# Apartment Repairs



## JoParsons (Jun 25, 2011)

*Hola! What have been apartment rental experiences among you all? I just got information that landlords don't clean the apartment before someone new moves in and don't pay for repairs. Is this throughout Mexico or is it different from landlord to landlord? *


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## Guest (Oct 11, 2011)

The house I rented had been empty for awhile before I moved in, and yes it was dirty. I paid a neighbor's cleaning woman a few pesos to come over and clean it, and it was spotless by the time I came back to move in. No big deal. After all, why would I waste 4 to 6 hours of my life doing the cleaning, or getting all worked up about asking the owner to do what I did in 5 minutes? No hassles, and problem solved for about US$12. Everything was in working order when I moved in, and I keep it that way.

I don't call and ask the owner of the house for anything, and wouldn't except in the case of a fire or something else really big. She does ask me every spring after the first big rain if the domed brick roof has any drips, and when it has (twice), she has hired someone to come and apply new roof sealant. 

A plumber will fix just about anything here for 200 pesos or less, an electrician the same. Painters are reasonable too. In 5 years, I have spent less than 3000 pesos (less than US$5 a month !) out of my own pocket to keep things nice and in working order. Maybe I lucked out with my landlord, but a little voice in my head says that our relationship is good because of my attitude towards them and their property.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

JoParsons said:


> Hola! What have been apartment rental experiences among you all? I just got information that landlords don't clean the apartment before someone new moves in and don't pay for repairs. Is this throughout Mexico or is it different from landlord to landlord?


That is typical. Also be aware that if an apartment is unfurnished it is completely unfurnished; typically with no stove or refrigerator and maybe no light bulbs.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

_Also be aware that if an apartment is unfurnished it is completely unfurnished; typically with no stove or refrigerator and maybe no light bulbs._ 

And no toilet seat.

My landlord cleans, repairs, and repaints each apartment before it is rented. After that, plumbing and electrical repairs are the burden of the renter. Every four years or so, he'll drop off a 5 gal. pail of paint and tell me that it's time to repaint. The rent is low, so I don't complain.


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## pappabee (Jun 22, 2010)

joaquinx said:


> _Also be aware that if an apartment is unfurnished it is completely unfurnished; typically with no stove or refrigerator and maybe no light bulbs._
> 
> And no toilet seat.
> 
> My landlord cleans, repairs, and repaints each apartment before it is rented. After that, plumbing and electrical repairs are the burden of the renter. Every four years or so, he'll drop off a 5 gal. pail of paint and tell me that it's time to repaint. The rent is low, so I don't complain.


Both of the rental leases that we've signed since moving here have a clause that the owner will maintain the property with the exception of the first $50US of the cost of each repair. Since labor is so low that usually covers the entire cost.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Ajijic is a bit different from most of Mexico. Often, leases are even in English and in US dollars, which makes them unenforceable in the event of a dispute. To be valid, a lease must be in Spanish and in Pesos, as one might expect in Mexico.


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## pappabee (Jun 22, 2010)

RVGRINGO said:


> Ajijic is a bit different from most of Mexico. Often, leases are even in English and in US dollars, which makes them unenforceable in the event of a dispute. To be valid, a lease must be in Spanish and in Pesos, as one might expect in Mexico.


Our leases were in both. The agent had one for us in English and after the landlord signed one in Spanish we got that also. Now I hope that they were the same lease but no matter what the first landlord was great. Anything that was broke, he fixed at once. Our second landlord told us to call her contractor and he came out and fixed any problems and she paid for it. Again, this is Ajijic where some landlords think that property values and long term rentals are important. We have a 5 year lease here.

I was told that the leases must be in Spanish and in pesos because Spanish is the only legal language in Mexico. Unlike, say Canada with both French and English. No US court will accept a document in French it must be in English. Makes perfect sense to me.:clap2::clap2:


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## gypsymoth (Oct 10, 2011)

My information has always been that the lease must be in Spanish in order to be valid. This would be in addition to copies in any other language.
It is a good idea to have an addendum listing anything which is in the place you rent.


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