Early Termination

[ecureilx]

Unfortunately, there are bad landlords here of every race & religion. None have a monopoly. The only reason there are more Chinese landlords that do it is because there are more Chinese!

Yes, you echoed my sentiments .. and in general, Indians complain of Singapore Indian landlords, as they wrongly assume "me Indian, You Indian, we friend friend .. " When it comes to Singapore, the Singaporean says "me Singaporean first, then my race - Indian .. " and that turns out to be a sour experience for the Indian expats here ..

Nah- no offense, but generally, Singapore is a small place, so when you compress 4 million plus people into such a small place, of course, things get competitive, including the competiveness to cheat and scam. .

[JR8]

I'm not going to say anything in case the moderators think I'm racist and ban me from this forum

White men can't dance (or play hoops). Blacks have natural rhythm. The Germans are meticulous. Italians enjoy their laissex-faire avec le bunga bunga, and so on.

There are differences, and it is a poisonous environment where through fear one cannot mention them. So relax Tanama, hating and belittling won't work, but characterising in context ain't gonna get you in trouble...

[Tanama]

Hi, It's me again..

Well from the last time we spoke to our landlord based on everyone's advise, things went swimmingly well. Thank you all!!!!

He agreed that he does not need to see our cancellation of EP till the date of actual termination and we also found him a new tenant who would take up the contract from the day we leave.

Well, we are now packing and getting ready to leave on the 26th of this month - in 7 days - where we would be handing over the apartment on the 26th afternoon. Today he has sent us a mail saying he can't give our deposit for 5 days after we handover the apartment!! He knows that we will be leaving the country on the 26th and we think its unfair that he deducts for any damages when we are not there to see for ourselves what he's talking about!! We have written to him and said that it goes aginst the contract, but what if he refuses to give us our money? We can't postpone our trip at any cost

Please guys, any ideas how to solve this??

Thanks in advance

[JR8]

Advice was not to tell your LL you were leaving the country immediately, or it looked likely he'd try and screw you on the return of the depo.

So you went and told him you're leaving immediately, and now want help as it looks like he's going to screw you?.... sigh!

[Tanama]

Well he kept asking for proof of us leaving and we showed him our one way air tickets. So he knows the date.

[carteki]

The original question still remains - does the HDB know that he is renting out the flat? It now really doesn't matter that you get "thrown out" of the apartment - you're leaving anyways.

(and I'm assuming that you've paid the last months rental too - given all the grief your LL has given you I probably would've withheld the last months rent until I had a guarantee of the deposit repayment)

[Tanama]

We made a few inquiries and its like this -

1) The flat is more than 5 years old so he can give out the complete flat and so it's not an illegal letting out.

2) However, he has told the HDB that he is only giving out 2 rooms when its not the case.

I'm not sure why he is doing that since he is eligible to give out the complete flat.. So I don't think we can really threaten him either.

He insisted on getting our rent for the last two months saying that if there are damages he will have to use it. We thought this was fair since he was renting out a lot of equipment to us too. But we are naive, and thought he will be fair by us too..

[ecureilx]

We made a few inquiries and its like this -

1) The flat is more than 5 years old so he can give out the complete flat and so it's not an illegal letting out.

2) However, he has told the HDB that he is only giving out 2 rooms when its not the case.

I'm not sure why he is doing that since he is eligible to give out the complete flat.. So I don't think we can really threaten him either.

Does it matter why he is doing whatever ? for full apartment rental, he needs approval, and in turn, it is still illegal if he rented it without staying .. full approval negates a lot of benefits .. including and not limited to reduction of subsidies ..

YOU MUST GO TO HDB AND COMPLAIN, IF HE IS PLAYING FUNNY .. After all, what have you got to loose ??

He insisted on getting our rent for the last two months saying that if there are damages he will have to use it. We thought this was fair since he was renting out a lot of equipment to us too. But we are naive, and thought he will be fair by us too..

He is not being smart: he is being a businessman, period.

As for renting out 'equipment' - what the heck was that about ?? Don't tell me fully furnished means you pay rental for the equipment ?? confused .. am I !!!!!!!!!!

[Tanama]

Oh ok.. Sorry I'm so ill informed :d'oh!:

I thought it is only illegal when the flat is less than 5 years old... Didn't know he still has to register with the HDB as full apartment..

Thanks for that!

Also, I had called the HDB previously but they said that they don't get involved in tenancy disputes and to call the Small Claims Tribunal. I just went and checked that too and it says that when a tourist is involved everything will be handled within 24 hours.. After my EP is cancelled, I will be a tourist I guess

My aim is to get my deposit back and as much as I would want him to lose the flat for giving us such a hard time, I want to go to it as the last option.

[JR8]

Right, so the next question is what are you going to do right now, to make it clear to the landlord that if you don't get reasonable treatment/return of deposit he'll be in extremely deep crap?

Surely better than him screwing you (which you seem to have set yourself up for quite squarely), and then having to fight your way out.

[ecureilx]

My aim is to get my deposit back and as much as I would want him to lose the flat for giving us such a hard time, I want to go to it as the last option.

ok, not sure if I said this before, but your complaint will not make HDB take back the flat - they go through certain things, and the final result is retrieval of the flat ..

and unless he is in his late 50's or 60 .. his chance of getting another apartment evaporates, once he has complaints against him ..

Rather than getting into meet-you-in-person session with the Landlord .. send a registered letter, and give him notice that you must be paid back the deposit, if there is no cause to hold back on the day you depart singapore, not one week later, or one month later ... oh, yes, as I highlighted, if he can find cause, like broken furniture, and messy house, he can deduct a fair share .. and if he needs, he must complete his assessment et al before your departure date .. and if he refuses to respond, take it with small claims court ..

Essentially, follow the process, not just meet for coffee and let him bully you, or let him melt your heart ..

I am willing to bet that the owner most likely is out of $ and is pulling rank to not pay you .. and not in the sense of cheating you .. I may be wrong ..

[Tanama]

Thank you for your words..

He is able to pull out the $. We found him a tenant and he already asked her for the 2 months as well. So he has her money AND ours!!!

He is a very 'high' official in the country's premier airline and must be making 5 times more than our paltry deposit (which means the world to us) Also, he hasn't provided us with his home address and whenever we ask, is quite vague and evasive..

Yes, I think the SCT it will have to be.. Crap, I'm so glad I'm leaving this terrible country...

[JR8]

Thank you for your words..

He is able to pull out the $. We found him a tenant and he already asked her for the 2 months as well. So he has her money AND ours!!!

He is a very 'high' official in the country's premier airline and must be making 5 times more than our paltry deposit (which means the world to us) Also, he hasn't provided us with his home address and whenever we ask, is quite vague and evasive..

Yes, I think the SCT it will have to be.. Crap, I'm so glad I'm leaving this terrible country...

The situation is what you make of it.

None of what you say is relevant at all. I.e. what are you jibbering on about his job etc for?

Focus on what matters.... you've been prompted to enough times. Right now you're as random as a flock of seagulls, and will deserve what you get at this rate.

[ecureilx]

Tanama: terrible country ?? That didnt' sound nice .. and on top of it, the landlord being some top guy at some airline ?? Maybe that's something somebody implied and you bought the whole joke ..

People in such top jobs don't pull crap .. somebody is feeding a lot of tosh to you ..

back to the subject ... do what JR8 has been reminding you to do .. act now ..

PS: maybe some ill wind, but .. I heard such comments of people calling SG as a terrible place, when they have used SG as a stepping stone .. not done .. in my eyes .. ah .. well .. never mind anyway ..

A little something I learnt from a successful businessman .. he said, opportunities don't come knocking .. and every action has to be seen as an opportunity .. including - in your case - a gullible tenant who may let the Landlord an interest free loan in the form of deposit .. !!!! And as long as you are not breaking the law, or causing distress, in love and war and business, all is far .. So, don't be mean, but if some guy is opening doors for you to take some benefit .. GO FOR IT .. (not that I accept his advice wholly, but .. his worth is in 9 digits in terms of $ ... )