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Rental Deposit Issue

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  1. #1

    Join Date
    May 2014
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    Rental Deposit Issue

    So I need some advice on this - I have been in HK for roughly 2 months for work and have been staying in an extended-stay hotel that charges on a month-by-month basis. I had originally planned on staying for a full third month and told my landlord this, but my plans changed so that I am only staying for two weeks (not a full month), so I updated my landlord accordingly before my second month lapsed (i.e., I told my landlord well in advance of my departure date). I simply pay by the month, so it's not as if I signed anything agreeing to stay for a full third month, but now my landlord is insisting that I pay for a full month instead of for two weeks, saying that he'll refund me if he happens to find another tenant. I should add that my security deposit fully covers the time that I'll be staying.

    The thing is, I think my landlord has no intention of informing me if he finds another tenant - he wants me to pay for a full month and then get another tenant to move in as soon as I move out, so he makes double. There was a British girl who came to view the room to potentially move in soon after I am set to leave, and she sounded very eager to take the room when she viewed it. When I emailed the landlord about her, he "forwarded" a very fake sounding email with spotty English. I strongly doubt the British girl wrote it. Should I just not pay the final month's rent since I'll be staying just 2 weeks? Again, I signed NOTHING saying I would stay a full month, so it is just my landlord's insistence.


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    As nothing has been signed into a contract I would say go ahead and do it.




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  3. #3

    Join Date
    Mar 2013
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    If they charge by the month, they charge by month, it's not their problem if you only stay 2 weeks or 2 days out of that month.

    You can't expect a 'charge by the month' place to charge you by the week just because you don't need the whole time. Move out after your 2nd month and move into a pay by the night place. Though I doubt it would be cheaper.


  4. #4

    Join Date
    May 2014
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    I should have added, this place does offer stays in week-long increments at a slightly higher rate. My deposit still more than covers the two weeks I plan to stay, the only reason my landlord is being intransigent is because I originally told him over the phone in mid-April that I would stay a full month. Again, I signed nothing saying I would stay a full month and received no written confirmation that this was our agreement, and I did inform him of my changed plans well in advance. I think he just sees an opportunity to squeeze a couple thousand more HKD out of me.


  5. #5

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    May 2014
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    It's none of your business whether your landlord finds another tenant or not. You made a deal with him. You'll either be honest and honour it or not.


  6. #6

    Join Date
    May 2014
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    Let me emphasise, first of all, that I informed my landlord well in advance; secondly, that staying for periods of weeks is something this place offers; thirdly, that we had no formal/written/signed agreement that I would stay for a full month; and, finally, that I strongly suspect my landlord is trying to hide from me the fact that he already has another tenant lined up (though, granted, I have no way to prove this). I fully understand what it means to honour a commitment, but considering the above I think it's my landlord who is being unreasonable.


  7. #7

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    You cannot change your landlords behaviour. You can only make choices about what YOU are going to do based on his position. So, decide what to do and then do it. That involves reviewing the various options open to you: don't stay the 2 weeks and leave now; stay and pay for 2 weeks and risk losing your deposit; stay and pay for 4 weeks and have less hassle; stay for 2 weeks, pay nothing and tell him to use your deposit .. and so on. Each of these has a different hassle factor; legal risk factor and cost. Make your mind up what you are prepared to live with and get on with it.

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  8. #8

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    Feb 2009
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    Sounds like the landlord trusted you over the phone, didn't bother to get you to agree in writing, and now you are taking advantage of this and screwing him when you change your plans. You pay a lower rate monthly because it gives the landlord 'piece of mind' that he has a tenant and a stable income, and then you bugger off after your verbal commitment to him. The landlord made a mistake in trusting you.


  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by bdw:
    Sounds like the landlord trusted you over the phone, didn't bother to get you to agree in writing, and now you are taking advantage of this and screwing him when you change your plans. You pay a lower rate monthly because it gives the landlord 'piece of mind' that he has a tenant and a stable income, and then you bugger off after your verbal commitment to him. The landlord made a mistake in trusting you.
    I didn't read what the OP said to be this. I read it that he never said he wanted to stay for any of this month, but has now asked to stay for 2 weeks of the month. In that context he's not lied at all; he's just having difficulty with the commercial terms of his additional 2 weeks.

    (of course who knows what actually was said by whom to whom and when!)

  10. #10

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    May 2014
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    Yes, let me re-emphasise that not once have I lied to my landlord. I have kept my landlord completely informed of how long I intend to stay and was sure to inform him well in advance when my plans did change. I am not trying to cheat anyone here - I just wanted a second opinion since I worry that my landlord is in fact trying to take advantage of me.

    Last edited by tsh2119; 22-05-2014 at 04:57 PM.

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