Misbehaviour by landlord & no deposit refund

Sam00100 · Post by **Sam00100** » Tue, 19 Mar 2013 5:29 pm

Recently shifted from India to Singapore on 18th Jan 2013 on Employment pass.
With the help of an agent I found a common room at BLK 204 Serangoon Central. I signed the rent agreement on 28th Jan 2013 for one year (starting from 1st Feb 2013). During discussion myself and landlord lady (including the 2 agents from each side were also present) agreed for one month notice, applicable to both the parties in case either of us is unhappy staying there. As per agreement, I moved to her place on 1st Feb, during starting she behaved normally and as per rent agreement I paid her $700 Rent + $ 700 deposit, with 350 agent fees to agent.
As days passed by, I started sleeping on bed (which seemed ok with mattress quality in one touch & look) on 3rd day i told landlord if she can replace the mattress as it was low quality & my back nearly touches the metal rods beneath the mattress, this has developed a back problem to me. She did not do anything about this instead started behaving abnormally, shouting on me on small issue like why power plug of extension box is on (even though power button switch on extension board is switched off) & sometimes with lights switched on (As I remember I always keep them switched off while leaving for office),
Bearing all this has caused me so much pain, I was living there miserably as i got back problem (I need to always wear a back support belt & eat medicines which she also knew), due to which i started sleeping on the floor, I always avoided communicating to her as she is short tempered. she started shouting on me like anything if she finds a small reason, like after taking bath even after wiping my feet on door mattress she shouts why floor is wet on the way moving back to my room. This continued, I was bearing all this silently, On 6th of March I gave her one month notice that I will be leaving the place as per the agreement. Since then she became so angry, just a small insane reason and she yells at me. Even though i said sorry when I need not to to calm her down but it all just went vain. I reported all these events to my agent.
On 18th of March, She(Landlord) had planned well in advance, while returning from office she angrily started shouting on me asking why extension box power was on(she always open my room without my knowledge), she was furious on me. I told her if you are retuning my deposit (it is mentioned on rent agreement that during completion or premature termination deposit will be returned) I can leave as soon as i get as new place before notice period, she doesnââ‚¬™t not want to return the deposit to me & everyday she comes up with new reason to shout on me so that I get irritated and leave immediately, hearing this she lost her control, abused me & she even tried to hit me but I remained away, she phoned so many people (not sure whom), she threatened me saying she is reporting to MOM Singapore to cancel my EP (Not sure for what reason ), She thinks that as a owner & being lady she can do anything to me or falsely blame me till I am staying in her place, I kept quiet but she was out of her mind & kept abusing me. But I was frightened if she is going to kill me with something in anger, I can never guess someone like she exists on earth & also the bad behavior with me. I also reported this to my agent.
In the evening at around 9:20 pm, while back from dinner, I talked to her husband regarding this, he listened to me quietly, then landlord lady came she again started abusing(very bad words) me & she even didnââ‚¬™t listen to her husband & told him to go away(She told me even ââ‚¬Å“my husband can not control meââ‚¬Â

Post by **x9200** » Tue, 19 Mar 2013 6:11 pm

Unfortunately this happens.
1. Your deposit: search this forum for Small Claims Tribunal or SCT
2. Your agent, was he/she of any help?
3. Police is not for landlord-tenant rental disputes but you should have emphasized that what you were reporting was: (a) an assault; (b) trespassing, if she entered your room without your permission;

Sam00100 · Post by **Sam00100** » Tue, 19 Mar 2013 7:36 pm

Agent was of no help..he just seemed not interested in this matter..he was informed by me abot every instance but all in vain ..no help.

Police, I emphasized about assault & much more but i guessed they wait for some serious brawl..may be some blood stains..they ended saying..they simply cant intervene...

I am feeling so ashamed of what i had been thru..still at hotel n nowhere to go..! mentally screwed..!

Isn't there any favorable law/body on behalf of tenants..?
SCT process is too time consuming & results are mostly landlord/citizen favored..new person like me in sg cant spend time in such matters..when there is no peace and much support around..its kinda demoralizing

JR8 · Post by **JR8** » Tue, 19 Mar 2013 8:29 pm

^ +1.

Poor you, what a nightmare!

rajagainstthemachine · Post by **rajagainstthemachine** » Tue, 19 Mar 2013 8:54 pm

Look out for a new place as soon as you can, do you have any friends in Singapore who you can ask for some help?
Maybe you've been very meek with this particular landlord and took things lying down.
I think your immediate priority is to get new accommodation and possibly a better one and once you've found that I think you should try and get even with this lady.

Wd40 · Post by **Wd40** » Tue, 19 Mar 2013 9:47 pm

I have always believed that you can never get into a contract when sharing a room in a house. Its just impossible to list down all terms and conditions as many are behavioural aspects.

In my company we have an internal message board where people advertise rooms for rental. Its mostly Indians in the message board and all working in Bank so there is some minimum standards that can be expected and also all are foreigners. There is never a contract or agent involved. Its always trust basis like it works in most things in India.

I would never enter into a contract to share a room with a local family. Not saying all are bad, its just too risky like the OP's case. It far better to share with like minded expat colleagues with easier and mutually agreeable terms

There are other message boards on the internet like EzlinkSingapore in Yahoo groups which is predominantly Indian. I am sure there are such groups for other ethnicities as well.

Sam00100 · Post by **Sam00100** » Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:30 pm

Hi Raja..i dont have any friends who can help me here in sg..as of now im looking out for a new place..hopefully i will get it soon.

vishalgupta2 · Post by **vishalgupta2** » Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:42 pm

Sam00100 wrote:Hi Raja..i dont have any friends who can help me here in sg..as of now im looking out for a new place..hopefully i will get it soon.

As a advice, I will suggest that you should avoid sharing accommodation with the landlord as long as possible. I know its too late, but this is a golden rule that I always followed.

LongTimeHere · Post by **LongTimeHere** » Thu, 28 Mar 2013 10:38 am

As a golden rule never rent a room from a local Indian family. Everything you said sound so familiar. The landlady is only renting to you as a last resort due to a desperate need for money.

Unfortunately you cant do much in this case as its very ambiguous legally. The landlord has harassed you out and she has probably doing this for a long time. They choose newly arrived Indians to rent specifically because you are a soft target and they know you have no contacts. The husband is probably an useless bum and hence has no say.

If you have to rent a room do it with a local Chinese or Malay family. I stayed with a local Chinese family for over a year as a paying guest with absolutely no issues.

Welcome to Singapore friend.

Sam00100 · Post by **Sam00100** » Thu, 28 Mar 2013 10:45 am

Yup..i agree with you...Thanks.
I got an accommodation with a local Chinese..they are so friendly and caring..i feel like at home...
I wish every new comer to be more cautious when renting a room & not falling a pray like me.

LongTimeHere · Post by **LongTimeHere** » Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:49 am

:Sam00100

Glad you found the a place.

Don't ask too many personal questions to the Chinese family. They don't like it. Their culture is different. Our Indian culture is to talk about all details, make quick friends and then things sour.

Also a Chinese will give his friendship very very slowly - it at all to an Indian. However once you make a friend it is generally very long term and for life. They will go thick and thin with you but you have to earn it.

Sam00100 · Post by **Sam00100** » Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:19 pm

@LongTimeHere...Thanks for the advice...i will keep these things in mind.

...surely you will exist long time here

therat · Post by **therat** » Thu, 28 Mar 2013 1:38 pm

LongTimeHere wrote:Our Indian culture is to talk about all details, make quick friends and then things sour.

No wonder.
When I join a new setup company, the new colleagues from India, first question is
What is your degree? from which school? which course?
You had master? from which school? which course?
Where you stay? Buy? rent?
You from where?
How much percentage of increment the new setup company offer you?

[add on in blue]
How old are you?
Are you married?
How many children? How old?
basically question after question.
Like Chinese said - check family background

Those new colleagues from China, Malaysia, Burma, Philippines and Singapore are talking among our self and question raise when discussion.
Why they ask such question? So rude. Do I know them very well?
Are they trying to see who has master? And use education to look down on people?
Why are they digging our personal information?
When we trying to avoid this kind of question, they just ask and ask. They don't know when to stop.

Very fast, they start to avoid talking to colleague from India except work.
In case they (colleague from India) start to ask about where your spouse doing, which company, children , etc..

bossy_uss · Post by **bossy_uss** » Sat, 13 Apr 2013 1:38 pm

Sam00100 wrote:Yup..i agree with you...Thanks.
I got an accommodation with a local Chinese..they are so friendly and caring..i feel like at home...
I wish every new comer to be more cautious when renting a room & not falling a pray like me.

If you want to be cautious about bad landlords here in Singapore, I just found a gruesome video of a landlord entering tenant's room:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZMPlMJ0jj0

bossy_uss · Post by **bossy_uss** » Sat, 13 Apr 2013 1:39 pm

LongTimeHere wrote::Sam00100

Glad you found the a place.

Don't ask too many personal questions to the Chinese family. They don't like it. Their culture is different. Our Indian culture is to talk about all details, make quick friends and then things sour.

Also a Chinese will give his friendship very very slowly - it at all to an Indian. However once you make a friend it is generally very long term and for life. They will go thick and thin with you but you have to earn it.

Why did you say if at all to an Indian? Are Chinese people racist towards Indians?

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Misbehaviour by landlord & no deposit refund

Misbehaviour by landlord & no deposit refund

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