Tenancy Rights -- Deposit Issues

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  1. #11

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    May 2004
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    Thank you both the for info.

    Did either of you inform your landlords before the last 2 mths that you would'nt pay? ...just wondering if we should tell them in writing or how best to handle it.

    BTW we did take lots of pics of our place (dings around the apt.) before moving in...just to be safe.


  2. #12

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    Apr 2003
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    Quote Originally Posted by kiki:
    Thank you both the for info.

    Did either of you inform your landlords before the last 2 mths that you would'nt pay? ...just wondering if we should tell them in writing or how best to handle it.
    I have confirmed lease amendments in writing, but for terminiations I just called. However, considering the new untested regulations, I'd confirm in writing the termination date.

    cheers,

  3. #13

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    Mar 2005
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    HK
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    If the landlord wants you gone, i'm sure they'll find a way. Just save your time and find a nicer place. Mostly, within the same conversation, you will be able to tell them that the last two months rent will be deducted from the deposit; and its usually ok. Any reckage cost are expected by the landlord and they usually don't charge cause they got to repaint or renew the place anyways. (unless we've totally turned the place upside-down) So don't wonder off thinking of what they will do, just communicate more and leave on a good note. Cause we all know, including the landlord, how much they are making. We've cut their lease in half! or more!!


  4. #14

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    Nov 2004
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    does anyone know where to find the FULL updated rules and regulations for tenancy? and anything that shows a person's right as a tenant?

    is it acceptable for a landlord to do "patchy fix up"?
    we have finally after 3 yrs, been able to get the landlord in to fix things that were actually getting to a point that they would be a safety hazard, and other works too - but it was like half work, and not presentable work.

    Electricity - power has blown out in the entire house. with sparks - even happend once while workers were here. but the electric boxes themselves have not even been touched for repair and that is where a lot of the problem lies, all contractors that have looked at them have said they need to be changed.

    Paint - only painted over in patches where cracks were, so we are now left with walls of 2 shades in each room that has been "repainted" - and now even the new paint is having problems.

    kitchen floor - new vinyl tiles have only been lain over old cracked ones, and only over the part that had most problems - old ones r beige, new ones r a pinky/purple - again 2 colours.

    roof - rails have corroded since '99 damage (only this past week did they come to do anything) and even then, all they did was put some metal reinforcement against the old pillars. - we were told b4 they were considering removing all the current rails and putting up new ones.

    one bathtub that we cannot use over the past 3yrs - but they say it's "beyond repair" they would have to put a new one - so shouldn't they do that?

    Basically nothing is presentable -and would also be kind of embarrasing to have people come over! we have told the landlord we can't accept this half work, but they have instructed the workers to continue as instructed. we have lived here for 13 yrs, and only the past 3 yrs have we started to be a little stronger with our requests, because otherwise regular requests have resulted in nothing. we are also getting a little suspicious with their actions. is there anything more we can do?


  5. #15

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    May 2004
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    Wow Sahfin, your place sounds as bad as mine.

    Maybe you could threaten the landlord to fix some of the problems permantly or you'll withhold rent.

    Definately he should fix electrical and plumbing problems...(assuming these worked fine when you signed your rental contract.) Does'nt it state in your contract that items like you mentioned be in good working condition?

    We've also had electrical probs...yep even our electrician shocked himself while working on the fuse box! We've had 3 separate problems in 7mths with our fuse box/electricity. All of which happened when my husband left town on biz..of course!

    Leaking ceiling in MBR... I had to cancel my flt. to Singapore (with hubby) and pay cancellation fee to deal with this nightmare. Rain water stained & ruined my new 2000$usd mattress, had to pay for drycleaning mattress cover & bed spread. Turns out that the building management knew about the existing problem & did'nt tell us. We are now trying to get them to pay for our damages...which they say they will...been 4 wks & we're waiting. grrr

    Renovation 3 floors above us has littered our private patio, & clogged our patio drains with falling concrete, plastic straps,general garbage & even a 2 ft. metal rod that shot through the air landing just by my patio door (thank god i was'nt out there at the time). After ump-teen complaints to everybody, we finally got the construction mgr. to send someout and clean it up. Crappy job to say the least...still have concrete bits & garbage lying around. Have'nt been able to use my patio for about 2 mths now.

    Have had problems with all 3 of our shower heads breaking, along with one of the showers leaking water on the floor, which was repaired with glue...only to start leaking again.

    Laquered cabinetry & built-ins (everything is laquered-ha!) peeling/flaking in every room of this apt.

    Not to mention all the noise problems with constant renovations (the 6th now) & working after permitted hrs ,neighbors moving chairs between 11pm-4am every night since the day we moved here etc etc..

    Our maintenance man is worthless...he could'nt even complete simple tasks he was told to do before we moved in. And he did as little as possible, and it shows.
    Even our agent had to constantly stay on him to get things done. And he was a jerk to her too.
    Only spot painted the apt., & did a general cleaning or no cleaning at all. I had to scrub this place from top to bottom for days...it was filthy!

    I could go on and on...we've had problems for quite sometime.

    Sorry, not trying to rant here...just wanted to let you know your not alone.

    I don't know if it'll be better at the next place we live...but at least i'll know what to look out for & what to stay away from.

    Good luck with your place!


  6. #16

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    Nov 2004
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    Hong Kong Island
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    omg! i so feel wat you are going through! and wat's worse is that we can't even talk straight to the landlord - we are talking to the manager of some company , and then thru them, another agent! n wat got me even more mad, was that the manager's wife (now the 3rd person btwn us and the landlord!) came to see the place on saturday cos we obviously aren't happy with the job, and she was completely blowing us off! wouldn't stop to listen to wat we had to say, and then as she was coming downstairs to leave, my dad said hello to her - and she completely ignored him and kept walking!!! i was NOT happy with that at ALL! absolute disrespect!
    ye..we have water seepage problems too - even the spots they have repainted, have watler seeping thru again! not to mention the bathroom we havent been able to use for 3 yrs still isn't working, and we havent been able to use our roof/patio for yrs now either.

    our agreement does say somehting bout the apt. having to be in habitable conditions...i think....but well we also just renewed the lease again - but sent them letters about the repairs b4 the lease was signed and they said they would send someone only after the lease was signed! n now after 4 months did they do anythign....and even then....we had to say that we would start depositing rent to the courts from this month etc.

    is there nothing further that can be done tho? any landlords on this site themselves that have any suggestions?? i don't know if i can email the housing athority and ask them about it? but i know hk always favours the landlords....and that sux! we've lived here for 13yrs, and it seems like in hk, the longer u have a relationship w/someone the worse the behaviour gets!

    ideally it would be nice to move...but after so many yrs, we've become spoilt with the size of the place ...and it's a pretty reasonable price at the moment! so moving is proving difficult! but it's so frustrating!!!


  7. #17

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    May 2004
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    Sahfin:
    "They would send someone out only after the lease was signed"?
    Are the repairs that you requested in your new contract?...if not, you may be screwed. If you only agreed verbally it's their word agaisnt yours.

    Check your contract very closely, contact an agent or lawyer to over it with you if need be.

    Our landlord...or should I say investors are also invisible. We don't even know who they are and have requested to speak to one of them, but no luck.
    We have to go through the reps for the investors of our apt., which happens to be the maintence man and his supervisor...and they're worthless, as i mentioned before.
    This is why I'm concerned about getting our deposit back when we leave.


  8. #18

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    Nov 2004
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    Hong Kong Island
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    well....the repairs rnt in the contract, but we do have a lot of letters both from our side and theirs......so hopefully that should be ok :-\

    ugh! i hate this whole middle man thing! watever happened to the good ol landlord-tenant relationship? we all know wat happens to msgs when they go from mouth to mouth, instead of directly!


  9. #19

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    Apr 2005
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    Sai Kung
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    if i was you i'd send them a final letter telling them they have two weeks to have everything fixed or you will do it and deduct it from the rent.


  10. #20

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    Nov 2004
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    ye..we did that too...thats when they finally sent the ppl to come.. n do the half work - pathcy, uunfinished....- n they said theyd come back on monday but noone is back ....we sent em another letter w the deduction from rent thing again.....but nothing 0 we actually said we;d start deducting the rent to the court first until everythgin was done....but that still doesnt seem to work!