Condo power bill not in my name? (Renting)

[sikishrory]

I previously rented 2 condos in Bangkok. The lease contracts were typed up with letterheads and both times it was me an agent and the owner sitting in the condo signing them. At both places power, water and internet bills were issued to my name from the government bodies.

I have a new contract in Pattaya and am finding things kind of odd. This is no major issue to me yet but I am wondering what others make of it.

I found my new place on a Thai rent condo group facebook page. The original contact who posted it and I contacted (I assume she is an agent) arranged for me to meet at the condo and do all the papaerwork with some old Thai lady who lives downstairs. The Japanese owner was not present. I have just checked the contract and the leaser is a Thai female name (I assume the old Thai lady) and not the Japanese owner.

Two power bills have since arrived and they are both in the japanese guys name.

Water is yet to arrive as it is 3 monthly apparently.

Cable is connected but apparently is included somehow in the condo.

There is a small business name printed at the bottom of this shoddy looking contract that I could contact but I am thinking it may not even be connected with this and they have just used this paper as a template.

I work away for most of the year and half the reason for renting this place was to have a domacile in Thailand for tax purposes. The tax office in my country will certainly ask me to provide utility bills with my name on them if I am ever audited in the future and I am not getting that from this place. 

I do believe the owner is indeed Japanese as his name is on the power bill and I did meet him breifly downstairs a few days later. He also supplied a copy of the tabian baan and his passport incase I need it for visa extension or anything.

Its not a huge issue but annoys me that it is all a little out of line. In actual fact probably means I have no responsibility to even pay the power bill. However I wonder if this also means that in a year the Thai woman could say I owe her 12 months rent as she is the leaser on the contract and I was sending the rent to the Japanese guys bank account?

Anyone else renting a condo with someone elses name on their power bill etc?

Edited February 5, 2017 by sikishrory
Forget somthg

[Crossy]

Yup, we rented the same place for 8 years, power, water and TrueVisions in the owners name. We just paid them when they arrived, if you don't they simply cut off the service like they would anyone else.

 

Are you sending the rent to the person named in your rental contract? If so, just keep all the receipts and you're good to go.

[sikishrory]

No the person on the contract seems to be the old lady who lives downstairs. I am paying rent into the japanese owners thai account via transfers so i dont really get receipts. It all seems a bit out of whack.

[Delight]

 If the Japanese owner pays tax on the surplus of income over expenditure-i.e profit. Then he will be keen to show evidence of high expenditure.

The utility bills in his name will certainly help him reduce his profit . -thus his tax liabilities.

He wins -you lose (assuming that you also wish to show evidence of  utility  expenditure for your tax returns).

It looks like   from a legal standpoint  the contract is with the little lady.

Tenants come and tenants go -she stays

 

 

[sikishrory]

Its such a small silly thing really that normally wouldn't bother me but it is annoying as it is most of the reason I rent a condo for the documentation. 

My wife is already annoyed with me about why "you serious too much about this".

I suppose the best thing I can do is ask the owner or old lady for it be put in my name and try and explain.

If they refuse which is likely I guess I could subscribe to internet or cable or some other utility which would give me some proof of residing there.

Leaving condo and getting a new one I would no doubt lose deposit etc.

[SaintLouisBlues]

43 minutes ago, sikishrory said:

Its such a small silly thing really that normally wouldn't bother me but it is annoying as it is most of the reason I rent a condo for the documentation. 

My wife is already annoyed with me about why "you serious too much about this".

I suppose the best thing I can do is ask the owner or old lady for it be put in my name and try and explain.

If they refuse which is likely I guess I could subscribe to internet or cable or some other utility which would give me some proof of residing there.

Leaving condo and getting a new one I would no doubt lose deposit etc.

Is the lease not in your name? Isn't that sufficient? Why would your tax office demand more than the lease? Are your bank statements not addressed to you there?