]

Best laugh I've had in a long while .... Thai landlords paying for repairs . For a start in the 20 some thing odd years I've lived here I must have rented over a dozen times and probaby 2 of my landlords where Thai all the others were Chinese or at least 2nd gen Chinese .. every tried getting money out of 1? At best when you leave you might get your deposit back.

[DrTuner]

Depends on the contract and if the landlord gives a s**t about contracts. As a rule of thumb learned the hard way, steer clear of ethnic Chinese landlords, especially the old bitter female ones.

[Carl64]

I have rented 2 houses . Made it quite clear on the lease who has to do what. I have had repairs on both houses. Never had a problem. Truly wonderful landlords.

[Straight8]

Cleaning you should be doing yourself, a leaking A/C is done by the landlord, normally when you get an A/C you get a maintenance contract also normally twice a year they get it serviced and they will clean it for you then you should clean it any time in between.

Ask you landlord when is the maintenance for the A/C.

This is really a no-brainer and if your landlord does not pay for maintaining the air con units then eventually they will breakdown and it will cost him 50 fold to replace.

This is not the same as cleaning your bathroom or floors. This for most tenants requires someone with experience to do. What happens if you attempt to clean it and you damage it in some way. It requires you taken it apart and the idea tenant pays is ridiculous.

I think majority of landlords will accept the maintenance costs, that includes cleaning, checking the unit is working, re-gas if needed etc. You expect the tenant to do all that.

If you give in to paying for this, then you will eventually pa for everything in the condo/house.

[Businessman]

As far as I know there is no default law governing maintenance or air cons. In my experience apartment buildings tend to offer complete packages. They will take care of everything. Houses are a whole different kettle of fish. Usually the lease stipulates who is responsible for what. In many cases there is a cap on small repairs up to say 3000 thb above that the landlord takes over. Generally in houses the tenant assumes a greater role in maintenance than an apartment. That said most leases I've seen the landlord takes care of major appliances including air conditioners.

If you don't have a lease I guess it up to your negotiation skills. I'd ask my landlord to consider regular maintenance of his air cons as a good investment to extend the life of the machines and avoid emergency repairs on long holiday weekends. I hope your landlord can see that its win-win.

[Kayahammer]

It's generally a policy that renters pay for AC upkeep and repair. If your landlord is the exception, then good for you. In my experience they have no interest in spending anything to keep their rooms in good condition.

They'll even try and keep your deposit sometimes.

[stickylies]

my landlord pays everything that gets broken, light bulbs, ac, tv, etc. we have never put anything on paper but both trust on our mutual common sense and honest spirit. when the tv broke down i didn't even ask for repair as i never watch it but she insisted (for potential visitors). i know this is not a standard situation but why bothering living in thailand looking for standard situations

Edited September 28, 2013 by stickylies

[KittenKong]

Who cares about cleaning the A/C. It's only about 500 Baht per unit + freon.

I care, for one. It may only be 500B (the chap who does mine charges 400B) but I would rather someone else paid for it.

My rental contract states that repairs up to 1000B are covered by me, and repairs above that sum are down to the landlord. But every year I get the man in to clean the air-con and the 400B bill goes straight to the landlord as this is maintenance not a repair.

[realenglish1]

Well I rent and had a severe Air conditioning problem It was making a lot of noise and not turning on when it should The repair guys made 3 trips to try and repair it and eventually did but

the landlord payed the repair bills So it was not a problem for me and my feeling is they should pay but you know This is Thailand anything can happen

[pogal]

Im renting 5000p/m and get my air cleaned twice a year for free, I even offered to pay and they said "no problem".

They fix anything immediately, or same day.

Reading all the comments above I realize how lucky I must be.

[NoBrains]

The wife is landlord herself and I make the contracts with the tenants, the contract stipulate and can be negosiateable.

General:

Repairs on aircon's we pay but cleaning the filter tenants pays or dot it themself, its an easy Job like cleaning the dustbag from the hoover.
Regarding faulty saving bulbs they must replace them selfs, garden/swimming pool we take care but poolchemicals tenant pays......