Korean Job Discussion Forums

[abigolblackman]

Gonna try to keep this short but I want everything to be clear.

First of all, my school has agreed to pay me my housing allowance starting from April. My concern is about the money I feel they owe me for March.

I found my own placed and have already moved in as of March 1st. I let my school know a month before I moved in. I was told by the school and I have an email from JP [in not the nicest words...] that when I move out, and my school finds a replacement for my previous apartment, I can get my housing allowance. I moved out knowing I would pay rent until a replacement was found, which was fine. The manager of my former apartment found someone on her own. So, problem solved, someone moved in as soon as I moved out, so I should get my housing allowance for March right? My school says no.

By school, I mean the secretary. Everyone just tells me to talk to him about the money since it is not their job. I talked with him through my co-teacher.

I went to have a conversation with him last week about the housing situation. I told him that someone had moved into my previous apartment, so I can start receive my allowance. He says he didn't know that someone moved in, and he can't confirm it, so until he can, he won't give me the allowance. I told him to call the housing manager, but he said he already talked to her 5 minutes earlier that same day. He said she made no mention of the person moving in. I found that funny, as I talked to the housing manager the week before and she told me the person already moved in.

Mr. H (the secretary) goes on the say that the school (he) won't pay me March's allowance because it was already spent. I asked him what it was spent on, he said the contract breaking fee. There is no contract with that apartment (neither my school nor I signed one). I asked him how much it was, he said 700,000원 (the normal fee for my former apartment). I asked him who it was paid to, and he said both the 부동산 and housing manager. I asked why, but his answer was unclear.

He starts talking about how he has to pay the person finding fee to the 부동산 for finding someone to live in the apartment, however the school's 부동산 didn't find anyone (like I said, the housing manager found the person through her own 부동산). I called him out on this, and after about 15 minutes of dodging, he admits to knowing about the new person moving into my previous apartment (lie #1). Basically, my previous manager used a 부동산, who found someone, and then she requested my school pay the fee. I asked how much the fee was, he said 250,00원.

I asked where the other 450,000원 was, and he said it was used up last year (?!). I was originally going to move out of the apartment last September, and he claims the school paid a 부동산 fee at that time, but because I couldn't move out (the school changed its mind), the school never recouped that money.

The truth is I paid that 부동산 fee (I don't know why he thinks I forgot about that) and when the school couldn't get back my money, the vice-principal and Mr. H himself took money out of their pockets and paid me back. I know this because the VP told me in person as she gave the money back to me, and told me not to tell anybody (opps). Anyways, now, Mr. H claims the school paid the money and such, so that money is also gone (so lie #2 now).

I asked how much that 부동산 fee was, and he says 300,000원. I asked if there were anymore fees, he said no. So 250,000 + 300,000 = 550,000, not 700,000 (so lie #3).

He said from April I can get my money, but he won't give me the money for March. I've been through a lot to move, and right now monies tight seeing as I had to pay key money and such. Before I moved this time, I confirmed with the school that when they found a replacement, the cost for the 부동산 fee would not be my responsibility and they said, "yes." It looks like Mr. H is using the money to cover his behind but it's not his money. It's not even mine, it's going to my housing, but right now I am using my own money.

If the case was no one had moved into my previous apartment, I wouldn't mind paying the cost, but the fact that I am entitled to the money and still not getting it is the problem. I keep getting shafted.

Key points:

1) I believe the 부동산 fee should not come out of my housing. (I may be wrong but I need a confirm on this.) [I found my new place on my own and already paid that 부동산 fee.]

2) If I had not moved out, the 300,000원 he's claiming that needs to be paid (a whole 6 months ago) would have never been taken out of my housing, so why is it being taken out now?

3) He claimed to not know someone moved in, but then fessed up.

4) He said he had to pay 700,000원 at first but then fessed up to only "paying" 550,000원. Whether I get the money or not, sounds like to me 150,000원 is getting pocketed.

5) To be clear, he paid the Feb. rent for my precious apartment and I moved out mid-way through Feb. This was the final rent that was due for that apartment. I did not have to start paying rent on my current apartment until March, which is the money I am requesting for.

I hope this made sense. Thoughts?

Thanks for reading.

[Senior]

A) That wasn't short.

B) From what you wrote, he is probably lying. There seems to be something about PS accountants that make them slimier than usual. Perhaps they are failed "real" accountants or something. I've never met one who treated me completely above board. Usually on non-money issues, surprisingly.

[yashi]

The school owes you 700,000 won - 250,00 won (to your landlord) = 450,000 won.

The first lie was actually in September. In Korea, the real estate agents work on commission. No payment to real estate agents is made unless a contract is signed for a new lease. I would ask for a receipt for the phantom 300,000 won in September.

Your VP and secretary asked you not to tell anyone because they were essentially trying to steal from you and didn't want any other teachers to know.

I would explain the situation to a trusted co-teacher and go with him/her to discuss the matter with the secretary. There is going to be some face lost in this one, so be prepared for some political ramifications in the office.

[lifeinkorea]

I don't understand why you want to argue with your current school about something like this.

You agree maybe part of the housing allowance shouldn't be paid for March?

I mean, the way I understand it is that you broke the lease. You decided to move out and get another apartment, for whatever reasons. That was your choice. In the beginning, the school was going to pay for that place for a year so you could live there right? Then, you wanted to end that.

In Korea, they go by 1 year arrangements, and there is a cost if it is broken.

So, if you agree part of March housing allowance doesn't need to be paid, then how much is that? The maximum is 700,000 and you tossed around a 300,000 figure as a fee for finding another person (which you didn't do yourself).

Is it really worth the 400,000 to cause this much tension between you and your employer? Even if you are right and they somehow decide to pay you it, what will happen at the end of the contract? They could surely screw you for millions of won nullifying any attempts here to collect on a portion of that.

Personally, I wouldn't bother with March and get something in writing that they will pay you a housing allowance at a set amount (AND a pay date when that amount will be sent to your bank). You don't need to say from April or March, but have it dated when the agreement is signed.

[abigolblackman]

@Senior

Yeah, that wasn't short. My bad.

@lifeinkorea

There was no housing agreement (there was no signed contract), I paid the fee for my new place, and finding a new person was not my school's or my responsibility, they were just doing it so they wouldn't waste money on a apartment that no one lived in.

If you really think 400,000 (500,000 is what they owe actually) is not worth fighting over, then please, by all means, wire me the money, seeing as you can spare it.

I get what you are trying to say, but, yeah, personally, I think the tension is worth it.

[lifeinkorea]