Security deposit-paint section or entire apartment

[lisalisadc]

Can a landlord make you paint the entire apartment for 8 holes left behind for anchor screws?

I patched and sanded the 8 holes. Took photos. Looks nice. 4 are not noticeable at all but the other 4 spots aren't perfect but constitute normal wear and tear.

Now, landlord says paint holes.

I ask:
What section of the walls? Where?
What type and color of paint?
Can I have key back to get painter estimate?

Their answer is: paint as per wall color where there are holes. Also, key is only available when Landlord feels like giving it back. We did handover on December 2. They tell me this late December 7.

[x9200]

If you did it reasonably so the former presence of the holes is not obvious then that's it unless you have clearly stated in your TA that you have to paint the whole wall/room.
Take a lot of photos and prepare yourself to go to SCT to get back your deposit.

[lisalisadc]

Update: I got back 85% of my deposit after 24 days of haggling. The landllady tweaked about 1 hole, an unswept floor (hello, I mopped it 25+ days ago), and the shower. 85% of my deposit is better than zero and/or a trip to the Tribunal.

I did not repaint the whole wall, just patched the holes where the anchor screws were. The apartment was in excellent condition when I moved out a month ago. Very disappointed with the behavior and tactics of my ex-landlady. Shame on you, Singapore.

[ksl]

Update: I got back 85% of my deposit after 24 days of haggling. The landllady tweaked about 1 hole, an unswept floor (hello, I mopped it 25+ days ago), and the shower. 85% of my deposit is better than zero and/or a trip to the Tribunal.

I did not repaint the whole wall, just patched the holes where the anchor screws were. The apartment was in excellent condition when I moved out a month ago. Very disappointed with the behavior and tactics of my ex-landlady. Shame on you, Singapore.

The walls should be left as new, or as they looked when you moved in. That is to say if you patched the holes up and just painted the holes over, the job would stand out to the naked eye, as a patch job, how can this be acceptable! The Landlord will have to repaint the whole wall, so the hole patches do not stand out for the next tenant to complain.

I'm not for LL but I do understand them and would always evaluate what they are training to say, though it would be different if when you moved in you could see holes filled and patch paint.

Try to understand LL and you will be fine, I agree that many will try and say you haven't swept up, if they have left it so long before checking.

Though 85% is pretty good so well done, but think about it, a can of paint and a roller is quite cheap in comparison, you can get the hole apartment painted for less than 100$ if you supply the paint. Though you don't have to paint all walls, just those where you make holes, it's not easy to cheat and paint a little as the old paint as been exposed to light and is very difficult to match.

Take note of the walls when you move into your next place for patch marks.

[QRM]

Our TA allows for hanging of pictures plasma TV etc. as part of the wear & tear

[x9200]

The walls should be left as new, or as they looked when you moved in. That is to say if you patched the holes up and just painted the holes over, the job would stand out to the naked eye, as a patch job, how can this be acceptable!

You really can do it the way it will not be visible. I do not repaint the holes and normally I use white cement for patching. Not knowing where the holes were probably you wouldn't find the places.

[ksl]

The walls should be left as new, or as they looked when you moved in. That is to say if you patched the holes up and just painted the holes over, the job would stand out to the naked eye, as a patch job, how can this be acceptable!

You really can do it the way it will not be visible. I do not repaint the holes and normally I use white cement for patching. Not knowing where the holes were probably you wouldn't find the places.

Yes quite agree, though not easy for the novice, or if they have a colour blindness problem.

QRM, Lucky you, that is how it should be in many cases.

I'm actually quoting experience of Private Housing Landlords in Scandinavia, which I find to be of very high standards, they paint all apartments from head to toe, before check in, when the tenant leaves, they expect the tenant to hand over in the same condition, the deposits are fixed at 3 months rental and are not returned until the apartments have been redecorated.

They do allow the tenant to repaint to save money on the deposit, or they allow you to find a tenant to move in and accept the condition to get a full refund on the deposit, though the tenant moving in will still have the 3 month rental to pay as deposit.

The sharks in the private industry are just like here, even if you paint it yourself, they still keep all the deposit, as it is paid in for redecoration, they just say that your paint job wasn't good enough and now you have lost the deposit. These shark Landlords have no scruple's.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Why do we all tend to always try to compare with some other country's modus operandi when this is Singapore and they don't really follow any other country. Sure they started with UK parliamentary law, but it doesn't resemble any other law now. What's relevant is only was it is here, now.

[ksl]

Why do we all tend to always try to compare with some other country's modus operandi when this is Singapore and they don't really follow any other country. Sure they started with UK parliamentary law, but it doesn't resemble any other law now. What's relevant is only was it is here, now.

That is very simple, if you do not compare with a better Country, Singapore will never improve! I can see you have been here far too long, that you are fully integrated and have given up trying to contribute, sad, very sad You would also be very wrong on the law side too, as it does actually still follow UK law, admittedly they do amend some of the laws to suit, themselves and so they should.

That isn't all, the AVA actually follow UK, Canada and the USA, and no they do not change the rules for Singaporeans, though fines are not a deterrent, so there are quite a lot of repeat offenders.

What I find more worrying is what are the long term psychological effects of PR's that have been here 25 years and more It's still a developing country with room for a great deal of improvement in many sectors.

[sundaymorningstaple]

That is very simple, if you do not compare with a better Country, Singapore will never improve!

That I could agree with, but unfortunately, that's not what people are doing when then compare.

[ksl]

That is very simple, if you do not compare with a better Country, Singapore will never improve!

That I could agree with, but unfortunately, that's not what people are doing when then compare.

I always try to improve my bad experiences with good ones, yesterday for example in food republic serangoon NEX...I ordered Fish & Chips price was 6.90 so when the fish was on the plate i was asked to choose 2 side dishes, beans and salad. That was it, I sat down not thinking at first I had no chips, so I looked at my receipt which clearly says fish & chips and 2 side dishes....So obviously i asked why no chips, and i was told the chips are a side dish.

I informed them that their advertising was in fact illegal and entrapment, I asked them to look at my receipt and tell me what is on it. Fish & Chips and two side dishes....only I don't have the chips.

They appolgised and gave me some chips and said they are complimentary, I said thank you, but remember to change the advert, as anyone ordering will expect Fish & Chips. not just a fish.

I think many Singaporeans may accept their reasoning but tourists will not! I guess it may be a Singlish advert Fish & Chips Singlish style

[sundaymorningstaple]

You sure you didn't order fish & chips & barons? I don't see what your post has to do with my post about people comparing Singapore to some other country (primarily western).

But with your ticker, maybe that were just trying to be nice to you and not give you an additional white starch hit!