Can you undo a signed rental contract?

el_expatriado said:
Hhahaha, if you and I were in the same room with a judge I bet I could prove to the the judge you understand Spanish. :D I'm sure a good lawyer could do this also. You'd have to really be able to keep a straight face.

I'm not a good enough actor to try that strategy.

It does not matter what his level of Spanish is. He is a foriegner, therefore, it must be translated.
 
ghost said:
Rental Contracts written in dollars are null and void at birth.
I don't think that is true. Obviously, the landlord can't require payment in dollars because the tenant can't obtain them, but Cristian explained in a thread some time ago that contracts are legal in whatever moneda is agreeable to the parties. My impression is that dollar-denominated contracts are fairly common in rentals, although for practical reasons, payment is accepted in pesos at the official venta rate.

Any abogados want to weigh in on this?
 
va2ba said:
It does not matter what his level of Spanish is. He is a foriegner, therefore, it must be translated.

I've signed tons of contracts here, I am a foreigner, and not once was anything ever translated to English. So either this isn't a real law or the escribanos realize that if you actually speak Spanish, there is no need to translate things to English.
 
el_expatriado said:
I've signed tons of contracts here, I am a foreigner, and not once was anything ever translated to English. So either this isn't a real law or the escribanos realize that if you actually speak Spanish, there is no need to translate things to English.
Only once in 6 years was something translated. That time I showed up at an escritura where an escribano had ordered an official translator. Problem was that her English was much more limited than my Spanish, so I tried to ignore her and read the escritura as the escribano was singing it.

The escribano is question is sort-of a friend whose English is good enough that we always chat in English. When I asked him later why the chica with bad English was there with an undecipherable translation written out, he explained that the law requires the escribano to engage a translator from the colegio if he is not absolutely sure that a party to the contract will understand everything perfectly. (In my case, he assumed I was illiterate, but covered her fee.) In reality, few escribanos ever do it, and only for transactions of high value, like an escritura.
 
lieke said:
We just signed a one years rental contract in US dollars for $4000.
We did not move in the apartment yet, but already paid 3 months rent in advance. Is there a way to undo the contract?

Moral view: We just signed a one years rental contract

Practical view: already paid 3 months rent in advance.

Legal view: as stated above.

BTW- this is $4000US for an apartment for a year? That's a bit over $330 per month, insn't it. Unless I'm very off, that's a pretty good deal even if it's a studio. Someone let me know if I'm wrong.

Thanks!
 
GS_Dirtboy said:
BTW- this is $4000US for an apartment for a year? That's a bit over $330 per month, insn't it. Unless I'm very off, that's a pretty good deal even if it's a studio. Someone let me know if I'm wrong.

Or it's U$S4000 per month and either someone is being taken for a ride or the OP got a screaming deal on the Casa Rosada! :D

OP, can you scan a copy of the contract you signed (with the identifying information blacked out)? It's hard to tell you what your rights/obligations are without knowing what you signed up for.
 
4000 USD a month is certainly possible for a high-end apt in a high-end area.

To the OP - you didn't specify how or why you want to break the contract. That information would certainly be pertinent.
 
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