Korean Job Discussion Forums

tob55 · Joined: 29 Apr 2007

The owner of the apartment the school rents for us just sold it out from under us today. The Apt manager came to the door and told my wife we have to be out by August 11. The school is paying our key money and rent, so I am assuming it is an issue to be discussed between the school and the apartment owner. We are thinking we will not move into to anything less than what the school provided for us to start with. The place is relatively new and nice, 35 pyeong, 3 bdrms and a good view. There are some other apartments that we might be able to move into in the next building, but it is just the fact that we have lived here for three years in the same apartment. Not crying the blues, it'll get sorted, but it is somewhat unnerving to lose your home with no thought on the part of the owner. Korea sparkling!

cruisemonkey · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 3:50 am Post subject: Re: Soon to be Homeless, Kind of

Bigfeet · Joined: 29 May 2008 Location: Grrrrr.....

Don't they have leases there? Especially if you have to pay key money?

ontheway · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 10:11 am Post subject:

It sounds like it was your unit that was sold and not the whole building. This would mean that you were actually living in an individually owned condominium unit and not an apartment.

This is the usual situation. The units are rented from the individual owner. At the outset, your school manager or owner rented the unit on a lease of one or two or possibly three years. When the lease runs out, the rental can continue on a month to month basis until either party decides to terminate. The owner gave you a two month warning which is decent.

Most Koreans live in their own individually owned condo units.

E2 English teachers here generally live in condo units that have been rented from the individual owners.

There are very few actual apartment buildings in South Korea.

When Koreans say "ahpahtuh" they should be saying "conedoe."

DrunkenMaster · Joined: 04 Feb 2008

You've been here 20 years, right? Why don't you have your own home?

spliff · Joined: 19 Jan 2004 Location: Khon Kaen, Thailand

Why don't the school just re-rent it form the new owners? Seems easy enough unless the new owners want to unreasonably jack up the rent.

Ramen · Joined: 15 Apr 2008

tob55 · Joined: 29 Apr 2007

I know it seems like 20 years, but I have only been here 5 years.

You are right the new owner wants to move into their apartment by August 11

My school is going to rent us another place from what I was told this morning and it will be the same size and as new if not newer than what we are presently in. I have to say, my school over the last 4 years has been terrific that way with regard to respecting me as a professional. I have stayed here for that very reason. Thanks for the feedback. I am not one to complain or cry the blues about my situation, but thought it would be a good discussion for people to let us know what their own living arrangements were like. Thanks to everyone posting.

pkang0202 · Joined: 09 Mar 2007

Its good to hear that your school is taking good are of you.

ontheway · Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 8:27 pm Post subject:

T-dot · Joined: 16 May 2004 Location: bundang

A korean boss/owner looking after a foreign teacher?

Dude you got the wrong forum. Very Happy

bassexpander · Joined: 13 Sep 2007 Location: Someplace you'd rather be.

My wife tells me that owners of places don't want to move into a home right after its built, due to fears of "new house syndrome" making them sick.

They'd much rather rent it out to someone like you, so you can get sick first. Laughing

The funny thing I don't get is that they often go in add new flooring and wallpaper as soon as they come in, so wouldn't that make them sick anyway??