Temporary rental - tenant rights?

[grosso95]

Hello,

I'm renting a furnished place on a 5 month contract, all in usd. I'm on a tourist visa and the contract was not signed with an escribano or anything.
All informal, one month of rent in advance, one month commision and one month deposit.

However the real estate agent is incredibly unprofessional and is not delivering on previous promises and now even ghosting me, the last day to pay for the second month's rent without interest accruing is approaching and she hasn't even told me how to pay rent! (we agreed it will be in cash but she hasn't told me who I'm supposed to give it to, and I don't want to ask when she currently ghosted me after telling me multiple times she will talk to me "en breve").

I'm wondering what are my rights as a tenant, worst case scenario I want to withhold payment to force the real estate agent to at least communicate better with me and deal with the issues I was promised would be fixed when I moved in.

To clarify I do intend on paying and I have the cash ready. My building has an electronic lock and keypad I just don't want to play the bad guy for a week and find they changed the lock to my apartment or something crazy like that.

I would rather resolve this on good terms I just want to know my rights (if any) to know how much power I have confronting the real estate agent.

Worst case I was thinking of just not paying the second month's rent and staying for an extra 2 weeks until I find another place before leaving in order to at least make use of my month's deposit as now at this point I don't trust the agent to return my deposit at the end of the contract.

 

[wrangler]

Where did you find this apartment? Regardless, as she's is your go-between you and the owner, at least for the time being, you'll have to maintain communication with her. Do you know if the realtor has an office? If you feel that things aren't correct, I recommend that you contact an attorney ASAP to find out what your rights are.

 

[sts7049]

this is what you get when you do things informally.

 

[Rich One]

My 2 cents. Just contact the realtor again , fixing things here takes time, patience ... Going to court will cost you a lot . Ultimately tell him you will fix stuff and deduct it from rent..! Read your rights below You are right you may never get the deposit back if you signed for 5 months

Translate with Google

Alquileres: cuáles son los derechos de los inquilinos y cómo hacer que se cumplan

Contrato, depósito, precios, expensas, gastos varios: una guía práctica sobre lo que corresponde hacer y pagar, y lo que no.

www.clarin.com

 

[grosso95]

I'm not planning to do any legal proceedings, I just wanted to know my negotiating power. If things are not resolved I was just thinking of abandoning the apartment after overstaying to at least make use of part of my deposit and forfeit the rest.

I asked again today and even mentioned in the most cordial way possible how I think it was a "falta de respeto" to break communication/ghost and she told me the issue will be fixed on Friday without apologizing at all (conveniently one day after the limit on my rent payment without accruing interest).

 

[SinPulgas]

People are really trying to charge interest for late payments on rentals in USD? What a scam!

 

[Rich One]

Your dollar rent accrues interest if paid late..? what is the daily rate.? news to me..?

 

[grosso95]

Your dollar rent accrues interest if paid late..? what is the daily rate.? news to me..?

I have been here for 38 days or so since my first payment. I am given a range of 9 days to pay (from the 30th day to day 39).
After that it's 1% daily interest per day late. Effectively as of today I already used up 1 week of my deposit, so if I just stay 2 more weeks or something I can just leave.

This is just on the contract, it was never mentioned. And I have not received a single message reminding me to pay! I know where I am supposed to pay but not to who or how exactly.

 

[jblaze5779]

you are a tourist and renting informally. Basically you have no rights. It's Argentina, your issue will be worked out eventually. and I wouldn't pay interest on a dollar agreement

 

[grosso95]

Well I wouldn't either but at the end of the contract I'm depending on them to give back the deposit in full. They can just say I accrued interest and not give back part of the deposit. The only strategy to avoid that would be to basically withhold the last month payment and leave on my own terms, but I really don't want to be in a stressful situation.

The main problem for me is the complete lack of professionalism and disrespect from the real estate agent. I actually never met someone like this and I have lived in LATAM for years. I counted 17 times in 1 month where she has told me x thing will happen or she will reach out to me and not once has she done so, I always have to double or triple message and I'm quite patient, I don't message on weekends or multiple times a day.

Basically this real estate agent overpromises constantly with no need and I just don't trust their word at this point, that's the only reason I would want to leave to avoid dealing with them, the apartment is fine for the most part.