Rent deposit

Andrea Duguay

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May 2, 2015
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I have rented at least half a dozen apartments and never had to pay the lawyer 1 month as a fee. I was under the impression that if an owner retains a lawyer to rent out their property then the owner is responsible for paying the lawyer.
 

Seamonkey

Bronze
Oct 6, 2009
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Common is first and last plus a security deposit. Lawyer's fee to draft up a lease is about 2000 pesos, not one month of rent. That's ridiculous and get another lawyer. Usually the owner pays for it or asks for the renter to pay half.
 

POP_DR

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May 29, 2016
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My experience here in Puerto Plata is 1 deposit and 1 rent ahead for an apartment, and 2 deposits and 1 rent for a house/casa. If the owner is using a lawyer or a real estate company to get the unit rent out, they usually charge 1 deposit, but it is between the owner and the lawyer. The contract fee 1.500-2000 RSD is usually paid by the owner, or split between the owner and renter.
 

Derfish

Gold
Jan 7, 2016
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Is it common for a tenant to pay the home owner's lawyer 1 month of the 3 month rent deposit as a fee?

There are so many places to rent that do not require a deposit I do not understand why anyone chooses to rent where that is expected.
Der Fish
 

Andrea Duguay

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May 2, 2015
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Andrea, you've rented 6 apartments in DR? How long have you lived there?

I have lived in the DR since May 14, 2015. I have been in this house for almost 5 months now. That is a record here for me, lol. But seriously, the problem is usually the dogs. I have 2 medium size dogs. Dominicans only seem to like small dogs, like chihuahuas.
 

josh2203

Bronze
Dec 5, 2013
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Common is first and last plus a security deposit. Lawyer's fee to draft up a lease is about 2000 pesos, not one month of rent. That's ridiculous and get another lawyer. Usually the owner pays for it or asks for the renter to pay half.

The OP is imo not clear whether the fee is a "finder?s fee", as if the lawyer would be the broker acting on behalf of the owner, or if the lawyer is "only a lawyer" in the transaction, as in drafting the contract. If the latter one, then I would assume other lawyer could be used as well, if the first one, then I?m not sure if it?s possible.

And based on my experience, if it is the "finder?s fee", then it can indeed be one month?s rent, otherwise max. 1000-2000 DOP.

We have also rented a few places in the DR, and we really have learned to avoid any transactions involving any third party, lawyer or not. When we deal with everything directly with the owner, much less hassle. In those cases, it?s purely between the owner and the lawyer to come up with the contract.

Also, I have learned to be rather "pushy" with the owners, as I have seen absolutely crappy contracts drafted by supposed professional lawyers. They contain more typing errors than correct grammar, and contain things that are not even part of the property. So my advice is just be careful...
 

josh2203

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Dec 5, 2013
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I have lived in the DR since May 14, 2015. I have been in this house for almost 5 months now. That is a record here for me, lol. But seriously, the problem is usually the dogs. I have 2 medium size dogs. Dominicans only seem to like small dogs, like chihuahuas.

Not sure if you are living in an apartment or actually in a house, but I have seen rather large dogs living in houses on areas we?ve lived, so perhaps they would be less of an issues if you lived in a one-family-home? My SIL?s family has two extremely large dogs (living in the city), but they have a big house as well (two stories).

Obviously I don?t know about your budget nor location, but just as a general "tip"...
 

Blueceo

Member
Nov 1, 2015
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I have rented 3 different condos in santo domingo and 1 in juan dolio. The first two in SD required 3 months (1 going to the realtor as a deposit). The last two required just first months and an equal month for security deposit. Got my deposit back all 4 times although the Juan Dolio apt. was the most difficult deposit to get back and took several months of constant calls to accomplish.
 

Andrea Duguay

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May 2, 2015
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Not sure if you are living in an apartment or actually in a house, but I have seen rather large dogs living in houses on areas we?ve lived, so perhaps they would be less of an issues if you lived in a one-family-home? My SIL?s family has two extremely large dogs (living in the city), but they have a big house as well (two stories).

Obviously I don?t know about your budget nor location, but just as a general "tip"...

We are in a 3 bedroom house in San Isidro. No problem with the dogs here. They love it!
 

Andrea Duguay

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May 2, 2015
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Now the lawyer wants $350US to review the contract. I only pay 5000 pesos per month so not worth getting the contract reviewed. I will post it here and hopefully someone can advise me whether they think it is written to screw me or not? It is in Spanish. At first the lawyer had my boyfriend listed as the renter and me the co-signer. I asked her to change that as I live there as well. Just looking for advise as I don't need anymore problems. Maybe I shouldn't even list myself on the rental agreement? Thoughts?
 

Derfish

Gold
Jan 7, 2016
4,441
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Now the lawyer wants $350US to review the contract. I only pay 5000 pesos per month so not worth getting the contract reviewed. I will post it here and hopefully someone can advise me whether they think it is written to screw me or not? It is in Spanish. At first the lawyer had my boyfriend listed as the renter and me the co-signer. I asked her to change that as I live there as well. Just looking for advise as I don't need anymore problems. Maybe I shouldn't even list myself on the rental agreement? Thoughts?

There has to be a sane lawyer who would do it for 3000 or 4000 pesos. Ask around a bit. Lawyer's orifices all over.
Der Fish
 

rogerramjet1

New member
Sep 10, 2015
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look i use a lawyer to collect my rent
he charged me for drafting a rental agreement
he charges me 5% to collect the rent monthly and he offers NO property maintanance
this is very fair
 

Derfish

Gold
Jan 7, 2016
4,441
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look i use a lawyer to collect my rent
he charged me for drafting a rental agreement
he charges me 5% to collect the rent monthly and he offers NO property maintanance
this is very fair

You don't mention how much he charges your victims (renters) for writing up contracts.
 

Andrea Duguay

New member
May 2, 2015
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look i use a lawyer to collect my rent
he charged me for drafting a rental agreement
he charges me 5% to collect the rent monthly and he offers NO property maintanance
this is very fair

Do you in turn charge your tenant the cost of drafting the rental agreement and an additional 5% on their rent to offset your costs or are the fees your lawyer charges you part of the cost of ownership? Does your lawyer take one month of the rent deposit as a fee as well?
 

josh2203

Bronze
Dec 5, 2013
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Now the lawyer wants $350US to review the contract. I only pay 5000 pesos per month so not worth getting the contract reviewed. I will post it here and hopefully someone can advise me whether they think it is written to screw me or not? It is in Spanish. At first the lawyer had my boyfriend listed as the renter and me the co-signer. I asked her to change that as I live there as well. Just looking for advise as I don't need anymore problems. Maybe I shouldn't even list myself on the rental agreement? Thoughts?

Based on my experience someone is trying to get money out of you...

We have had several rental contracts written by lawyers (in Puerto Plata and Santo Domingo), and the most we have ever paid for writing/reviewing AND rewriting (we were not happy with one version, and the landlord had to take it back to his lawyer) any rental contract has been 1000 DOP (ca 22 USD). Just for reading a piece of text, 15k+ DOP?

Other thing is, that I think there is no guarantee that any fee of the lawyer is actually written into that contract. If you paid for 3 months depost, of which one month is supposedly the lawyer?s fee, the contract might well say that the rental deposit is 2 months. If you question them, why did you pay 3 months, the answer is something trivial, or they assumed you knew it.

I hope I?m wrong with the fee thing, but this is what I have seen a couple of times...

Hope that the problem is solved quickly...