Question regarding house contract.

jeanchris

Bronze
Feb 27, 2012
627
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My contract for the house i am renting finished begining of this month, so its been 1 year.

I just want to know do we need to sign a new contract every year to be valid or if i didnt sign any new contract/paper but payed my rent at the begining of the month its like im accepting to follow with the first contract?

Arguing about a few points with the owner (my fault tho!) and want to know if im responsible for the next year or not yet.

Also, is it standard that theres an augmentation every year when renting houses in DR year after year? Most of you pay the augmentation or just dont sign the contract is theres anything that mention those augmentation?

I love the place i currently am renting, wouldnt care paying the 5% one time, but my plan is to live here a few year and not interested paying 5% more every year.





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Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
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It depends on your contract. When I rented I signed once and it would renew automatically with the OPTION for the landlord to raise the rent by 10%. (Read your contract, it might say it's optional)

When he advised he would raise it, I said that's fine (I had signed for it), but then I will move. Conclusion: he didn't raise it.
 

jeanchris

Bronze
Feb 27, 2012
627
0
0
What's not an option? If the contract has expired you don't have to renew the contract. Just tell the man if you cannot keep the same rent you are outta there. But also if your income is in $$$ and the rent is in pesos that has been more than 5 % deflation over the year already.
it's saying in the contract that it will augment by 5% every year, its not an "option" that i can negociate with the landlord.

I already did that, unfortunately we are playing the game of who's gonna give up first at the moment.

the rent is in USD$. The problem is I think my house would get rent in a mather of 1-2 months if it's on the market and he really doesnt care loosing me for that reason.

I even tryed negociating that I will pay the augmentation one year, but then we set a new contract with no augmentation for the future and he didnt want to do that.
 

MpJuly

Member
Apr 30, 2009
467
1
18
5% is good normally 10%
normally a new contract is not done
when you leave be prepared to lose your deposits :eek:gre:
 

Mauricio

Gold
Nov 18, 2002
5,607
7
38
Unfortunately, its not an option.


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I formulated it wrong, it doesn't really matter if the contract says it's an option or not, I just wanted to point out that it's up to the landlord to enforce the raise, if you signed for it you can't force him to let you stay without raising the rent.

Personally I would really move out, apartments enough.

Besides that a 5% raise for a rent contract in USD is on the high side.
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
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A lot depends on what the market is in your neighborhood is. If there are a lot of places for rent in your price range, then you have an advantage, otherwise he holds the cards. Moving is a pain and costs perhaps a month's rent plus the hassles. Will the curtains fit? Will the tinaco hold water?

I signed a five year renewable lease in dollars a couple of years ago, in dollars, with a 5% bump every year. In five years, the rent will still be under the prices for other units that I could find in the neighborhood. So it really depends on the apartment and the neighborhood.

Since you think that the apartment will rent a couple of months, the price is not too high.

But with the inflation, since you pay in dollars, you might be able to offer a longer term contract with a smaller bump, say 2 or 3% and see if he goes for that. That is if you are planning to stay.

My place is now unfurnished so that is a lot more work to move. But there are probably a lot fewer folks paying in dollars in unfurnished places.

Also, be warned that if you do not sign a contract with a set raise , the owner can come back the NEXT year and just put it up to whatever he thinks the market will bear. Or evict you whenever by saying that he wants to put it on the market or wants to move in.

Other posters say that the law favors the tenants here but my experience is that it is simply better not to get entangled with the landlord and the law. If you have a decent landlord.. not that he DOES any repairs since I have long ago given up on that .. but that at least is courteous and does not hassle you too much, and you like the neighborhood, and are comfortable, I would just stay another year, and sign a one year lease.

My goal here is to get the next lease with the increases that are in place for NYC stabilized apartments which are closer to 1% per year. NYC Rent Guidelines Board But, of course, the landlard's goal is to get what the market will bear. The issue is whether she will ever be able to find another tenant who is as good as I am, always paying on time, in cash, never making any complaints, and wanting to stay long term.
 

jeanchris

Bronze
Feb 27, 2012
627
0
0
I do have to say i have an amazing landlord, never had any problem and he did invest a few $ in the house and repair some important stuff. Now we are talking about 5% increase every 2 years so its getting somewhere at least.

I have an house tho not apartment and unfurnished also. The cost of moving out would be kinda high for me so i guess i have to suck it up and take the 5% hit each 2 years.

Thanks all!







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mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
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Is it 5% every year or every two years? Makes a big difference.

You are in a completely different market from me, competing with all the folks from the NGOs and Embassys and such who DO pay in dollars and have their moves paid for by the companies.

I am in the "Americans, can you afford to retire overseas? Do you dare?" which puts me in competition with snowbirds and the Shall we call them "older men looking for adventure" and middle and working class Dominicans.

So if you love the place and can afford it, then sign a year or two lease with no mention of future leases or increases.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
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Take It, and be a happy man!
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
A "Great Landlord" here in the DR IS WELL worth the 5%!!!!
I only rented a house for one year, and mine was a "Typical Dominican"!!!!!!!
Need I Say MORE??????
 

tink23

Member
Jul 15, 2008
292
12
18
I had a couple of TERRIBLE landlords! They were awful and I got the heck out of there. This guy sounds good and reasonable. You should take it and then see what the next year has in store.