Residential Flat in Commercial Building + Security Deposits Paid to Landlord or in Trust

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  1. #1

    Residential Flat in Commercial Building + Security Deposits Paid to Landlord or in Trust

    My wife and I have just moved to HK. We are on the verge of signing a modified Commercial lease (5 pages) for a residential flat in a an office building which has been "unofficially" converted. Is this common in HK? Should we stay away from this type of agreement? The lure is the flat is much bigger than what is on offer throughout HK, for a much more competitive rent / mth.

    Furthermore, is it normal for security deposits to be paid to the landlord rather than in Trust or to the Agent? This makes me nervous at the end of the tenancy period. I have read on various forums that tenants simply don't pay the last two months rent to offset the deposit. This doesn't sit well with me either. Advice please?


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    23,205

    Yes it's normal for the deposit to go to the landlord.

    The residential in a commercial building situation is not uncommon, but I decided I wasn't comfortable with it when I looked at a place (for no specific reason other than it all felt a bit dodgy).


  3. #3

    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Sai Kung
    Posts
    8,561

    perfectly normal here for deposit to go to landlord. in all of the leases i've signed, which at last count was 10 (?) all of my deposits have gone to the landlord.
    don't know if i'd feel comfortable living in a commercial building myself, all sounds a little dodgy.


  4. #4

    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    1,259

    hi, could you provide details of this apartment or agent, I would be interested in seeing what is on offer.
    thanks