HELP

[beedao]

Hi all

Im currently involving in a legal issue. I need you guys' advices.

I rented a room located at Dairy Farm Estate last year on 5th August 2006. I paid my landlord $450 for first month deposit, and $100 for electricity deposit.

On 1st June 2007 I told him that i wanted to extend my stay for one more month which meant that I'll moved out on 4th Sept. instead of 4th August 2007 as we agreed on the contract. However, when I talked to him that I wanted to extend for another month, he told me it's ok, but i will have to pay him for $100 more. It costs me $550 for the month of August 2007. I called him and asked whether we need to sign up a new contract for this month, he said no need.

On 25th Aug. 2007, he smsed me and asked me to move out on 4th Aug which I supposed to move out on 4th Sept as we already agreed that I'll stay here for one more month, right? Then I smsed him and told him that "I'll move on 1st Sept. May i know when can I get back my deposit?" He smsed me said that" Clean your room and kitchen, I'll return your deposit". I said "OK" . From this day onward, I lost contact with him totally. He never came to Dairy Farm or replied my sms or answered my calls, even though I tried so many times already.

So, on 1st Sept. 2007, I moved out of this place. The day before I moved, I actually called him and wanted to ask him whether he want to come to check the room and take back the keys. But he never picked up my call. Then I tried to send him an sms, he never replied too. The date I move, which is on 1st Sept, I called him again, and as you can guess, he never picked up any of my calls, again..... I smsed to ask him come and check the room and kitchen that I already cleaned them up, he never replied my sms too.

I thought that he must be oversea, that's why never answered me. However, one of my house mates told me that he actually went to check my room the day I moved out, he spent the whole evening over there. One day after I moved, he even brought a new tenant to stay at my room. It's obvious that he doesn't want to give me back my deposit right?

So, my questions are: What should I do to get back my deposit? Where should i go to complain about this kind of issue? Should I go to the police Do the police in SG handle such cases? Did i break the contract? Or did i do anything wrong? Please don't ask me to go my embassy, because I dont think they are helpful.....

As Im alone in a foreign country, I dont know what to do now...can anyone give me some advices, i'm so frustrated and confused.

Thank you for reading.....
bee

[jpatokal]

The extension of your contract by verbal agreement makes things a bit more complex, but the key issue here is that he should refund your deposit, which he has not done.

So take him to court at the Small Claims Tribunal. This will cost you all of S$10, no lawyers needed or allowed, and if he doesn't show up you basically win by default. Here's the official site, which explains the process step by step:

http://app.subcourts.gov.sg/sct/index.aspx

Step 0, though, is to tell the landlord that you're going to take him to court if he doesn't pay up. And keep records of any conversations, attempts to contact him, money paid by you (rent), etc. Use registered mail and turn on delivery reports for SMSs/e-mail.

[beedao]

Hi there, thank you so much for your valuable info and the link I already smsed him and he didnt reply again. So, Im going to submit the form tmr.

[beedao]

Hi people, just to warn you all about the landlord in SG. Some of them are really bad, and greedy. This's not my first time that landlord doesnt wanna return me back the deposit. But i didnt have time to solve it last time, and it's not a big amount of money though. So, i just forfeited it It was 2 years ago. Im really angry until it's happened again. This's another landlord, who tried to breach the contract, again Im so sick of it,man!!! To be honest, it's not a big amount, but, I wanna make the matter become bigger, such as went to report to police (they are not very helpful though) and went to Small Claim Tribunals. ‘cuz I really don’t wanna let this kinda ppl to fool around.

As I stated earlier, my landlord didn’t reply my sms or answered any of my calls. My friend called him this morning, and he picked up the phone and said that I damaged everything in the room, including the floor and the air-con, he had to hire the contractors to come over to fix them, and they cost him over SGD1000+. My friend asked him to refund the deposit to me and then I'll fix everything if they are really "damage" according to what he said. Then you know what? He said he actually has not fixed them, yet???!!!! he just asked the contractors to come over and estimated how much will the cost be. Obviously, it is all bullsh*t I didn’t break anything and i can proof that by a video made by myself after i moved.

It is just the way he wanna take my deposit. I think "refundable" is not his way of doing business. So, my friend asked him to give me back the deposit first, we will then go to the place and see how bad is the floor in order to repair or fix it. I will bear whatever costs if should they really occurred. He didn’t agree initially, and then my friend lied to him that her husband actually is a lawyer, he'll take care of the case for me. The landlord said it's fine, he's rich, he can hire a better off lawyer to fight us back. Then my friend told him it’s not the point, no point to pay the lawyer a bigger amount since the deposit is not big, if compare to pay the lawyer fee!! Why not we just sit down and talk nicely?? You know what? when my friend talked to him nicely, he was very rude to her and said that he doesn’t want and won't talk to me???!!! What a j*rk!!! My friend then told him it's not the best solution by avoiding all my smses and calls, as all of us are adults already!!! Then he said i threatened him by saying I'll go to police, my friend said that I actually already went there to report yesterday and already submitted a form to the Subordinate court. Now, we have to wait for the appointment on 21 sept. only. Then he said ok, let's meet on Mon. but he didn't say what time. I dont think he'll show up though, to be frank.

Just wanna share my story. Be careful, expats!!! One question though, has anyone had the same situation before?