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Question re: rent payment in middle of month

 
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tutortutor



Joined: 10 Jan 2015
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 11:04 pm    Post subject: Question re: rent payment in middle of month Reply with quote

I finished working at the end of March, but I have to stay in my apartment until the 7th of April. I received my pay for March, but my boss says that he has to deduct a partial rent payment for April from my deposit, which will be given to me just before I leave. My school does not own the apartment (which I share with another teacher) and acts as a middle man to pay my landlord. My half of the rent and utilities are deducted from my monthly pay.

My boss agreed to have me pay only half a month's rent for April. I initially thought I should only pay for the week, but I could see his point that half a month was better than a full month, and that it would be very difficult to calculate my share of rent and utilities for just that one week.

My question is this: Is this fair? Or should I try to fight to just pay for the one week? It sounds fair enough to me, but I just want to make sure I'm not being scammed when I could have prevented it. I appreciate any insight, as I'm generally not familiar with apartment living and paying rent - especially in a foreign country.
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Master Shake



Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: Colorado, USA

PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 1:53 am    Post subject: You're right Reply with quote

Hi tutortutor,

You're correct that you shouldn't pay half a month's rent if you're only staying a week. You usually have to give 1-month's notice in Poland before moving out, and rent and bills are prorated if you stay a partial month. This should be in the rental agreement you signed with the school or landlord. It may be worth asking to see it.

The school's counter-argument that it would be 'very difficult' to calculate 1 weeks rent sounds bogus. What's so difficult about multiplying the rent and utilities by 1/4 instead of 1/2?

But if you've already agreed to it, it's kinda too late now, isn't it? Might have been cheaper to move out end of March and find a cheap hotel or hostel for the 7 days in April.
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 4:15 am    Post subject: ha Reply with quote

How old is this guy? 12?
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tutortutor



Joined: 10 Jan 2015
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Sat Apr 04, 2015 11:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Master Shake,

Thank you. I'll ask to see the rental agreement, although it may be in Polish. This is where I realized that once again I shot myself in the foot by working for this school and for trusting my boss. Lesson learned. At this point, I just want to get out of here as soon as possible.

Funnily, I didn't expect any replies and I was going to delete this topic...
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sparks



Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 632

PostPosted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 9:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some contracts are for a whole year (you have to pay for all of the months even if you move out after one.) You're worried about a week? I'd be overjoyed if I were you, you got a deal Smile Be aware in the future though, leaving in the middle of things doesn't always go as smoothly as seems to have this time.
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depechemodefan1966



Joined: 31 Jan 2015
Posts: 71

PostPosted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 10:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice to see you learned your lesson, tutortutor.

I will never have another school flat again. Speaking from experience, they think that just because you are paying cheap rent, or no bills, they can come in whenever they feel like it, often without warning, to do this, do that, read meters, etc. I had one which was situated above the school and the director lived downstairs. He was always coming up, quick tap on the door and charging before in before we had the chance to reply, for a 'quick word', always in our time. He even demanded we turn the TV off, while we were watching the football, because he wanted to talk to us. After some point I put my foot down and said that any meetings need to be done in work time, or pay us. Just because they own the flat, in my eyes, it doesn't give them the right to invade your privacy.

I also would never share again. One, I am too old for that. But the last time I did it, I had to keep telling the other teacher I shared with about keeping the place clean. He was a mummy's boy and had never had to do it before. He always had to be told what to do, rather than do things automatically.

No, I prefer, to pay that little bit extra and have my own independence. If you have a good landlord and you've been a model tenant, then I have always been able to reach an agreement with them that may, or may not, have been in the contract.
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JoeKing



Joined: 30 Apr 2008
Posts: 519

PostPosted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 12:35 pm    Post subject: Re: You're right Reply with quote

Master Shake wrote:
The school's counter-argument that it would be 'very difficult' to calculate 1 weeks rent sounds bogus. What's so difficult about multiplying the rent and utilities by 1/4 instead of 1/2?
That crossed my mind as well.

Master Shake wrote:
But if you've already agreed to it, it's kinda too late now, isn't it? Might have been cheaper to move out end of March and find a cheap hotel or hostel for the 7 days in April.
As did this. Oh well, live and learn.
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Master Shake



Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1202
Location: Colorado, USA

PostPosted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 12:52 pm    Post subject: too old for that stuff Reply with quote

I've only shared a place twice in my life: a single room at college, and a 2 bedroom apartment when I first arrived in Poland in 2006. Both times I got lucky and had roommates I got along with just fine. Heck, I probably would have been one lonely dude for a while if I'd gotten my own place when I first came to Gdansk (I knew absolutely no one). Having a roommate means there at least one person who has to listen to you.

I can't really imagine imagine having a roomie again, though. Not unless it was someone I knew well. I've heard too many horror stories to roll the dice again and move in with a stranger. When you get older, getting a good night's sleep is more important than having someone to party with.
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tutortutor



Joined: 10 Jan 2015
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 6:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Because of the town I live in, it would have been more expensive for me to go stay in a hotel for a week, and would cut into the little bit of savings I'm bringing home. And as far as I know, there are no hostels here.

But anyway, it turns out I misunderstood my boss. The agreement states that I would have to pay for a full month for April, but he's going to negotiate with the landlord for just half a month of rent. It took me a while to figure this out because my boss has this habit of saying just about the opposite of what he means, or something completely different and confusing the heck out of everybody.
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simon_porter00



Joined: 09 Nov 2005
Posts: 505
Location: Warsaw, Poland

PostPosted: Wed Apr 08, 2015 5:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I rent out my flat and can tell you how much my tenants owe me to the day if needs be, that's the whole point of having meters.

In fact, the only thing i'm strict on as regards contracts is the deposit and cleaning at the end of the tenancy due to the pigs that lived in my flat (4 girls).
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Wed Apr 08, 2015 9:04 am    Post subject: erm Reply with quote

Simon, I'd get them to paint it too. Just saying.
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simon_porter00



Joined: 09 Nov 2005
Posts: 505
Location: Warsaw, Poland

PostPosted: Wed Apr 08, 2015 12:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was wandering about a 'repaint' clause and may well do so after we repaint the whole flat after this current tenancy ends.

Lesson learned re: the girls. This time, i'll give the tenants 24 hours to clean the flat to the standard it was given to them or their deposit will pay for a professional cleaning agency to do the job.
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dragonpiwo



Joined: 04 Mar 2013
Posts: 1650
Location: Berlin

PostPosted: Sat Apr 18, 2015 3:58 pm    Post subject: erm Reply with quote

The last flat I rented in Poland had both the repaint and the professional clean in the contract.
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