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Landlord-Tenant Responsibilities In Los


dean
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I've tried, half heatedly, to rent house out in Chiang Mai over the last 7 years. Now that I'm having to put a decent chunk of change into maintaining it (and with daughter starting College this fall), I'm serious about renting. I'm willing to offer two different rental prices; basic and a higher one that includes a gardener and internet/cable provided. Assuming that someone comes along and takes the basic rental, can I expect renter to take care of both the interior of house (at least pay for damage caused by renter) and the landscape, which is 1 rai (cutting grass and trimming trees and bushes). I believe that a 2 months deposit for damages is common, so would I use it to replace dead trees or hire a gardener when renter moves to to restore grounds? Am I unreasonable in applying western rental standards in Thailand?

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Unless otherwise stated, I'm told a landlord has to give his tenants at least two months notice to move out. That's what happened to me last year, and I had to fight to get it. (I'd been in the house more than 8 years, and was highly pissed off at having to move ... simply because the landlady had got herself into financial troubles of her own making. She actually called me at 6.30 am one day and asked if I could be out in 2 weeks! It's not easy to find another house on such short notice and took a lot of doing to find one at all. :angryfire: )

 

Also, realise that many Thais are reluctant to rent to other Thais - especially young men. The reason is that Thai men have been known to trash a house when they are forced to leave. I saw a house that had had the treatment. The Thai guys that had lived there chopped holes in the walls and smashed all the light fixtures.

 

I'm not trying to frighten you off. Just be careful whom you rent to. Rent to Farangs, if you can. Otherwise, make sure it's a family. Chiang Mai is a desirable place to live, so you shouldn't have much trouble. It helps to have somebody in the area who can keep an eye on things. Boots on the ground are always an advantage.

 

This will give you an idea of prices:

 

http://www.chiangmaihouse.com/

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Three months deposit is common in Thailand. The last two places I rented, it was three month deposit. Other Thais that I

know also get a three month deposit.

 

My rent is so cheap that I make repairs to the inside, usually plumbing. Also, take care of the outside, including paying people to trim the trees when needed.

 

I see the landlord only when we make another two year rental contract.

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I had a two month deposit, which she didn't return because the roof developed a leak which I told her about! She claimed it cost that much to repair the roof. Well, it was her house, not mine ... and I hadn't caused it. But I decided it wasn't worth fighting over.

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On only one occasion have I had full deposit returned to me, and surprise surprise the Landlord was not Thai, she was a French woman.

 

A new tenant moved in to that place on the afternoon of the day we left, so obviously we looked after the place.

 

Out of the rental game myself again, bought a place last year cash money, Chanoot in my name and Yellow Tabien Baan, not that I live there most of the year, more like a storage rental to dump my shit and somewhere to crash when back in Bangkok.

 

Yet again another anomaly of Thailand, I had cash in Kingdom awarded by the courts as part of divorce settlement, basically from sale of property I had purchased previously with overseas funds. But no I was not allowed to use that money to purchase the next property funds had to be remitted from overseas in order to have Chanoot and Tabien Baan in my name, maybe I could have fought that decision but I was only in Thailand for two weeks at the time and I got the place at a steal

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I would choose to hire the gardener, rather than rely on the tenant. That way the grounds are kept the way you like it, and you have an extra pair of eyes watching over your property.

 

Is your place near a university? Then you have the possibility of renting to Grad students, visiting Profs, etc.

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I don't have any intention of renting to Thais. I doubt I'd they would be interested, as it's a teak house. I have two expensive teak carvings inside and would not appreciate seizing them torn up. I may have to put glass or plastic in front of them. It's not near Chiang Mai University but near Payap and somewhat near Maejo Universities. I think that you are right about the gardener. I can't imagine renters spending a day a week, working on the landscape. My house is going to have to find a niche market. It's not in town and it's teak. Anyone that rents will need a car. Rents here are pretty cheap. Ivebeen asking 20,000 and May have to reduce it to 15,000 baht or less. If I pay for a gardener, it comes to a point on how much risk do I want to take for little money. I'll see how the rental process goes and the type of renter before I commit. I don't plan on coming back permanently until the 7 year old graduates from High school in 11 years.

 

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