Job Discussion Forums

rc81 · Joined: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 85

I signed a 1 year lease in Bangkok but I cant stay here for the whole time, I have to leave either at the beginning of February or March. When I signed the lease, the English liason told me that if I needed to leave after 7 or 8 months, that would be fine.

But now they are telling me that they are going to keep my 2 months security deposit. I think this is excessive and a cheap way for the complex to earn extra money.

Is there anyone I can talk to about this? Are lawyer fees here going to outweigh any possible positive outcome?

NigerianWhisper · Joined: 21 Mar 2009 Posts: 176

Lawyer fees.

Will cost you MUCH more than what you will get back. And you will have to pay up-front.

The landlord has every right to keep your money.

Either way, you are the one breaking the agreement. You pay the price.

MaiPenRai · Joined: 17 Jan 2006 Posts: 390 Location: BKK

Good lesson for everyone anywhere. Break a lease/accomm contract and don't expect your deposits returned. Having experience as a landlord, I can assure you that it can sometimes be quite difficult filling apartments. If they are empty, no money for the landlord.

Also, in Thailand (and probably other places) many landlords provide a discount (sometimes significant) when long term leases are signed. I had a friend paying 8000/month for a place on a one year lease that charged 12,000/month if paid monthly. This is done due to the "assuance/agreement/lease/contract" that the renter will stay the entire year.

Try getting someone to assume your lease. You will probably have to get them to pay you a deposit (to recoup your deposit given to the landlord). This may be hard to persuade someone as they have no real guarantee the landlord will cough up the original deposit when the year lease is finished. Do you have any "friends" that you could trust to take over the lease and return the deposit money when the lease is finished? Try posting it on ajarn.com with relevant info about the place. You never know.

If not, count it as a life lesson learned. And of course they told you it would be fine if you left early (you just dont get your deposit back).