Rent deposit

I already asked this in another thread but it was kind of OT and also didn’t hear what I want, so… here it goes again:

let’s say that I move to another flat and I pay the deposit and everything goes easy… but I decide to leave the flat BEFORE the first year of contract is over. My understanding is that the deposit is paid to cover expenses due to you fuckin’ up something from the house or for making sure you don’t leave without paying the last month… so…

Can I get my deposit back even if I leave within the first year?

Thanks :bow:

Nope. Check your contract. It is not “your understanding”, but rather what is written on it. Not the usual definition. Plus, the landlord is “inconvenienced” as you are leaving him with the task of finding another tenant. Sometimes they give it back to you if you find another tenant for them RIGHT AWAY. Otherwise, normally, you will be forfeiting the two months rent that you gave as deposit. Check your contract, anyways.

Of course, sometimes you may meet with a reasonable landlord but as per course, most contracts say clearly that you lose the money if you leave earlier. Hence all the mafan.

Well, I’m asking this because I might be moving to some other flat… and then, sooner or later, to another planet (country). I mean, I’ve been already 3 years in my flat in Hsinchuang, but I might be moving to another place for less that 1 year, and I don’t want to lose any money if possible…

Option 1: make a 6 month contract. that should be okish, depending on the landlord.

option 2: find a tenant for the place when you leave. tricky but doable

option 3: …

Where there is a will, there is a way.

Uhmmm

So, the standard contracts state that you lose that money, right? :frowning:

I asked my landlord the other day before signing my one-year-contract for my place in Zhongshan and he was downright clarifying: “Dear Mr Diego, we have to respect the contract: I will get every single cent of your deposit if you leave the flat even a week before the contract ends” it looks here is all about maximizing profit in the minimum time…

Ha… I see myself living under some bridge or something… :stuck_out_tongue:

BTW, did you find who to play with? did you visit the guys I said?

Aún no! i’ve been trapped under a huge pile of work, but i definitely should start looking for some fun after my upcoming visa run this week …

Pile of work and visa run… do you have Spanish clients or you’re just something illegal? :smiley:

Ah… three years ago, when I had that visa run to Philippines… if it happens to be the same destination you’re heading, Manila has some unsettling corners, but the place is worth visiting :slight_smile:

[quote=“jesus80”]Uhmmm

So, the standard contracts state that you lose that money, right? :frowning:[/quote]

My understanding is that you are breaking the contract so you are completely at their mercy. Another option to finding another tenant would be to agree on an earlier move out date but it’s possible that most landlords won’t be interested in this.