Can I take my AC with me when I leave my rental?

[thinkless]

Hi folks,

Just wondering if I can take my air conditioner, which I purchased and installed, when I decide to leave the building I'm renting. I would assume I can, so long as I patch up any holes in the walls, etc. My landlord made a point of saying that I can't take it, but I don't think that's legal. Is it? Surely not.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[CharlieH]

Moved to housing/rentals

[konying]

Of course you can and of course landlord stated you could not. Who would not love to have free air

As long as wall is fixed, you can not be charged or expected to leave your goods.

Landlord can make an offer for you to leave it, and if anything you should make it clear to him/her, if they want to keep it, they would have to pay for it some agreed amount

[HOAX]

If you bought the air con then obviously yes you can take it with you, unless you signed a bad contract which says you can not take it with you even if you bought it, which I doubt any law in Thailand is protecting you from.

If you don`t patch up the holes in the wall then he/she may require you to pay for the damages, which will be drawn of your deposit if you paid that when you first moved in.

The owner may ask you if he/she can buy the air con from you when you leave, which I have actually heard happened to a couple of my friends.

[zeichen]

"As long as wall is fixed, you can not be charged or expected to leave your goods."

The walls have been permanently damaged, patching them or covering them up doesn't change the fact.

Sorry even fixing the holes won't protect the OP. The landlord will in no way return his deposit. If your deposit is more than the AC, then leave it otherwise take it.

[NickJ]

Most rental contracts here say you cannot remove improvments.....I have seen this a few times and if the owner notices its gone and calls the police they will side with the owner.....seen it a few times. Do it at night and quietly. Also Im not 100% certain but it might be the law and then doesnt even have to be in the lease.

[konying]

"As long as wall is fixed, you can not be charged or expected to leave your goods."

The walls have been permanently damaged, patching them or covering them up doesn't change the fact.

Sorry even fixing the holes won't protect the OP. The landlord will in no way return his deposit. If your deposit is more than the AC, then leave it otherwise take it.

Walls are made out of cement and bricks, not exactly hard to have it hole patched.

[trogers]

I believe an air-conditioner is considered a fixture, and not a chattel.

Chattels can be removed, but not fixtures.

Test - fixtures enhance the enjoyment of the property. Chattel is the object of enjoyment.

Edited May 8, 2015 by trogers

[thrilled]

I believe most landlords won't return your deposit no matter what.Many Thai's that once they have money in their hands you'll never see it again.

[rocketboybkk]

Take it with you but make sure the wall is as you left it to swerve any problems the LL says you need to make good

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rocketboybkk]

I believe most landlords won't return your deposit no matter what.Many Thai's that once they have money in their hands you'll never see it again.

It is a problem.

Some people may use the deposit to pay the final months rent but if you've paid more than a months rent as depo then you risk losing the extra.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[technologybytes]

The bottom line is that there is no correct answer.. it depends on your situation.

If you can't make the wall identical to how it was prior to you fitting the air con then realistically you can't expect your full deposit back.

However not all landlords are sharks, only about 90& of them.

[Langsuan Man]

Did you ask the landlord for permission to install the air conditioner in your rented apartment ?

If so, then the subject of taking it with you when you left should have been covered then or in your lease agreement

[Evolare]

Yes you can just patch up the hole the AC used and paint over it. Same with the wholes for the screws if it's rendered invisible where the hole was it is considered to be restored. I personally had a conflict like this with a landlord in Chiang mai a few years ago. It is your property if you bought it and paid for it. End of story.

I told the landlord if he can point out exactly where the hole was he can take it...he pointed on the wrong wall because there had been a previous installation there from another tenant who also took his ac with him.

Just saying

Edited May 9, 2015 by Evolare

[Argus Tuft]

I believe most landlords won't return your deposit no matter what.Many Thai's that once they have money in their hands you'll never see it again.

You believe?

What a nonsense assertion to make. Have you ever actually been in a rental agreement in Thailand? If so, how many times have you failed to receive back your deposit? Post your evidence

[Argus Tuft]

OP, it might have been a good idea to clear this up when you installed the AC unit and get some agreement in writing.

Best to have a frank discussion with the landlord/owner and see if you can come to some agreement.

[jacko45k]

A pal of mine took his and left the hole after a rather derisory offer for the AC!

[Griffo63]

I believe most landlords won't return your deposit no matter what.Many Thai's that once they have money in their hands you'll never see it again.

You believe?

What a nonsense assertion to make. Have you ever actually been in a rental agreement in Thailand? If so, how many times have you failed to receive back your deposit? Post your evidence

[Evolare]

I believe most landlords won't return your deposit no matter what.Many Thai's that once they have money in their hands you'll never see it again.

You believe?

What a nonsense assertion to make. Have you ever actually been in a rental agreement in Thailand? If so, how many times have you failed to receive back your deposit? Post your evidence

It's actually quite common for landlords not to return the security deposit or if you get it back it's quite common to not get it back in full. But if you have a solid standardized contract through an agency or so the deposit will be repaid For sure problem usually occurs when tenant rents directly from landlord and don't understand the terms of the contract.

[jacko45k]

I believe most landlords won't return your deposit no matter what.Many Thai's that once they have money in their hands you'll never see it again.

You believe?

What a nonsense assertion to make. Have you ever actually been in a rental agreement in Thailand? If so, how many times have you failed to receive back your deposit? Post your evidence

Ridiculous to ask someone to post evidence!

I have failed to receive back my deposit 100% of the time. To be honest it is was just the once and after waiting some time (landlord had financial 'difficulties') we came to some agreement involving a coffee making machine.

[awayego]

We had an air con fitted to a bedroom in our last rented property. When we moved I had the air con removed and I personally patched up the holes on both sides.

The landlord was particularly nit-picking and tried his hardest to identify anything fault/damage/even normal 'wear and tear'.

Everything he pointed out (including a curtain that had marks on it which he was going to charge for replacing) we sorted. (I was forewarned about this by reading others' problems in getting a deposit back.)

But the fact was we left the house a damn sight cleaner and in better condition than when we moved in and in the end he had no choice but to refund our deposit of 20.000bt in full, although we had to wait a month or longer to get it.

He doesn't know to this day that we had an air con fitted and removed!

[Griffo63]

What rubbish. I moved 4 times in the past 8 years and on each occasion the landlord has returned the deposit in full. In fact with my latest move the landlord suggested I shouldn't pay the last 2 months rent in lieu of returning the deposit. Don't condemn all Thais with your accusation.

For the OP I would expect that if the building is returned to its original condition then there would be no recourse to retain deposit or insist on leaving the AC unit. But the contract might say different.

[Argus Tuft]

I believe most landlords won't return your deposit no matter what.Many Thai's that once they have money in their hands you'll never see it again.

You believe?

What a nonsense assertion to make. Have you ever actually been in a rental agreement in Thailand? If so, how many times have you failed to receive back your deposit? Post your evidence

Ridiculous to ask someone to post evidence!

Of course it is ridiculous to ask someone to post evidence of this - I doubt the person I was responding to was being sincere, rather just trolling.

I have failed to receive back my deposit 100% of the time. To be honest it is was just the once and after waiting some time (landlord had financial 'difficulties') we came to some agreement involving a coffee making machine.

Thanks for being honest (after saying you have failed to receive your deposit back 100% of the time)

[recom273]

Most rental contracts here say you cannot remove improvments.....I have seen this a few times and if the owner notices its gone and calls the police they will side with the owner.....seen it a few times. Do it at night and quietly. Also Im not 100% certain but it might be the law and then doesnt even have to be in the lease.

I have heard this and been aware of this when renting in Bangkok, if the landlord proposed to stick with the rule we found a different apartment to move to.

When leaving, we never had a problem, but we had to pay the landlord a fee to drill the hole in the wall for us, say 5K or something, with an understanding, this was used to patch the hole after we left. We always rented Thai-style-shoebox rooms.

I was always surprised in which the ease in which the deposit was returned, often the cleaner or security guard would have it ready minus a small fee for cleaning.

[CWMcMurray]

Best if you can negotiate with landlord or if he is not open to it...

You can also talk to other tenets in the building to see if anyone will want your room with the air con and they may be willing to pay you for it

Rented a place about 9 years ago... Cheap 2 bedroom TH 3,700 / month. In Bang Yai.. Total bare bones low end Thai style Town house

Did a lot of upgrades.. AC in bedroom, hot water heater in bathroom.. Afixed mirrors in bathroom.. Racks in bathroom

Add water pipes and plug for washing machine...run additional pipe to allow easy link into sink unit (thai metal removable style sink/cabinet)

Additional electric sockets...

All said and done, only cost about 10k thb for all improvements (minus cost of A/C and heater)

But well worth the money for fix up, as made it very livable and more comfortable...

And over all cost way less to pay the cheap rent and improve than find a nicer place that didn't need any improvements and higher rent

Once we were ready to move.. One of the neighbors who saw all the improvements we made wanted to move from their old place to our room and offered us 10k if we left the water heater and A/C..

Also land lord was ok with it... He just say he need to bp rent to 4000 thb per month for the other improvements (+300/mo)

Well worth it to us... Even though a bit less than half of cost of A/C and water heater

And only a third of cost once adding in other improvements, but still well worth it to my view

As no need to hire some one to uninstall, repair house...

Also new place already had A/C

So would try to work on finding some solution with landlord or see if some one else willing to move in to your place with A/C

Key is to think about the solution not the problem and be willing to bend a bit...

In the end was a win / win/ win... Everyone was happy

Are you sure you can't try something similar ?

Be creative and try to find a solution that everyone can live with...

Try to find a way to work with the land lord and not just confrontational.. You may be surprised

Edited May 9, 2015 by CWMcMurray

[The Deerhunter]

If you bought the air con then obviously yes you can take it with you, unless you signed a bad contract which says you can not take it with you even if you bought it, which I doubt any law in Thailand is protecting you from.

If you don`t patch up the holes in the wall then he/she may require you to pay for the damages, which will be drawn of your deposit if you paid that when you first moved in.

The owner may ask you if he/she can buy the air con from you when you leave, which I have actually heard happened to a couple of my friends.

Yes, offer to sell it to him/her at a realistic (not new) price, but realize that patching "the hole in the wall" means full reinstatement with matching paint etc.

[Nickkbh]

The question no one have asked, did you replace another AC, or was this the first one.

It replaced, you can take if you refit the old one.

But you have to leave one AC or the other.

If there wasn't one, then take it and patch it up.

Its yours.

But maybe ask the owner if he wants to buy it.

[thinkless]

Thanks for your responses. I guess it isn't as straight forward as I had thought.

As the air conditioner was being installed, the daughter of the landlord (landlord was out of the country at the time) came over and said, "You know, you can't take that out when you leave." My wife just said, "OK", but thought otherwise. We have 10,000 baht deposit and the AC cost 15000. We've also installed a hot water heater, which also has to stay presumably.

We have a shop downstairs, so my wife has suggested we sign another lease agreement and then 'seng raan' (sell out) and get some money back that way. Definitely an option.

Our landlord owns a number of buildings and most people we've talked to haven't had a problem getting their deposit back. But she's been pretty strict about not allowing the taking of things that are drilled into the wall, so I also considered buying and installing an old used AC in place of the new one and taking the nice new one with us. Nothing she can do about that.

Thanks for all your responses and advice.

Edited May 9, 2015 by thinkless

[Liquorice]

I would think it depends on your contract and your landlord.

Unfortunately most contracts will be written in Thai so you only have the landlords word to go on, unless you get it translated.

In my first rental, I got my full deposit back as soon as I moved and it was inspected.

This is my second rental and the owner a first time landlord. My contract is very basic, printed of the internet and doesn't go into details of repair or improvements. Most Thais rent 'as is', so if you find repairs are needed or want to make improvements it's pretty much off your own back. I was informed everything was working, but when I took occupancy I found every tap leaked, the western toilet didn't flush and the shower worked periodically according to the water pressure.

I replaced the taps, but kept the old one's. Repaired the toilet and fitted a water tank and pump which the landlord paid half the cost.

Told him 18,000 baht, but I did the work myself for 12,000 baht.

I also did other improvements and decorating but for my own comforts.

If I leave, I'll refit the cheap taps and remove the expensive taps I purchased. Even then I'll be leaving the house in a better condition than when I moved in. I won't have any problems getting my deposit back because the agreement was 2 months deposit up front, and give two months rent free notice if I leave.

[12DrinkMore]

So far six houses rented, average stay around two years.

Never had a problem having the deposit returned in full on time.

Most of the people I know do not have a problem either. I believe it is the vocal minority who have built up this idea that Thai landlords do not return deposits.

Nobody posts, "rented house and got deposit back".

But all the moaners and complainers, late rent payers ("just another week, my pension arrived late" or some such bullshit) and late utility bill payers almost always have issues.

It is commonsense; stay on good terms with the landlord, pay bills on time, don't moan and complain, and keep the place in reasonable condition and clean it when you leave.

Works for me, so far everytime.