Concern with building manager

[mrnike]

Hi folks,

i'm renting a condo unit to the owner through the building manager, managed by century 21. I'm here for a short time. First 3 month and then eventually a couple of monthly extensions, month by month.

Initially, i was supposed to sign a contract, but it never went further than a draft. Then, the weeks and months passing by, i forgot or omitted to claim it. Then, slowly, i got tricked into accepting the way of working of this manipulative building manager: giving me tricky favors making me indebted, no contract, no receipt for the payments i made, which means no way of appealing if something goes wrong.

Slowly, i realize that something is wrong with this person: sending me msg to make me pay the bill, before i even got it (and then, at a later point, admitting having lost it....), some other time asking me to pay the bill very early in the month, some other very late and during the latest case, i got a paper slip under my door asking me to pay within 3 days, otherwise the service would be interrupted, for a bill which i already paid 10 days ago to the same person, but for which i don't have any receipt to prove the contrary.

This makes me feel uncomfortable and at the mercy of this person, without saying that i am a bit tired of this untidy way of working. I would like to know weather it would be a way to raise the issue to an higher (and more neutral) level/person (more concerned about providing a good quality service), in the case further problems would arise with this person in which i totally lost trust. Without to mention that i'm a bit worried about getting back my full caution when i'll be leaving in a couple of months.

Some of you will maybe be tempted to say: "mai pen rai", this is the way things work in Thailand. But i don't think so, as my girlfriend told me that she was very surprised of the lack of serious of this person.

Thanks in advance for your precious help.

Cheers

[seajae]

mate, you need a receipt for every payment you do, if you dont get one then you are asking for trouble, this person may well be telling the owner you are not paying and you have no way to prove you did. You realize something is wrong but are doing nothing about it, time to tell him you want receipts for all your payments, the fault rest with you, the way it sounds you may well be hit with an account for the whole time you have been there as you have no proof its been paid, do something about it now before it goes too far if it already hasnt

[BigT73]

I would go with your gut instinct, if it looks like <deleted> and smells like it, it usually is.  I would start packing, find a new condo and cut my losses now before it gets out of control.

[SOTIRIOS]

...you let it go this far....your fault...

...good luck now....and better photocopy everything from now on at least....or video record it....

...you are obviously dealing with a monster...but you fed that monster....

[bazza40]

Just move your stuff out quietly, and rent somewhere else.

It's possible the manager is just incompetent, which has been known to happen here. However, you don't need the aggravation.

The great thing about renting is you have the option to leave. I'm wondering if the owner of your unit even knows what's going on.

[KittenKong]

Incompetent or dishonest? Who cares? The end result is the same.

Condo management in Thailand is absolutely riddled with people that I would not trust as far as I can spit.

Always get an official receipt for everything, and always assume that they are trying to steal from you. That way you wont go far wrong. Anything else will result in you losing money one day.

[AndyOz]

You know things are not right. I would be looking for somewhere else to rent and then move out as quickly as possible.

[mrnike]

All right guys. Hmm according to your replies i should start to worry... But as i'm leaving pretty soon, all i have (left) to do, i to cross my fingers i guess...