Rent apartment deposit

jazz21

New member
Jul 11, 2011
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Hi,

I looked for this by search function but I didn't find so I ask:

I'm going to rent a small studio apartment in Santiago for 2 month and I was asked 2 month deposit: I was told that is very difficoult to get the deposit back at the end of the renting period: do any of you have experience on this matter?

Thank you,

Alberto.
 

Gregory Wales

Member
Mar 7, 2002
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www.mhhp.org
Hi Jazz!

This may not be what you want to hear, but I do have experience in this matter. I am an owner of an apartment which I offer for rent to anyone who agrees to the condo rules. I am thousands of miles away and now have an agent who manages my apartment for me. My wife and I have owned this unit for over twelve years. During this time we tried to rent it by long distance. The last renter we trusted threw away some of our possessions and turned the apartment over to some youths for the balance of his term of rent.
Now we let an agent administer the rentals for us.
You said you were renting an apartment for two months and were asked for a two month deposit. Does that mean you were asked to pay for your two month rent in advance? That sounds very fair to me.
(You mention it's very hard to get a deposit returned. It's also very difficult to chase renters back to their country of origin and get them to make good on their obligations should they disappear without fulfilling them.)
There's an element of trust involved in these arrangements.
If you are being asked to pay your rent in advance, even if it's only one month, AND pay two month's rent, that may be borderline unreasonable. Some of that depends on how "reasonable" the monthly rent is and what the value is of the property you are being trusted with is.
If you are still skeptical of what you are required to do for this owner's satisfaction, ask for a name and contact information of a previous satisfied renter. If he can't give you one, check for a different place. There are many.
I hope this helps.
 

Givadogahome

Silver
Sep 27, 2011
4,397
2
0
I've rented from both Doms and Amerians and they have made it hard work to get the deposit back, even one time deducted $150 for wear and tear on pots n pans which I found bad policy. We have never recovered the deposit in full, and usually ended up living out the deposit purely down to bad feelings.
As well as landlords checking out a bit of background on tenants, it often pays the tenant to do the same on the landlord.
 
May 29, 2006
10,265
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Bad news, you won't get any deposit back. Good news, you get to trash the place like a rock star right before you go.

Find a landlord with (non-relative) references.
 

HumbleHindu

New member
Jan 14, 2010
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Since you want to rent for only two months, just pay the rent for the two months in advance, even if it is little bit higher. When i first came to the country, i paid six months rent in advance and vacated at the end of six months.
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
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South Coast
It depends. We rented an apartment in Santo Domingo [through an ad here on DR1, as a matter of fact] while our house was being worked on, and got back every penny of our deposit when we left. Of course, we left it in the same condition as when we got there.
 

VJS

Bronze
Sep 19, 2010
846
0
36
I always had my deposit back. One time a Dominican owner in Santiago tried to make it difficult when she said the money was "locked up" somewhere until 2 days later and I couldn't get it on the day of the checkout (it was Saturday). When she realized I didn't actually have a flight to catch and was in no hurry to leave without my deposit ($1,000), she somehow found the money :)

Then many other times I am not even asked to leave a deposit, which is obviously the best.
 

Givadogahome

Silver
Sep 27, 2011
4,397
2
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It depends. We rented an apartment in Santo Domingo [through an ad here on DR1, as a matter of fact]

I think renting through something like DR1, the landlords are much less likely to rip you off as it could be made difficult for them to rent out again. Saying that, we also rented from an AD on DR1 and they did turn out to be a bit mental when it came to getting the deposit back, but they were a bit mental in general so what can you expect.
 

jazz21

New member
Jul 11, 2011
54
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Thanks you all for your reply and your experience,

my normal policy is to pay in advance every month the first day of staying.
I proposed to pay the complete two month in advance. I never damage the apartment I rent, I live alone, I'm quiet.

In a previous apartment in Sosua (ok it was an apart-hotel, so no deposit...) I accidentally broke a coffee cup, I bought another one to replace the broken one. I also bought some other kitchen staff I left in the apartment.

I understand owners can not be confident with gringos...

Thank you, I will probably try again to find an owner happy with the two month in advance without any other deposit.
In the case I want to stay more, I will pay other two month in advance...
Let's see if I found one..

Thank you guys,

jazz.
 

jackichan

Bronze
Jun 23, 2011
540
0
0
Most landlords prefer renting out the unit at zero fee for the next one month than give back the deposit.