Insane Landlords

[littleba8073]

Ah, well, we had agreed on this kitchen bar issue that we would seal the sides that had minor peeling, I think it's probably something caused by humidity or whatever. We sealed it like they asked us to and they are now coming back the middle of March and decided they want the whole thing replaced. I told them we would pay the $1,300 if that's what they want, they contracted a guy without telling us and did the work and then told us to pay them. I thought everything was agreed on and over.

I went there this morning actually to check the place out with the guy who did the work. It looks fantastic, honestly it does. I just don't see why we should pay them a month's rent for a place we don't have keys or access to, we left on time, paid everything, only for them now to decide they want to do more work and what not. If they wanted this done, they should have told us before, not agree to just seal it and then change their minds and want to replace it, then blame us for not fixing things on time. We didn't know that's what they wanted or we would have done it sooner. They literally just sent us this email asking us to fix this yesterday...

We told them, before we agree to pay anything else, we'd like to consult with consumer defense first. What I gather is happening, is that the realestate agency keeps telling us tranquilo, todo bien, then talking to the owner who keeps making more and more demands, then they talk to us again, tell us about some other new issue, we do what we can to fix the problem, they tell us todo bien, talk to the owner, he's still not happy, they come back with some other complaint... We have heard on more than once that everything was fine.

Then they changed their minds again. It's just getting beyond ridiculous. I agreed before that we had things to fix, we paid for them, fixed them and left one time. We paid rent/expenses every month on time. I really am at a lose for what to do.

I fear that this thing will never end, that they'll just keep telling us everything is fine and then coming back and telling us it is not fine. It's driving me crazy, after I saw that last email last night I stayed up half the night worrying about what to do.

OP - Sorry your situation didn't have a happy resolution. The rental company agrees that the apartment is in bad shape? I would put my foot down and refuse to pay if I felt I was in the right. Chances are it's not worth their while to take you to court over $1,300 pesos and a month's rent. Cutting off contact unless it's through a lawyer or a demanda might be the way to go if you feel these people are harrassing you. On the other hand, if you did cause significant damage to the apartment, you have the obligation to fix it - just make sure you get receipts for any work or replaced items.[/QUOTE]

 

[littleba8073]

And *face palm* by the sounds of the email I thought the agency people actually went and looked at the apartment, they have never ever been there.... Apparently they are making decisions based on feedback from the landlord's dad! WTF. I asked somebody to get down there and actually access it before they send me emails saying its still in poor condition...

 

[demokritos]

I disagree. First of all, landlords who are already making a killing leasing their apartment to foreigners in USD at prices that are 3-4 times the cost of what locals would pay, shouldnt try to nickel and dime you on ¨normal wear and tear¨---things that occur over time to any and all places after having been lived in like a home and not like a museum. I am not saying if you cause obvious damage or trash the place that you shouldn´t have to pay for it.

I'm an owner here, and I rent out property to foreigners on short term leases. I'd wager there are a number of other people on this forum in the same situation. I don't come near recouping expenses on my property through renting it out - and it's a PH, where there are no monthly expensas to be paid to the building. If I were at the mercy of the building consorcio, my loss would be even bigger. I concur with "TheBlackHand"'s comments – renting short-term to foreigners is not good business. I'm not here year-round, and the dates that I am here are dynamic, so it's more convenient for me to have short-term renters. I'm unwilling to leave the place empty, as houses/apartments need to actually be lived in. I've experimented with various arrangements, but nothing is going to be fully satisfactory other than living in the place year round myself, which I'm not willing to do.

I'm not a businessman, I don't nickel and dime people, and I don't keep the entirety of damage deposits unless people have REALLY fucked the place up - e.g. painted graffiti on the walls, oil paint on the pinotea floors, left cat food/shit around the house, etc. (these are actual examples from my 6 years experience renting my property out here). However, it sounds like you don't have a clear idea of how much time and money goes into maintaining an apartment/building, and you aren't taking into account that most people are careless and have neither the willpower nor the knowledge to take care of things they own, much less rent.

The OP's story is a real drag - it sounds like they genuinely tried to get the place in good shape for the owner, and that they previously had a good relationship. I tend to think rental companies are vampires, and would instinctively blame them for the deterioration of the relationship - it's their job to mediate between the two parties, and they don't seem to have accomplished that in this case.