Bangkok Condo rent negotiation

[soley13]

Hi people,

 

 

What are your experiences of negotiating rent on a condo in Bangkok?

 

Say if I wanted to sign for 6 months, or 1 year could I haggle and reduce the monthly rent to a lower figure than was advertised?

 

For example a condo in Rachada, at 15,000Baht  p/month taken for 1 year rental contract; would an expectation be to see that monthly price drop to say 12,000 baht p/month as they know they have a secure tenancy?

 

 

[trogers]

Depends if you deal direct or through an agent.

 

If direct, you can bargain for Bt10k on a year's contract for a shoebox.

[blackcab]

It depends. Nobody here can answer you because we don't know you or the landlord.

 

Give it a try and see how you get on.

[LALes]

Never hurts to try.  I rent in Bangkok every winter and I always try and negotiate a better price.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  But, you'll never get a lower price if you don't try.  

[Steiner]

All condos are advertised for a 1yr rental price. 

Do you think what you see online is a per month price?  You can't be that stupid. 

 

Rent direct from owners at your own risk,  who will protect your interests if it goes wrong? 

 

Secure rental?  Are you going to pay the full year up front? That is the only secure rental I've ever seen. 

You could be gone after 1,  2 or 3 months,  just because you sign the normal 1yr contract doesn't make it secure.  

 

If a landlord does take a big discount,  I've rarely seen that work out OK. 

If they are giving you a perceived discount,  you can be sure they are looking for a way to balance that,  expect a chunk of your deposit to disappear at the end of the tenancy. 

[hdkane]

For me, when I used to rent condos...not expensive ones, but in the area and price range you indicated, I would get a bit pissed if a farang tried to negotiate...simply because if 15000 baht a month is too much for you, you are obviously too far from home with too little money, and I would suspect I would have a problem with you...my incentive to rent was that I would agree not to raise the rent for at least 3 years, if you maintained occupancy and were not late in rent...

[JHolmesJr]

Things are so bad in the rental market now, you could probably dictate your own terms.

 

25% off the listed price….no deposit….change anything in the apt that looks suspect in terms of lifespan.

 

Photograph the damn place inside out with date and time stamp and hand it to the landlord to head off any dispute later.

 

If you're feeling cheeky tell them you cant pay deposit.

[Deepinthailand]

All you can do is give the landlord a figure your happy with and start from there. Obviously give yourself riggle room if you go in with 12k you will have to go up I expect I would go 11k and give yourself 1k riggle room. But be prepared to go over your set figure or be prepared to walk away. We rent we set our rent figure 3k higher than required as we know we will end up near to our target rent. People will say the rental market is a renters paradise in some ways it is dependent on the condo location/Sq feet/landlord.

I can only speak for us we will not go under our target rent ever. Would leave it empty for a while. However as ours are houses we never have that problem. Guess what I'm saying is don't go in with if you want money accept this attitude. Good luck

Edited February 10, 2017 by Deepinthailand

[Deepinthailand]

1 hour ago, hdkane said:

For me, when I used to rent condos...not expensive ones, but in the area and price range you indicated, I would get a bit pissed if a farang tried to negotiate...simply because if 15000 baht a month is too much for you, you are obviously too far from home with too little money, and I would suspect I would have a problem with you...my incentive to rent was that I would agree not to raise the rent for at least 3 years, if you maintained occupancy and were not late in rent...

Wow farang has money not allowed to haggle? Would you say the same for Thais? 

[JHolmesJr]

I would take particular glee in haggling with arrogant landlords like hdkane. Knowing full well that I could get a better deal elsewhere.

[SiSePuede419]

Tell them you know a Mexican Farang on TVF and his girlfriend pays less than $80 a month in rent for a rental in Thailand and he said you would be foolish to pay more ?

[soley13]

Okay I'll have a go and see what comes back my way.  

[ThailandLOS]

There are many variables in this - like the landlord's individual position/financial situation, the popularity of the particular condo, what other requests you might for changes to the units etc etc.

 

As someone already pointed out the advertised price is for a 1 year contract. It is possible to haggle on the basis that you want to sign a longer contract e.g. 1.5 or 2 years - and some landlords would go for that, some would not.

 

In fact some landlords (and this goes for office space as well) would rather see their units stay empty for years than reduce the price even by one satang - not uncommon especially among Thai owners.

 

Edited February 10, 2017 by ThailandLOS

[funandsuninbangkok]

My wife found our place and called me at work and told me to go see it. I liked it. manager said 90 I said 80. He accepted. 

 

Did not know at the time my wife had already gotten him down from 100 to 90. 

 

Just renewed for third year same rent. 20 K times 36. Adds up. 

 

 

Edited February 10, 2017 by funandsuninbangkok

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

It is a renter's market so worth a try.

It is a strange system for foreigners though, like everything else here it usually costs more. Renting direct from the Condo developers (or managers) I've been told several times if I want it in my name I have to pay 20%+ extra.

Renting from an owner you pay more anyway.

Check the furniture carefully, I got stitched up taking on a place with all new stuff, we were 1st in in a newly built block. The bed had no protective cover (sweat protection, didn't realize until it was too late as the missus changes the bed sheets) and the sofa was covered in a cream coloured cheap rip-off of alcantara, which stained very easily.

We moved out as the bloke next door in the Mom & Pop store got a load of roosters that crowed day and night non stop.

The landlady kept all the deposit. Not enough to be worth suing her for... and she knew it.

TIT.

[Ulic]

Offer to pay 6 moths at a time in a lump sum. No damage deposit and a 15% reduction.

See what happens. No monthly collection/payment. Easier for both parties. I have never

rented from a Thai but as I understand it chances of having your damage deposit

returned fully are slim and none. It is a renters market.

 

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

30 minutes ago, Ulic said:

Offer to pay 6 moths at a time in a lump sum. No damage deposit and a 15% reduction.

See what happens. No monthly collection/payment. Easier for both parties. I have never

rented from a Thai but as I understand it chances of having your damage deposit

returned fully are slim and none. It is a renters market.

 

Good idea, but in my experience you pay rent into a bank account and send them a copy of the bank slip, so they won't save anything just have money up front.

You always have to pay a deposit, normally one month rent in advance and two months against damage, even on non or part furnished. I've not yet had a full refund, but has usually just been a "spring clean" bill of 500B or something trivial.

Another point or two worth considering when looking is internet, some places will have cable and others not it depends on how old it is and if it's been updated.

Also the building maintenance and security is very important. If the aircon breaks down you don't want to wait a week, or get accosted in the lift by someone on Ya Ba.

 

Edited February 10, 2017 by George FmplesdaCosteedback

[trogers]

5 hours ago, Ulic said:

Offer to pay 6 moths at a time in a lump sum. No damage deposit and a 15% reduction.

See what happens. No monthly collection/payment. Easier for both parties. I have never

rented from a Thai but as I understand it chances of having your damage deposit

returned fully are slim and none. It is a renters market.

 

It is a renter's market. Negotiate the rent to Bt10k. Even if you lose the two months deposit, you are still ahead.

 

Don't need to complicate the standard practice.

[trogers]

6 hours ago, George FmplesdaCosteedback said:

It is a renter's market so worth a try.

It is a strange system for foreigners though, like everything else here it usually costs more. Renting direct from the Condo developers (or managers) I've been told several times if I want it in my name I have to pay 20%+ extra.

Renting from an owner you pay more anyway.

Check the furniture carefully, I got stitched up taking on a place with all new stuff, we were 1st in in a newly built block. The bed had no protective cover (sweat protection, didn't realize until it was too late as the missus changes the bed sheets) and the sofa was covered in a cream coloured cheap rip-off of alcantara, which stained very easily.

We moved out as the bloke next door in the Mom & Pop store got a load of roosters that crowed day and night non stop.

The landlady kept all the deposit. Not enough to be worth suing her for... and she knew it.

TIT.

 

Don't know about other property owners, all my units are supplied with mattress protectors and sofa are in dark colors. And my tenants need to employ my recommended maid for cleaning the unit at least once a week.

[Deepinthailand]

29 minutes ago, trogers said:

 

Don't know about other property owners, all my units are supplied with mattress protectors and sofa are in dark colors. And my tenants need to employ my recommended maid for cleaning the unit at least once a week.

No mattress protectors on ours I can't stand them so won't put them on as for maid service. No I wouldn't do that recomending the same maid what if something goes missing as a Tennant I'd be back to you in a flash

[trogers]

4 minutes ago, Deepinthailand said:

No mattress protectors on ours I can't stand them so won't put them on as for maid service. No I wouldn't do that recomending the same maid what if something goes missing as a Tennant I'd be back to you in a flash

Then you don't understand the need of the girl/woman in her monthly cycle.

 

My recommended maid has worked for me for almost 10 years, and was my maid when I first stay in the condo units. And my tenants are all long stayers, the longest have just extended his lease after 7 years.

[Deepinthailand]

15 minutes ago, trogers said:

Then you don't understand the need of the girl/woman in her monthly cycle.

 

My recommended maid has worked for me for almost 10 years, and was my maid when I first stay in the condo units. And my tenants are all long stayers, the longest have just extended his lease after 7 years.

What a silly comment about understanding women's periods really! !!.  Sure I've read on here about a long serving maid who robbed people blind.If your tennants are long stayers then surley after 5 years a new mattress should have been given anyway.

We look at mattresses when a Tennant moves out. It is deep cleaned as a matter of course if it's stained and won't clean (which we have never had) we would charge the outgoing Tennant for a new mattress simple really.

[trogers]

6 minutes ago, Deepinthailand said:

What a silly comment about understanding women's periods really! !!.  Sure I've read on here about a long serving maid who robbed people blind.If your tennants are long stayers then surley after 5 years a new mattress should have been given anyway.

We look at mattresses when a Tennant moves out. It is deep cleaned as a matter of course if it's stained and won't clean (which we have never had) we would charge the outgoing Tennant for a new mattress simple really.

I don't know what mattresses you use, but mine cost over 20k for a king size. A mattress protector costs less than 1k for use over several years.

 

No amount of deep cleaning can penetrate deep enough.

[Deepinthailand]

17 minutes ago, trogers said:

I don't know what mattresses you use, but mine cost over 20k for a king size. A mattress protector costs less than 1k for use over several years.

 

No amount of deep cleaning can penetrate deep enough.

We buy good mattresses. We change the mattress every five years regardless. As we do with our own mattress I belive 5 years is long enough shelf life. Deep cleaning a mattress properly on both sides penetrators quite deep enough. I presume your mattress protectors are of a plastic type. As a cotton type mattress cover would be no good at protection. I would not sleep on a plastic type nor would expect my tennants to.

[trogers]

28 minutes ago, Deepinthailand said:

We buy good mattresses. We change the mattress every five years regardless. As we do with our own mattress I belive 5 years is long enough shelf life. Deep cleaning a mattress properly on both sides penetrators quite deep enough. I presume your mattress protectors are of a plastic type. As a cotton type mattress cover would be no good at protection. I would not sleep on a plastic type nor would expect my tennants to.

 

Protector is thick padded cotton type machine washable. Cost 800+ at Index.

 

Would also soften the medium firm mattress.

 

Plastic types are used in those cheap apartments...and not condos.

[Deepinthailand]

1 hour ago, trogers said:

 

Protector is thick padded cotton type machine washable. Cost 800+ at Index.

 

Would also soften the medium firm mattress.

 

Plastic types are used in those cheap apartments...and not condos.

I still fail to see how a cotton padded or not are going to protect a mattress with your quoted senario.

I've stayed in condos not cheap ones where these plastic covers are used soon had them off.  But your choices and good luck to you. We all have our own way of doing things.

Edited February 11, 2017 by Deepinthailand

[trogers]

33 minutes ago, Deepinthailand said:

I still fail to see how a cotton padded or not are going to protect a mattress with your quoted senario.

I've stayed in condos not cheap ones where these plastic covers are used soon had them off.  But your choices and good luck to you. We all have our own way of doing things.

Perhaps all my tenants so far are of middle age or older and with family. My two 1-bedroom units are rented to a lady in her mid-30s and the other a guy in his 50s with a Thai partner.

 

The 2 and 3-bedrooms are to japanese families.

[soley13]

16 hours ago, Ulic said:

Offer to pay 6 moths at a time in a lump sum. No damage deposit and a 15% reduction.

See what happens. No monthly collection/payment. Easier for both parties. I have never

rented from a Thai but as I understand it chances of having your damage deposit

returned fully are slim and none. It is a renters market.

 

yup, that's what I was thinking. Quite similar to student rent terms in the UK, landlords are usually happy with that over here in the UK

[Deepinthailand]

8 minutes ago, soley13 said:

yup, that's what I was thinking. Quite similar to student rent terms in the UK, landlords are usually happy with that over here in the UK

Don't bank on it this isn't the UK. As for deposit I can't see any right in the head landlord going for that. You could trash the place and walk away after 6 months!

[theguyfromanotherforum]

yup, that's what I was thinking. Quite similar to student rent terms in the UK, landlords are usually happy with that over here in the UK

Nothing here is simar to anything "back home". Many Thai landlords are quite happy with their units sitting empty than giving a discount.