Moved into new condo and already regretting it - any way to get my deposit back?

[Breakspear]

I moved into a brand new condo yesterday but i'm already regretting it.

My main requirement was that it has to be completely quiet around the condo during late evening / morning hours because i need uninterrupted sleep, i was promised that was the case and believed so because it's located in a dead-end soi.

Unfortunately this morning i got woken up around 5am by an army of birds of all kinds, from little chirpers to pigeons and that extremely annoying asian Koel which seems to follow me around wherever i go.
The serenade lasted well until after 8.00am so i imagine i'llhear it every bloody morning!

White noise from a large fan, setting the airconditioning to the noisiest level and wearing earplugs didn't help to reduce the noise polution at all.
The reason is simple, the sliding windows and doors don't fit correctly into the frame. Besides that some idiot drew holes into the side of the frame so all those high pitched noises go right through it. Even if everything is aligned then i will still be hearing the birds as if they're in my bedroom because of the poor quality sliding windows/doors.

The owner of the building doesn't seem to be willing to offer an acceptable solution like adding a second window for noise isolation or replacing the cheap constructed single paned windows for double ones.
He allows me to replace the windows but at my own expense. I paid 90k THB deposit for the unit and the rent is 45k so that's not worth it.

I've not yet signed the contract because the furniture list was incomplete. Will not having signed the contract give me any benefit to receive a full refund of my deposit if i decide to leave immediately?
Will an attorney be able to help me as i've been lied to by the salesstaff? Or should i just take my loss and move on.

Has anyone here been in a similar situation?

[Morakot]

this morning i got woken up around 5am by an army of birds of all kinds, from little chirpers to pigeons and that extremely annoying asian Koel

What better way to wake up than the sounds of nature?

Consider yourself lucky.

[I Like Thai]

Fools day is dead and gone, you're the fool that carried on.

[tinhead]

By Thai standards, that's pretty quiet. Even if you successfully complete your term, in most cases, Farang don't get their money back.

As for contract law? Whatever's written. I don't think you have a leg to stand on. Try 30฿ ear plugs.

[Breakspear]

Thanks for being supportive

I do enjoy the sound of nature, but not junglestyle at 5am.

A little background info about my foolish decision to rent the place. I have developed a chronic disease with multiple health complications that leaves me bedbound and extremely tired for most of the day, the last place i stayed at became unsuitable due to my asthma being triggered by something unknown so i had to move quickly. The current condo looked nice enough and i didn't have the energy left to search for other options. With the promise of it being quiet all night / morning it was ok enough for me.

I need sleep and rest, lots of it to recover because i'm undergoing heavy medical treatment for the whole coming year. I know it was stupid of me not to have checked out the place on various times prior to renting it but the salesstaff / developer sounded trustworthy enough, even after i explained to them the situation i'm in.

I don't mind the birds chirping all day, that would be a misinterpretation but it's like the amazon jungle here at 5am.

Not only that, i can follow whole conversations from people talking in the soi, doors slamming echo constantly in the condo because of dumb architecture and my neighbour watching TV 24/7.

For 45k per month you'd expect a little bit of soundproofing because it's not in the CBD area. Looks like no expenses have been saved except on that part.

[Breakspear]

By Thai standards, that's pretty quiet. Even if you successfully complete your term, in most cases, Farang don't get their money back.

As for contract law? Whatever's written. I don't think you have a leg to stand on. Try 30฿ ear plugs.

Depends on the quality of the development i guess. I've lived in higher end condo's in the CBD area ranging from 50k to 100k per month and never had a problem with noise polution! I've also always got my deposit returned to me at the end of the contractterm minus after-cleaning and maintenance costs.

Was hoping to save some money on housing but i guess i will have to move way further to get something reliable for this price.

[trogers]

Select a condo with aluminum casement windows instead of sliding ones in your next residence. That means no balcony and no sliding door at the bedroom as well.

[tinhead]

Sound travels... Upwards. Interesting how quiet my suite on the 8th floor is quieter than my suite on the 30th floor. Go figure. Are you high up?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[sms747]

Try wax earplugs you can fit well to the ear,foam ones are rubbish and silicone tend to break up, plug the widow holes up yourself, get a model eagle and stick on balcony. If all fail then move, but it will probably be worse, Thailand is noise personified. 45k a month jeez you could stay in hospital for that!

Edited April 2, 2014 by sms747

[orchidlady]

I can't help with the legality of getting your deposit back but I had a similar problem with the same type of bird. It moved into my neighbor's 50 ft mango tree which backed up to condo parking lot and my balcony. The bird loved to start screaming--not singing- at 3 am and totally disrupted my sleep for two months. My brother (biologist) said it's singing for a mate although at a weird time. He said it shouldn't last too long. It lasted about 9 weeks total and the bird apparently moved to another location with a mate to nest. So you might want to try the other ear plug solutions and wait it out.

[Pinot]

Post decisional dissonance...1 day????

I rented a house and moved in. That night at 4 AM a train came through the backyard. How were we ever going to live with that? After a week, it was like a lullaby. You're going to get used to it, buddy.

Oh, and never buy a place in Thailand.

[kiniyow]

Birds wake me up every morning and I love it..Much better then Soi Dogs barking or chickens crowing

[Loles]

So guys, this is BKK, and BKK is pretty noisy.

If some-one can't accept has to move, but where?

Nationwide is much worse, there you will be woken up by chickens at 4 am.

I have no idea what can you do, but it's sure, they don't give back your deposit for the mentioned reason.

[Senechal]

Buy some good, professional ear plugs. There are loads of different kinds. I prefer the very soft, mushy ones for sleep.

I had a similar problem in an apartment once and got very used to sleeping with ear plugs. It's really quite comfortable after the first couple days of adjustment. You'll sleep like a baby.

[martynsnowmans]

Buy some good, professional ear plugs. There are loads of different kinds. I prefer the very soft, mushy ones for sleep.

I had a similar problem in an apartment once and got very used to sleeping with ear plugs. It's really quite comfortable after the first couple days of adjustment. You'll sleep like a baby.

a quick and easy tip about ear plugs , if you want a perfect fit dont bother with buying professional 1s

you need a wax candle and 2 small squares of cling film " used for storing food " melt small amount

of wax " about 1 tea spoon " pour it into the cling film let it cool just i little , then mold it into each ear

untill its set , then trim the film , i promise you,ll never get a better fitting ear plug ....

[expatsupreme]

i bought amazing earplugs in some health shop that sells vitamins, creames, it is achain

they are orange in color and you can wash them, i have them for years now, when they get dirty i just wash them in pure alcohol, no damage and they really protect me from noise in condo

they can be bought on ebay too, orange color, not wax, it is a foam material, and I sleep like a baby

[crazykopite]

Get some ear plugs !

[ghworker2010]

you sound precious

[Borzandy]

"any way to get my deposit back?" ha ha ha, you're in Thailand...

[ghworker2010]

you sound precious

[Kayahammer]

White noise from a large fan, setting the airconditioning to the noisiest level and wearing earplugs didn't help to reduce the noise polution at all.

Duh!

[isawasnake]

Now you can have birds chirping on a private beach, what could be better?

[happynthailand]

try hang up some good insinuating drapes on all the windows

that should work

Edited April 3, 2014 by happynthailand

[54321]

whatever country you are in never believe a promise.

If a salesperson makes a promise ask that promise is written into the contract, at that point they will refuse and you will know it was a lie

[eeeya]

Ear plugs. I wear them all the time when sleeping.

I once was dreaming about eating a nice juicy steak and when I woke up the ear plug was in my mouth and I was chewing on it in my sleep

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk

[landslide]

try hang up some good insinuating drapes on all the windows

that should work

This will work. A heavy set of drapes will block quite a bit of noise, especially the high pitched sounds.

[stickylies]

tip 1. go to bed at 9pm. wake up at 5am. drink cofee with them little birds. love it.

tip 2.

tip 3. stay cool, accept, in some days/weeks u get used to it and will sleep

[belg]

i guess the owner tought abuot noisy illegal karaoke trucks that can keep you awake for a good part of the night...

those birds can really drive you crazy and anybody who does not have a KOEL, does not know how loud they get....

here it starts sometimes at 1.30 AM ... loud noises does not scare him at all, he just continue all night

airco & fan do not help

only industrial headphones (the one used to protect ears when in a wood cutting factory)

i feel your pain & annoyance

[sgiandubh69]

Would it be possible to pin or double sided tape to a sheet of perspex fitted directly onto the frame.

I have done this before and it has a good effect on noise isolation.

[Gsxrnz]

try hang up some good insinuating drapes on all the windows

that should work

This will work. A heavy set of drapes will block quite a bit of noise, especially the high pitched sounds.

Yeah, but insinuating drapes may not be the answer and could lead to paranoia.