Do Not Rent from this guy!

[little bee]

Moved here last spring, found the apartment through facebook. Guy seemed cool, asked me for one month's deposit, which I was fine with, and had him sign a receipt stating that I had paid the rent for that month, plus given deposit.

After a month there, I had found a better living situation that accommodated my work schedule (and also had been told that I was paying ENTIRELY too much for the neighborhood I was in), and gave 2 weeks notice. I also actively helped him show the apartment, posting ads, taking pictures, and showing the apartment to people when he was at work. In all, we found a roommate right away, and the room was only empty for 3 days.

When I asked for my deposit back, he first told me that it was "gone", and that because I was "cool" he would give me half back, but when I pressed why I wasn't getting the full amount, he became irate, screaming about how he was taking the deposit because he felt "inconvenienced" by having to get used to a new housemate, and that he was taking my deposit because I was "some little rich tourist who didn't have to 'live and work' in Buenos Aires" (mind you, I had moved here FOR work). After informing him that I had no other options then to go to AFIP, he responded that I could F*ck off with my little threats.

I am NOT the first person he has screwed over. After I left the apartment, I heard stories from the previous girl that had lived in my room, that had also been berated, and had been harassed into paying a full two weeks of rent AFTER she left the apartment, just so that he would leave her alone. I know that he does not own the apartment; he rents, and then rents out the second room. I know that must be illegal somewhere in BsAs's confusing tax laws, but I don't know where to begin.

So now, even though I will never see a dime of my deposit again, most likely, I'm making it a good priority to make sure that no one else gets put in the same position as me. To be taken advantage of is one thing, but to be insulted and ridiculed as someone who does not work extreeeemely hard for a living, takes my fury to a whole new level.

http://buenosaires.es.craigslist.org/roo/1998046441.html

That's the link to the ad for a roommate he put up a couple weeks ago, he's on the hunt for a new victim. DON'T GET PULLED IN. He was a cool guy, but when it came to money, the terrifying reality set in.


I've been combing through the posts on the site, and I see that a number of people have been in my situation, so I feel for all of us. I plan to go to AFIP first thing Monday and report him, as well as reporting him to Tourist Defense, and the Tourist Police. Other than that, I'm a little short on ideas. If you have any advice, I would love to here it.

Hope everyone has better luck! I've had two phenomenal living situations since this nightmare, so I know there are good places out there. It sucks that one bad apple can sour a whole city though.

 

[therealsupa]

Definitely report him! I wonder if you could also post a counter-ad on craigslist warning other visitors of him??

 

[Davidglen77]

You should send him a carta documento that states he must return your security deposit back and that if he doesn't you will be taking legal action against him.

 

[notebook.fix]

Just send him a link to the other post on this very site 'Stay away from this....." about the other scamming thief...
http://baexpats.org/expat-life/11930-stay-away-apartment-rental.html
Make sure he sees the number of viewings that post has had until now -16,132 viewings & counting...remind him of all the free publicity he's going to get.

Inform him of what's going to happen to him next..
*He'll be blacklisted in the expat community.
*Won't be able to post in Craigslist without being flagged.
*The tax dep will be sniffing through his dirty laundry.
*He'll only be able to rent to locals (non tourists) and earn a lot less.
*Etc etc etc...

You won't be relying on local law enforcement....you're going to expose him online...tourists will know to avoid him before they even get to BsAs.

All the best.

R.

 

[Davidglen77]

Definitely report him! I wonder if you could also post a counter-ad on craigslist warning other visitors of him??

I think you can also report him to Craigslist, if they believe that you got scammed, they can ban him from posting again.

 

[earlyretirement]

How horrible that local owners continue cheating locals. You should post the full details on a mainstream board like Trip Advisor with the link of the property and the owner's name. That's the only way to get people like this from changing and not ripping off other tourists.

But always sign a written contract when you rent a property anywhere in the world...not just Buenos Aires. Make sure everything is clear and both sides understand the terms and for the security deposit have a separate inventory list that both of you sign at the check-in and check-out so you both agree what was there and wasn't there.

Post here:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g312741-i979-Buenos_Aires_Capital_Federal_District.html

 

[dr__dawggy]

I am curious. Did you agree to stay for a minimum period of time or was it a month-to-month contract?

 

[citygirl]

Agreed - the crucial question is if you signed a contract. If you did & then left early - you forfeit the right to your deposit (even if he found another person to rent right away)

 

[perry]

Buenos Aires has more rental apartments for short term rentals than any other city in the world per capita. For this reason more problems are bound to eventuate. Most argentinians are honest landlords with only a small percentage that have viveza criolla.

Good luck

 

[little bee]

Didn't sign any contract...all I signed was the receipt stating that I had paid X amount + Deposit on this day, etc. etc.

The things he asked me when I first got to the place was if I wanted to take the time to see some other apartments in the city. At that point, he seemed like a decent guy, it seemed like a clean place, and I jumped on the opportunity to not have to search for apartments, because I was working right away. He asked how long I was staying for, and I told him (quite honestly) that I wanted to stay for at least a year, but "who knows, a lot of things change." He didn't ask me how long I wanted to stay in his apartment, just how long I was planning on being in Argentina.

Nothing was ever agreed upon that I would be living in Buenos Aires the entire time, much less his apartment. But, its interesting that you asked, because he DID happen to turn that around in the fight that we had, telling me:

"You said you were staying in Argentina for at least a year"
Me: "I said, exactly I had no idea how long I am going to stay, I want to stay for at least a year, it depends on my work, a lot of things change"
Him (very flustered): Well, I assumed you were going to stay in my apartment the whole time, its an inconvenience to get along with a new roommate"

So the long and the short, from what I can gather, is that I pretty much paid HIS rent for the month after I left, because he felt inconvenienced.
I'm not sure if that warrants a lost deposit.

I've had a lot of locals be very supportive of my position, even from those who are personally familiar with both parties. I think the only thing I really have going for me is the fact that he is subletting an apartment that he already rents.