Dollar/Rent Frustrations!!! ARGH!

[Argento]

The problem is the exchange house won't buy your pesos. That's what generates this problem for most expats.

True but as you know, the exchange houses can be bypassed by buying IBM/Intel/Apple CEDEARS in pesos at the worst possible buy rate (6:1), send them overseas and then then sell them as USD... it's not nice but it's better than nothing.

Wait, what am I missing here? Where are people getting their dollars from then? Is "exchange house" the wrong term?
Just looking to trade in some pesos for some dollars for landlords that will only take dollars.

 

[Argento]

In our case our landlord makes us pay in dollars or the blue rate...but since he is deep in the "Blue World" he lets me write him a check from my Schwab account for the rent...he also offered to get blue rate pesos for us if we want. Shady dealings indeed...but to our advantage. However, with the Xoom rate being so ridiculously high these days, its almost better to just go with them over selling for blue rate on the street here.

Ok, so that can be a decent route?
Pay the landlord in either dollars or in pesos at the unofficial blue rate (or better IF they agree to the official rate), assuming they agree to accept pesos?
Already get pesos, so avoiding the extra step of getting dollars would be nice. Not just the legwork, but it seems that it's harder to get dollars these days.

 

[etoile]

You need to get a new place...

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

You need to get a new place...

I second that. Pay a landlord that will appreciate your business. There are many that are honest and happy to have a great tenant.

 

[TERKILD]

I second that. Pay a landlord that will appreciate your business. There are many that are honest and happy to have a great tenant.

I agree.....doesnt need to be Landlord Vs Tenant....
Many tenants can be quite a pain in the %&¤.. too!
Nobody rents out apartments to help students without money, for a year off, or tango dancing princesses, or, creative that just want to taste BA etc etc......wake up.....!
I rent out an apartment currently to a wealthy American woman, (lady would be the wrong word), she has decided not to pay rent the last 5 months, but continues to sublease it to tourists! I have no words for that behaviour! And stupid me as a landlord, did not ask any guarantee in hard assets, like its custom here! With just her name , I should have smelled it long before! So please, Dont make this hostile approach towards all landlords....You need to pay rent here in BA, exactly like you need to, in other metropoles....and of course, the landlords want a rent that has a value .....USD, and not some nearly worthless paper.......

 

[Its_not_me]

Threaten to call AFIP! This is the nuclear option though last resort

 

[TrevorCito]

Wait, what am I missing here? Where are people getting their dollars from then? Is "exchange house" the wrong term?
Just looking to trade in some pesos for some dollars for landlords that will only take dollars.

I second GS_Dirtboy, get a new place.

Casa de cambio, "exchange house", don't worry, most know what is meant by those phrases.

It is very hard at the moment to trade cash pesos for cash dollars at a good rate (4.5 ARS for 1 USD). Anybody who has dollars will insist on the parallel/blue market rate of 6.1

People can get dollars indirectly by using an Argentine credit card so if you don't have one, try to get one fast and pay all of your USD payments and purchases using it.

If you can, try to convince your landlord to accept paypal payments (or another provider) and pay him/her using your credit card in USD. Finally, pay your credit card bill in pesos at the parallel/blue rate.

It's quite complicated but a 30% saving to me is definitely worth the bother.

 

[earlyretirement]

I agree.....doesnt need to be Landlord Vs Tenant....
Many tenants can be quite a pain in the %&¤.. too!
Nobody rents out apartments to help students without money, for a year off, or tango dancing princesses, or, creative that just want to taste BA etc etc......wake up.....!
I rent out an apartment currently to a wealthy American woman, (lady would be the wrong word), she has decided not to pay rent the last 5 months, but continues to sublease it to tourists! I have no words for that behaviour! And stupid me as a landlord, did not ask any guarantee in hard assets, like its custom here! With just her name , I should have smelled it long before! So please, Dont make this hostile approach towards all landlords....You need to pay rent here in BA, exactly like you need to, in other metropoles....and of course, the landlords want a rent that has a value .....USD, and not some nearly worthless paper.......

Yikes. But didn't you at least write in the formal rental contract that she couldn't sub-rent it out to others? I spoke to another owner in a similar situation that rented out to an American on a long term lease with no guarantor and they also stopped paying. Deadbeats like this will only cause more locals not to want to deal with foreigners on long term leases without a guarantia.

As far as prices go...... rental prices in any part of the world are about supply and demand. Property owners should always try to get the highest price they can get and rental tenants should always try to get the lowest price. Simple economics so just find another property.

 

[TERKILD]

Yikes. But didn't you at least write in the formal rental contract that she couldn't sub-rent it out to others? I spoke to another owner in a similar situation that rented out to an American on a long term lease with no guarantor and they also stopped paying. Deadbeats like this will only cause more locals not to want to deal with foreigners on long term leases without a guarantia.

As far as prices go...... rental prices in any part of the world are about supply and demand. Property owners should always try to get the highest price they can get and rental tenants should always try to get the lowest price. Simple economics so just find another property.

Hi,

Actually I allowed it in my rental contract.....stupid me.....she started asking back in time "what if I need to leave 6 months for US etc"....naive me me trusted her and agreed on sublease.
Anyway, story is not over....has been by the lawyer since 2 months, but, due to the tenant friendly situation here and the lack of guarantee from her side, it seems as a deadball game here in ARGENTINA.........though, due to the fact the tenant does the business out of US , advertises on US websites, is a US citizen, maybe uncle Sam and IRS can help me charge her, her rent!!!!!! :-0

 

[Argento]

Thanks TrevorCito, very helpful info. Makes sense now.

By the way, just to clear up, I am not the original poster, but jumped on the thread as I had some of the same concerns. This will help though in looking for future places.

And just to help counterbalance some of the negative (as natural it happens), I always pay my rent each month and on time, as many others do as well, and respectfully rent from landlords.

The earlier post about possibly just buying a property for long-term stay sounds very good. A lot more simple and secure. If only the funds were available.