# Rents



## Gazeebo (Jan 23, 2015)

Hello

Can anyone tell me if the equivalent of two months' rent is the norm as a damages holding deposit on a rental property for 6 months, please?


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Gazeebo said:


> Hello
> 
> Can anyone tell me if the equivalent of two months' rent is the norm as a damages holding deposit on a rental property for 6 months, please?


If it's a 'legal' contract and the property is furnished, then yes.

If it's not furnished then 1 months rent should be asked.


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## Gazeebo (Jan 23, 2015)

snikpoh said:


> If it's a 'legal' contract and the property is furnished, then yes.
> 
> If it's not furnished then 1 months rent should be asked.


Thanks for your answer. That makes sense.


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## bandit1250 (Aug 5, 2014)

Gazeebo said:


> Hello
> 
> Can anyone tell me if the equivalent of two months' rent is the norm as a damages holding deposit on a rental property for 6 months, please?


hope you get it back,,,,,,seriously tell them one months deposit is all you are going to upfront don't forget they have your deposit but you have their keys, always, always keep a spare set of keys for when they claim that this damage has happened to the apartment etc and they are denying you your deposit back,,,,,i am thinking return later,,,,,,,, bath taps left running,,, cooker on full,,, just empty any gas bottles etc .


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

bandit1250 said:


> hope you get it back,,,,,,seriously tell them one months deposit is all you are going to upfront don't forget they have your deposit but you have their keys, always, always keep a spare set of keys for when they claim that this damage has happened to the apartment etc and they are denying you your deposit back,,,,,i am thinking return later,,,,,,,, bath taps left running,,, cooker on full,,, just empty any gas bottles etc .


Thats illegal and criminal damage. It could get you into all sorts of trouble. However, alot of folk dont pay the last months rent In lieu of the deposit, but they should always leave the property as they find it.

Jo xxx


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

bandit1250 said:


> hope you get it back,,,,,,seriously tell them one months deposit is all you are going to upfront don't forget they have your deposit but you have their keys, always, always keep a spare set of keys for when they claim that this damage has happened to the apartment etc and they are denying you your deposit back,,,,,i am thinking return later,,,,,,,, bath taps left running,,, cooker on full,,, just empty any gas bottles etc .


Always assuming that the property is vacant.
If not, you may be met by one of those fierce, snarling, dogs jumping at you


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## bandit1250 (Aug 5, 2014)

mrypg9 said:


> Always assuming that the property is vacant.
> If not, you may be met by one of those fierce, snarling, dogs jumping at you


true,,i have read somewhere on this forum that a jumping dog could have your eye out,,,


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## bandit1250 (Aug 5, 2014)

after reading all the horror stories on here about bad landlords/tenants etc I feel duty bound to tell you the flip side of renting,,,,, my landlady is absolutely superb, she has all the utilities in her name and pays them herself, when I call in to pay the rent (rent book with receipt) if a bill has come through she gives me a photocopy of the bill and I pay her there and then, no queuing, no screw ups at the bank IE a silly amount of money suddenly going out to pay a wrongly calculated bill, the two times that the hot water heater broke down (three years ago) she was immediately on the phone to a plumber and the guy was there after dinner. And because of the way she treats me I carry out any small repairs to the property/appliances myself, partly because I like to tinker with things, well you have got to get the old tool box out now and again just to keep your 'hand in' as they say.


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## bandit1250 (Aug 5, 2014)

jojo said:


> Thats illegal and criminal damage. It could get you into all sorts of trouble. However, alot of folk dont pay the last months rent In lieu of the deposit, but they should always leave the property as they find it.
> 
> Jo xxx


''a lot of folk dont pay the last months rent In lieu of the deposit'',,,,,,,, is that not also illegal, I have read that it is many times on various forums,,, also wouldn't falsely accusing somebody of damaging your property to acquire a pecuniary advantage also be illegal, as well as being morally wrong???? Always have plan 'B' is what I am inferring.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

bandit1250 said:


> ''a lot of folk dont pay the last months rent In lieu of the deposit'',,,,,,,, is that not also illegal, I have read that it is many times on various forums,,, also wouldn't falsely accusing somebody of damaging your property to acquire a pecuniary advantage also be illegal, as well as being morally wrong???? Always have plan 'B' is what I am inferring.


Criminal damage is against the law. If a landlord refuses to give the deposit back it isnt criminal damage, it should go thru the correct channels. Ideally, deposits should be kept in a third party account and given back once it is agreed that the closing terms of the contract have been met


Jo xxx


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

bandit1250 said:


> after reading all the horror stories on here about bad landlords/tenants etc I feel duty bound to tell you the flip side of renting,,,,, my landlady is absolutely superb, she has all the utilities in her name and pays them herself, when I call in to pay the rent (rent book with receipt) if a bill has come through she gives me a photocopy of the bill and I pay her there and then, no queuing, no screw ups at the bank IE a silly amount of money suddenly going out to pay a wrongly calculated bill, the two times that the hot water heater broke down (three years ago) she was immediately on the phone to a plumber and the guy was there after dinner. And because of the way she treats me I carry out any small repairs to the property/appliances myself, partly because I like to tinker with things, well you have got to get the old tool box out now and again just to keep your 'hand in' as they say.


Same here. Our landlord lives in Austria and we see him two or three times a year.
But we have had no problems in the seven years that we have occupied the house.
Mind you, neither has he...


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## Gazeebo (Jan 23, 2015)

Thanks to all for the comments. The property is furnished, and very beautifully I might say! My OH has met the landlady and we are as confident as we can be that all will be fine with the rental, paying two months' deposit and rent monthly in advance. Photos will be attached to the property and we will double check when we move in. I will probably treat the property better than I do mine, as I know how I would feel if someone damaged my house. Hopefully, we will be able to arrange for an inspection on the day that we leave, so that there can be no mistake about holding back any of the deposit, unless it is warranted.

As for those fierce snarling dogs - I have very good doggy commands like 'sit', 'stay' 'go' and 'come' the latter of course I will try to avoid!

Grrrrr...........


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## bandit1250 (Aug 5, 2014)

jojo said:


> Criminal damage is against the law. If a landlord refuses to give the deposit back it isnt criminal damage, it should go thru the correct channels. Ideally, deposits should be kept in a third party account and given back once it is agreed that the closing terms of the contract have been met
> 
> 
> Jo xxx


I am not condoning or encouraging actual physical damage to the property as that would obviously be the wrong course of action, what I am saying is if you feel that you have been had for a mug and you are not getting your money back (they have basically nicked your loot) then at least run up some utilities bills ie sneak back in and leave the water running down the plug hole not all over the floor, put on as many electrical items that the 'potencia' will allow, empty any gas bottles, and then just slip away into the night, at the very least the landlord is going to have to pay the bills and have new locks fitted,,,,,,, ''don't get mad, get even'', is not too bad of a way to look at certain events in your life.


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## jojo (Sep 20, 2007)

bandit1250 said:


> I am not condoning or encouraging actual physical damage to the property as that would obviously be the wrong course of action, what I am saying is if you feel that you have been had for a mug and you are not getting your money back (they have basically nicked your loot) then at least run up some utilities bills ie sneak back in and leave the water running down the plug hole not all over the floor, put on as many electrical items that the 'potencia' will allow, empty any gas bottles, and then just slip away into the night, at the very least the landlord is going to have to pay the bills and have new locks fitted,,,,,,, ''don't get mad, get even'', is not too bad of a way to look at certain events in your life.


I know, but we cant be seen to give out that sort of advice on the forum lol

When we left one of the properties we rented, we had actually just moved bank accounts and it was pure fluke that our last months rent wasnt paid - neither me or the landlord realised, so when he came to do the final inspection - altho he found the place immaculate, he said that he couldnt give us our deposit back because of damp on an outside wall (nothing to do with us) - I had a tantrum at him, but he wouldnt budge. The next day, karma - we found out that we hadnt paid the last months rent - and as for the closing utility bills.... he didnt dare ask lol

Jo xxx


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

bandit1250 said:


> I am not condoning or encouraging actual physical damage to the property as that would obviously be the wrong course of action, what I am saying is if you feel that you have been had for a mug and you are not getting your money back (they have basically nicked your loot) then at least run up some utilities bills ie sneak back in and leave the water running down the plug hole not all over the floor, put on as many electrical items that the 'potencia' will allow, empty any gas bottles, and then just slip away into the night, at the very least the landlord is going to have to pay the bills and have new locks fitted,,,,,,, ''don't get mad, get even'', is not too bad of a way to look at certain events in your life.


We rented a piso when we first came here, rent 900 euros a month, we paid 1800 deposit plus first month's rent.
It soon became clear that the agent was a shark who was most probably letting the flat without the landlord's knowledge. 
After a series of disputes over repairs which were clearly the landlord's responsibility, we decided to leave. We knew we wouldn't see our 1800 euros so didn't pay the last two month's rent, left after five months of an eleven month contract and told the thieving agent to do one.
We are fair-minded people and object to being treated unfairly. So we allowed a friend who lived on the campo and had no water supply to fill up hundreds if not thousands of litres of water and to have very many very hot baths and showers during the last two months.
The bills were not in our name, needless to say.
Justice was done, in my opinion.


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## bandit1250 (Aug 5, 2014)

mrypg9 said:


> We rented a piso when we first came here, rent 900 euros a month, we paid 1800 deposit plus first month's rent.
> It soon became clear that the agent was a shark who was most probably letting the flat without the landlord's knowledge.
> After a series of disputes over repairs which were clearly the landlord's responsibility, we decided to leave. We knew we wouldn't see our 1800 euros so didn't pay the last two month's rent, left after five months of an eleven month contract and told the thieving agent to do one.
> We are fair-minded people and object to being treated unfairly. So we allowed a friend who lived on the campo and had no water supply to fill up hundreds if not thousands of litres of water and to have very many very hot baths and showers during the last two months.
> ...


exactly!!!! and maybe let some local homeless people have the spare keys when you have finished having the last laugh.


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