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How to get my deposit back?


Hal65

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Yes, it is very common. The best thing you can do is arrange with the landlord that you will stay for free the last months and use your deposit that way. Do that a couple of months before you leave.

The problem is often that the landlord tends to spend your deposit, before you can get a chance to get it back. So do not expect to get your deposit back. Don't look at it as a scam. Its just for many Thai's not normal to have to pay money to farangs. (It just does not seem right) The money flows only one way and best to keep it that way ;-)

Good suggestion and exactly what I did for the rental we had before building.

Deposit was three months in advance and the landlady gave us the last three months free.

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Yes, it is very common. The best thing you can do is arrange with the landlord that you will stay for free the last months and use your deposit that way. Do that a couple of months before you leave.

The problem is often that the landlord tends to spend your deposit, before you can get a chance to get it back. So do not expect to get your deposit back. Don't look at it as a scam. Its just for many Thai's not normal to have to pay money to farangs. (It just does not seem right) The money flows only one way and best to keep it that way ;-)

Oh behave yourself.

Whether or not one receives one's deposit back from a landlord/lady has sweet F.A. to do with Thais having an ingrained aversion to giving money to foreigners - damned stupid thing to say.

If you're renting a no aircon hovel on a spit-and-handshake verbal contract with the receipt for your deposit scrawled out on the back of a cigarette packet, then fair enough, you'll have a hard time getting your money back but if you're paying anything over and above ฿15,000 a month, have a proper written contract that you've read and understood before signing and you haven't smashed the arse out of the fixtures and furnishings, you'll get your deposit back.

I've been here 6 years; I'm on my third rental; both my previous landlords paid deposits back IN FULL without drama, complaint or incident because I upheld my end of the deal. I took full responsibility for the property, the people I allowed into it and any damage I did, I put right out of my own pocket.

Oh, and before the OP goes ahead and follows your "advice", most rental contracts make point of stipulating that withholding rent on the last months of the term is unacceptable so I doubt he'll be able to "arrange it" since it completely negates the landlord's security. Unless, of course, the OP's willing to be detained at the property by 4 motosai taxi riders on moving out day until he coughs up the cash to repair the gaping hole in the sofa..

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I went to my Irish landlord and asked her to release me from my lease for personal reasons. She said no problem and would return my deposit. She returned a 10th of it taking out all the costs, commissions and so called damages she could. There were no damages. You can't get it back even from a farang let alone a Thai. I have lost 2 for no reason. Good luck trying.

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Say you pay two months deposit it means, that the last two months of the stay is being not paid. Keep paying for utilities and things but not for the rent. On leaving you may leave an average of your utilities and a phone number. If you call them a month later and they say "ok" then the utilities were less, otherwise pay up the minor difference against presentation of utility bills.

Worked fine for me over the last 29 years; landlords do not like it but in one case I rented from the same guys again and they loved it. We're not into cheating but whoever wants something from someone else is lost. So make sure that everybody wants something from you without misusing the situation ;-)

I doubt whether a Thai or even farang landlord would let you go two months in rent arrears knowing your tenancy was coming to an end. More likely the locks would be changed with your gear retained until you pay and as you've tried to trick them they may be inclined to keep your deposit aswell.

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The last 2 apartments that I rented I got my deposit back, minus some small expenses.

Don't confuse folks here at the Farang Fantasy Factory with any real examples that don't support their prejudices.

Undoubtedly getting a deposit back can be a trial. I know the few times I rented many years ago in the US it was never easy or quick to get. But based on my few experiences I would not feel qualified to start spouting about MOST CASES or make other generalities for which I couldn't possibly have sufficient information.

All of which you just did....

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The easiest way is to buy an old Lamborghini, hire a scientist to transform that into a garbage burning time machine, and then fly back and kill your own grandfather..... thus stopping your earlier self from giving a deposit in the first place.

Unfortunately, your history will be also wiped out and you will fade into non-existance.

I am afraid there is no other way even remotely possible.

DeLorean

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Errrrr.... yes. No wonder it doesn't work. I put all the stuff in the carburetor, but the dial still is reading 2014. Makes a difference, huh?

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The last 2 apartments that I rented I got my deposit back, minus some small expenses.

Don't confuse folks here at the Farang Fantasy Factory with any real examples that don't support their prejudices.

Undoubtedly getting a deposit back can be a trial. I know the few times I rented many years ago in the US it was never easy or quick to get. But based on my few experiences I would not feel qualified to start spouting about MOST CASES or make other generalities for which I couldn't possibly have sufficient information.

All of which you just did....

thumbsup.gif

still waiting for alternatives on the time machine..

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13 years+ and never paid a deposit.

Hush up !...

you are giving up the secret strategy.

ok....I will give out my technique, as well.

Find out what the deposit is, and, instead of paying that.....pay in advance. Make sure you do this only for six months at a time.

You see, there are so many rentals where I am (everyone is buying houses, but nobody stays in them). What you actually have is leverage. Most locals are going for second mortgages. If you find a person in dire straits with an imminent bank take over, you can offer a lump sum for a lease, and convince them to forget about the deposit. This will get the bank off their backs.

It works a treat. I am paying, in effect, 2500 baht a month for 3 bedroom, 3 bath and two rai, it the city. My gals sister has many properties outside town, and would love to have some lump sum payments. No deposits.

This is not an advertisement...just trying to teach you guys something about leverage.

Edited by slipperylobster
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The easiest way is to buy an old Lamborghini, hire a scientist to transform that into a garbage burning time machine, and then fly back and kill your own grandfather..... thus stopping your earlier self from giving a deposit in the first place.

Unfortunately, your history will be also wiped out and you will fade into non-existance.

I am afraid there is no other way even remotely possible.

You mean de Lorean?

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

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Yes, it is very common. The best thing you can do is arrange with the landlord that you will stay for free the last months and use your deposit that way. Do that a couple of months before you leave.

The problem is often that the landlord tends to spend your deposit, before you can get a chance to get it back. So do not expect to get your deposit back. Don't look at it as a scam. Its just for many Thai's not normal to have to pay money to farangs. (It just does not seem right) The money flows only one way and best to keep it that way ;-)

Doing this a couple of months before you leave will invariably not work.

If this is what you want then it MUST be written into the lease before you sign it.

Most leases are water tight and say that the deposit cannot be used as payment for rent. If you sign it they have you legally by the short and curly's.

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The easiest way is to buy an old Lamborghini, hire a scientist to transform that into a garbage burning time machine, and then fly back and kill your own grandfather..... thus stopping your earlier self from giving a deposit in the first place.

Unfortunately, your history will be also wiped out and you will fade into non-existance.

I am afraid there is no other way even remotely possible.

You mean de Lorean?

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

No..that was just a movie.

Fact is, with the right kit, you can convert anything to fly through a worm hole in the universe. In fact, if you do locate one, you just kind of jump inside.

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I have leased 7 condos, apts., and single family homes in Thailand for 6 months up to 2 year leases. I have had a variety of mixed experiences with getting my security deposit back. For more expensive rentals, I insist upon 1 month deposit while for less expensive accomodations, 2 months is acceptable to me.

I have had everything from getting no deposit back (where I did not stay for the entire lease period so this would be expected) to getting 100% back. It is all dependent upon the landlord. I was informed, which proved to be true, that the landlord is your "best friend" when you sign the lease agreement, and your "worst enemy" after you give your departure notice. I found if you rent a nicer place from a landlord who speaks English and therefore (presumably) is better educated, they will treat you fairly. Leaving the place you rent in the same, or better, condition than when you rented it helps in the landlord's attitude and they will deduct from the deposit different things which they considered as "damaged". In one apt. there was a very tiny mark on the wall in one room from furniture and they charged to repaint the entire wall. Another, they allowed me to put nails into the walls to hang paintings, but did not tell me in advance they would charge 500 baht to repair each hole (which probably cost them 100 at the most). The worse landlord I ever had was actually a farang who hit me up big time for most of my deposit. It just depends upon the person. Also, in many lease agreements, the landlord states the deposit cannot be used to pay rents, so trying to stay an extra 2 months may not work and they can put a lock on the doors so you cannot enter in many cases. Leaving it clean and in good shape is your part and hopefully the landlord then fulfills their part and returns most, if not all of the deposit.

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One option is, to give the case to a lawyer, isn't it?

Good Idea! get a Thai lawyer so when he sues the landlord for the money the landlord will give it to the lawyer. Then you will have to sue the lawyer to get the deposit back. But the lawyer will then tell you that he didn't get the money from the landlord and your back to where you started except that you had to pay the lawyer to lose your money..

best advice. Don't pay the rent for the last month and let the landlord sue you.!

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Yes, it is very common. The best thing you can do is arrange with the landlord that you will stay for free the last months and use your deposit that way. Do that a couple of months before you leave.

The problem is often that the landlord tends to spend your deposit, before you can get a chance to get it back. So do not expect to get your deposit back. Don't look at it as a scam. Its just for many Thai's not normal to have to pay money to farangs. (It just does not seem right) The money flows only one way and best to keep it that way ;-)

"Don't look at it as a scam. Its just for many Thai's not normal to have to pay money to farangs."

What kind of statement is this? So in other countries its perfectly okay to rip Thais off? I doubt any would think so. A scam is a scam no matter what country it happens in.

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I've always had my deposit returned. Though I did have to call the pigs once.

And yet, even though those officers actions allowed you to get a deposit back that would have otherwise been lost to you...you still find it impossible to refer to them with some level of respect.

Your post speaks volumes for the kind of miscreant you are.

Oh boo hoo.

Fact is I dialed the police and the dude, interrupted the call before it was made to say he would give the deposit back.

Heroes like you always jump to conclusions without knowing nada of the facts. Go start an argument somewhere else Jean Claude

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

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I have never once not had deposit returned--close to a dozen places in as many years--but am well aware of what happens to some. Try to check online see if any previous hassles with a place and also take loads of pictures when you check in.

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Use a reputable agent and you get your deposit back promptly.

We have rented thousands of properties in Bangkok and the only people who lose their deposit are those who break the lease early, same in any country.

Running the deposit down as rent is never an option, the property needs to be checked when you are moving out and any damages sorted out from the deposit.

A lot of the issues come from using freelance agents or walking into a random condo and asking for a condo.

Limited Thai and a contract in a language you can't read, what do you think will happen? It never ceases to amaze me that people sign contracts they can't read, there really is no cure for stupid!

Of course the pretty 'arm toucher' agents eat farang for breakfast, especially ones just off the boat, if you choose property with your pecker what do you expect.

We have never had an instance where an owner has refused to return a deposit but then we use our own contract, it is very fair and stipulates the return time of the deposit, all very clear and only real damages deducted. We take photographs of every property, any prior damage and a full inventory before contract is signed.

Only person who didn't get all of their deposit back was me!

One old Chinese lady who bargained with me for an hour from keeping all of the deposit for one month to keeping 10k of it.

At that point I mentally wrote off the 10k as I Knew it was never coming back, never did and she called me 2 weeks later to say she had found damage. Oh how I chuckled.

Anyway I had bargained her down on the rental price so it offset the 10k she got her greasy mits on.

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