Korean Job Discussion Forums

[PatrickBateman]

I'll try to make this short.

I finished my contract in August. So, I was told I would receive my 600,000 deposit in a month.

So, two months into my contract my academy offered up a new apartment complex closer to the school if any foreign teachers wanted to move there. Only stipulation was, you had to pay 250,000 extra. I said yeah, move me in. So, I move in, everything is great. Apartment manager seems nice, and yeah.

Fast forward to now.

I get a message from my academy manager saying not only will I not be getting my deposit back, but they're requesting I pay more money. They took care of all the contractual stuff with the apartment and never notified me, or said anything about problems. However, this apartment owner apparently has nothing better to do, so he literally took 100+ photos of normal wear and tear on the apartment and is trying to rake me over the coals for it. He even tried to blame me for the shitty wallpaper peeling!

Here's what I have been told thus far:

cleaning - 100.000

light bulb(broken) - 40.000

garbage(bed, sofa,chairs...) - 100.000(Owner said I could leave my stuff there, but never mentioned a fee was involved.)

washroom - 100.000(The caulking around the toilet came off due to water constantly hitting it. Yes, it's in the same area as my shower)

wall paper - 500.000(three small blemishes, no tears, just scratches)

scrached furniture - 300.000(No furniture was provided in the apartment)

rail of stairs (scrached ).paint - 150.000

agent - 450.000(Nobody ever told me before, or at any time an agent was involved. Now they're trying to say I should pay for it)

*EMAIL FROM MANAGER*

I asked about cleaning,

ur room is duplex type, so it is 100,000won

and about agent, because you didn't use the room for 1 year as the contract, you should pay for that

and we also asked about law that we can reduce the amount of money, there is no way...

i asked andy and sue, they went together with you when made the contract,they mention that you should use the stuff in the apartment

as u know the owner is really picky, he is really angry about cancellation of the contract(1year), and

Did(GIRLFRIEND's NAME) smoke in ur room? he also mention that....that was non smoking area...

*END OF EMAIL*


Last but not least, my GF used work at the company with me and he knew she came over from time to time. He even had the nerve to pry and ask if she was smoking in my apartment. This is after I complained to the OWNER numerous times about smoke coming up through my vents and stinking my room up.


I'm not paying for all of this crap, but can there be any negative repercussions my company/this landlord take against me? I'm currently out of the country, but I am planning on coming back.

[nora]

If you're being 100% honest about it (with us AND with yourself), if it really is just normal wear and tear then don't pay him.

Does he have photos proving how it looked before you moved in? No? "It was like that when I moved in!"

Cleaning? Who has EVER moved into a clean apartment?

40,000 for a broken light bulb? A simple 60 watt bulb at the store is 5000 won, if that.

No furniture was provided, so why would you pay for damage to furniture that you left in there?

Rail of the stairs? In a communal area? HA!

First, I'd tell the school that they said nothing about paying fees because it was less than a full year contract. Where did they put your replacement? Why isn't he living there? Second, housing is covered by your contract. THEY found the new place, THEY offered it to you. Every contract I've had has said that if you move because of the school, THEY pay for it. You pay for it if YOU want to move. Does your contract say this? Third, so many other issues here....

Long story short - don't pay it. When you come back, fight them for your deposit back.

Repercussions? Only that you could be burning a bridge with your former employer. Unless there was something in the housing contract about "tenant will pay for miniscule wear and tear AND cleaning, even though I, the landlord, won't use the money for any of it," then you might have some trouble.

[YTMND]

[PatrickBateman]

Thank you for the feedback.

I've already figured they wouldn't be giving me my deposit back, but I was a bit worried they would try to take money out of my American bank account.

At first, I didn't think they had access to it, but I realized I gave them my routing number and account number because that's how they would transfer me my deposit. I'm glad I called my bank and created a new account because, apparently, they can access my account and could hypothetically take money out. Maybe I'm a bit too worried, but better safe than sorry.

I don't know if it is the school, the owner, or both. My old school is saying he's demanding all of this. I do not know if it is true or not, but since I am out of the country, I have nothing to go on.

The new teacher(s) aren't living there because they didn't want to pay the extra money to live there. I am not sure if he has photos of the place before I moved in. According to them, my 600,000 is not sufficient and I should come out of my own pocket for these other random expenses that were never made clear to me, or put on a piece of paper that I signed.

[YTMND]

[PatrickBateman]

Some photos of the 'damage'

Taken by the owner.

http://i45.tinypic.com/2npr2c.jpg
http://i45.tinypic.com/24whekx.jpg
http://i50.tinypic.com/eu4px4.jpg

This one is the best.

http://i46.tinypic.com/16k72pj.jpg

Somehow cheap wallpaper cracking is somehow my fault.

No, I did not sign a contract with the landlord.

[YTMND]

[young_clinton]

[sigmundsmith]

If that is the only evidence just go to the landlord and say ok lets go to court and let a judge decide... btw when I win you will be forced to pay all my legal fees and I will find the most expensive lawyer that I can find. See what happens then.

Because if those photos are the most major evidence of damage to the apartment (and yes, the one in the corner is hilarious) then he is in a loosing situation.

[Wildbore]

First of all, both hagwon and building managers are both idiots. Regular wear and tear is the responsibility of the owner. A judge would laugh him out of the courtroom if he tried to sue anyone.

2nd, If the school signed the lease with the landlord, the school is 100% liable for the damages, if there are any legitimate damages.

Your hagwon/school also legally cannot deduct misc expenses from your pay, as per the labor standards act. Tell your director to take a hike, and take him to the Labor board or sue him if he tries to deduct your pay and not return your deposit.

Also, he owes you your deposit back. Go to the labor board if he fails to return it.

[PatrickBateman]

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

Nobody can take money out of your account but you. If I could take money out with just an account and routing number (which you need in order to send money to someone) I'd have access to many bank accounts. It doesn't work that way.

[PatrickBateman]

[YTMND]

[PatrickBateman]