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chaz47
Joined: 11 Sep 2003
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 Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 6:42 am Post subject: nutjob landlady trying to steal from my key money... |
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my nutjob landlady is going to keep a substantial part of my rental deposit for damage to the wallpaper... three things...
1.) i never hung anything on the wall
2.) she hasn't seen the inside of the apartment since i moved in... (so how the hell could she possibly know there is damage to anything?)
3.) i've only been in the room 8 months so... what are the chances of wear and tear of any significance...
seriously, the room was freshly papered when i moved in and it looks absolutely the same.
i was also severely gouged this winter for gas bills. to the tune of $700 for 3 months (in Busan).
my Korean friend tells me i should sue her. i have no clue how any of what she is pulling is legal. |
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chaz47
Joined: 11 Sep 2003
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| Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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come on... somebody must have some useful advice...  |
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orosee
Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Location: Hannam-dong, Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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Are you moving out? Otherwise why would there be a discussion over the deposit?
If you're moving after 8 months she could probably keep 1/3 of your deposit (4 months left on a 1 year contract) up to 4 months' rent.
Anyway not enough data for any useful advice. |
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PastorYoon
Joined: 25 Jun 2010
Location: Sea of Japan
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| Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 4:22 pm Post subject: |
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| How expensive is it to have fresh wallpaper installed? 200,000? Max? Anything more than that is theft. Just hire someone to put in some new wallpaper if she's trying to rip you. She'll probably just find another defect to blame on you, though. You need a Korean friend who is older than her, that can attempt to help you by calling her. She'll lose face if she doesn't pay you back after that. Even if you call the police, you can't accomplish anything without the elder Korean friend on your side. Koreans don't listen to foreigners. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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| orosee wrote: |
Anyway not enough data for any useful advice. |
This.
And not to be harsh OP but this is a newbie question. You've been here at least since 2003 judging by your join date...so that's nearly 8 years. Surely by now you should know how to handle this. |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired
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| Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 4:43 pm Post subject: |
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| PastorYoon wrote: |
| How expensive is it to have fresh wallpaper installed? 200,000? Max? Anything more than that is theft. Just hire someone to put in some new wallpaper if she's trying to rip you. She'll probably just find another defect to blame on you, though. You need a Korean friend who is older than her, that can attempt to help you by calling her. She'll lose face if she doesn't pay you back after that. Even if you call the police, you can't accomplish anything without the elder Korean friend on your side. Koreans don't listen to foreigners. |
So I guess the the Korean police who told a former boss who stole my passport for "safe keeping" to give it back or he was going to jail must not have been Korean? 
(Condensed back story to the above)
My boss apparently liked to snoop through his foreigners' apartment while they were at work. On one of those excursions he found my passport and took it with him. I knew it was him (or one of his minions) because there were no signs of a break in and my passport was missing while no money was taken. And when I confronted him he admitted it but said it was for "safe keeping" and refused to give it back. |
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young_clinton
Joined: 09 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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| PastorYoon wrote: |
| How expensive is it to have fresh wallpaper installed? 200,000? Max? Anything more than that is theft. Just hire someone to put in some new wallpaper if she's trying to rip you. She'll probably just find another defect to blame on you, though. You need a Korean friend who is older than her, that can attempt to help you by calling her. She'll lose face if she doesn't pay you back after that. Even if you call the police, you can't accomplish anything without the elder Korean friend on your side. Koreans don't listen to foreigners. |
No, she's ripping you off. If that's what the damage you've done amounts to, then let her deduct it from your key money. Do spend anymore money on your apartment. |
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Weigookin74
Joined: 26 Oct 2009
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| Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:17 pm Post subject: |
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| In this country, the one who argues, screams, and bitches the most gets their way. Rule of law? Ha ha. Just confront her everyday and yell at her in English. Call the police everyday and anyone else you can such as your Ju Min Center. (Community center). She may not be able to understand your words but the body language and your screaming will let her know you're not going to back down. "GIVE ME MY MONEY!!" Over and over. Depends on how determined you are. If you've been here as long as I think, you should already know this about the culture. Be a stubborn yelling ass. You can't think of the same type of civilized behavior us Westerners would act like in these situations in the west. |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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She hasn't seen the wallpaper? Did someone report to her it was in bad condition?
If neither of the above is true then she is obviously just trying her luck.....and I would put 10 bucks on it being that you're a foreigner or because you have pissed her off about something in the past........because in my experience Korean landlords only ask for money or repairs when it's pretty serious damage.
A few nicks in the wallpaper (if there even is in your case) would not constitute serious damage. |
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cj1976
Joined: 26 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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| I would also be concerned about how she knows about the wallpaper. She might be snooping around when you are out. Leave some flour or rice on the floor when you go out and see if it is disturbed when you get back... |
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orosee
Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Location: Hannam-dong, Seoul
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| Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2011 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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| cj1976 wrote: |
| I would also be concerned about how she knows about the wallpaper. She might be snooping around when you are out. Leave some flour or rice on the floor when you go out and see if it is disturbed when you get back... |
Now that's so 1911... how about a webcam and motion detection software? |
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