It is best to be well-informed about your privileges and responsibilities before finalizing a rental contract to avoid future issues due to lack of foresight. It is adequate to check and pay attention to even the most minute details since this approach may one day save you from disputes that will consume your time, money, and effort.
Useful Tips Before Renting a Condo in Bangkok
Tenants should conduct their due diligence when looking for a suitable unit by sorting the essential things and aligning them with the budget, purpose, and quality of the building. Every tenant aims to secure an affordable condo that provides many services and meets their needs.
There are five main useful tips that you should ponder upon before renting a condo in BKK. First, a well-maintained condo building. As a prospective tenant, you can ask for the agent’s assistance to accompany you to inspect the property and assess whether the unit and the building aligns with your needs and expectations.
Second, building safety and security in the area. When looking for a unit, it is important to observe the integrity of the building’s structure, as well as assess the on-site security personnel and the security features of the building, such as well-trained guards and operational CCTV cameras.
Third, the variety of facilities that the condominium building may offer. You may want to consider the different facilities, such as pet-friendliness, pools, gyms, functions rooms, playgrounds, and gardens. Different people may want or need different amenities, and different buildings will provide differing amenities. Make sure that the condominium you choose has your preferred facilities.
Fourth, know your purpose. You should survey and check the building’s vicinity and the nearby establishments to confirm whether or not it would be practical to reside thereat. The most common considerations of tenants are nearby schools, ease of public transport, closeness to their work or office, nearby shopping malls and other leisure establishments.
Last but not the least, affordable monthly rental. Assess whether the monthly rental is reasonable. After verifying the above-mentioned points, the tenant should then evaluate the viability of the rental rate. In Bangkok, the average monthly rate for a condo unit is roughly 44,800 baht, while the medium is about 33,500 baht.
What Important Information Should You Pay Attention to in the Rental Agreement?
The following are the seven important details that Tenant should be attentive to:
- Identity of the Landlord – Whether you are dealing with an owner or an agent, it is of paramount importance to verify the identity of the owner, since ultimately, it is the owner who consents to the listing of the condominium unit for lease, and they will be the party who will be signing the lease agreement parallel to the tenant.
- Ensure the real property information – The tenant should immediately verify that the property details as discussed during the negotiation process are reflected according to the property rental agreement which will be provided by the owner and/or agent. The listed details should reflect the exact complete address, such as the building name, street, floor, unit numbers, and the floor size of the unit.
- Note the condo utilities – These utilities pertain to the water, electricity meters, and the telecommunications services, such as internet fiber and TV channels packages. It is common that the lessee assumes the costs of these utilities, however, important matters such as these must be indicated and included in the rental agreement. Moreover, the parties should check before finalizing the agreement whether or not said utilities are in working condition, and if not, repairs should be made accordingly.
- Lists of furniture and equipment – An inventory of the household such as furnitures, appliances, and other items that may be found inside the condominium unit should be included in the rental agreement in order to keep track of the objects existing inside said unit at the commencement of the contract, and for ease of turnover upon its termination.
- Repairs and maintenance expenses – Throughout the existence of the rental agreement, it is inevitable that several issues may arise due to the use and wear and tear of the unit, such as plumbing and electric wiring. As such, the rental agreement should specifically state the party that should shoulder the liabilities, and if needed, indicate the duties and responsibilities in the event of minor or major repairs.
- Payment – The rental agreement should specifically indicate the amount of the monthly rental, security deposits, mode of payment, frequency of payment, specific due dates, and penalties, if any, to avoid any future confusion and conflict.
- Signatures of the parties involved – Lastly and most importantly, all parties to the agreement should subscribe and sign the rental agreement to reflect that they have fully understood the rental agreement and that they thereby express their consent to be bound thereto. These parties include the landlord, the tenant, any necessary witnesses, and the agent, if needed.
What are my Rights as a Tenant?
Tenants are legally protected by law as there are relevant provisions in the Civil and Commercial Code of Thailand, such as Sections 537 and 538, which is the general provision about leasing a property. The rights of the tenant as embodied under the duties and liabilities of the lessor under Section 546 to 551. As well as consumer rights under Thailand’s Consumer Protection Act. These are the following five main right of a tenant:
Receive the Landlord Support with Condo Damages
It is the Landlord’s responsibility to carry out all the necessary condominium damages. The owner must sustain the structure and exterior of the real property, such as damaged ceiling, water leaks, worn-out paint, malfunction AC, and termites, and all imperative matters that the owner must handle.
These condo damages are not attributable to the tenant, except if it was purposely damaged by the tenant. The landlord cannot decline to make repairs or let the tenant shoulder it, except for minor maintenance up to 2,000 baht in cost value, such as showerhead, bulbs, facet filter, etc.
General Support from the Juristic Office
It is implied that the Juristic Office has a team in the building that can keep up with the residents’ concerns 24/7. The building management plays a vital part in maintaining the upkeep and improvement of the building because the owner has to pay an annual maintenance fee, or some call it association dues, to the Juristic Office.
As embodied under Section 48 (3) of the Land Development Act, B.E. 2543 it states that, levy from members fees for the maintenance and management of public facilities are within the developed-estate juristic entity’s duty to maintain.
Additionally, tenants can check with the juristic office for any additional facility they are offering, such as shuttle service that they can provide to close by BTS or MRT Station, and be informed by the office for any upcoming upgrade or maintenance works in the condo building such as elevators, swimming pools, lobby, garden, and the like.
Ensure the Availability of Your Car Parking Space
Parking spaces must be confirmed by the landlord, as they are the owner of this area, which must be clearly communicated to the lessee upon signing the lease agreement. This matter should be facilitated further before the juristic office as there may be rules with regard to new residents parking, such as uniform stickers or noting the vehicle registration number. Parking is challenging because some buildings have a shortage, and some other residents abuse parking spaces.
In 1974, Ministerial Regulation Number 7 was issued, which identified two different parking standard rates for areas inside and outside Bangkok wherein a ratio of the required parking space per total area or unit can be calculated by multiplying the parking rate by either total floor area or a number of residential units on the development. It added that condominium developers should provide parking for every 120 square meters of the liveable area.
Some condo units have designated parking slots, which can be verified in the condominium title of the owner, and other buildings operate on a first-come, first-serve basis where tenants can confirm with the juristic office to check the parking arrangements.
Nowadays, as technology continues to innovate and advance forward, luxurious condominium buildings are adopting an automated parking system. This new trend in condo parking saves a lot of time for residents and is a convenient and hassle-free solution to maximizing building parking areas. This modern innovation is not only an efficient and convenient solution, but it showcases the luxurious feel of the property.
Report Unpleasant Odors and Noises
Tenants should maintain a pleasing living atmosphere by promptly reporting any floor odors and unnecessary noises. This is a bigger problem with older projects like poor ventilation systems from odors like smelly food, tobacco, rubbish disposals, and pets.
Under Section 25 of the Public Health Act of 1992, tenants have legal rights regarding nuisances that annoy residents in the vicinity. These include drainage, toilet, kitchen sink, water source or any other place situated in an unsuitable locality that is dirty, noisy, causing foul odor and would likely to carry disease and hazardous to health. Its purpose is to safeguard public health within the country. Therefore, this issue must be attended to immediately.
Enforcement of the Security Team in the Condo
Condominiums are well-manned with trained security personnels to ensure residents can feel safe and secure living in the building and protecting their privacy. On top of that, most of the buildings are well equipped with CCTV cameras, and if residents have any concerns and want to check the videos, buildings retain videos mostly up to 30 days for security matters, which can be enforced by the residents and verify the things that residents need. But still, it must be per the rules and regulations set by the juristic office.
In addition to physical security, the condominium building must also be well-equipped with safety features to combat several natural and manmade hazards, such as fires, earthquakes, severe storms, etc. These buildings are required to have at the minimum a fire exit which tenants can utilize in case a fire breaks out in the building, earthquakes, and sudden loss of electricity.
What are my Duties as a Lessee?
The five main duties of a lessee are the following:
Take a Good Care of the Property
Tenant’s obligation is to look after the property they are living in and be mindful of the surroundings. That is why recording and familiarizing with the furniture, appliances, and the entire unit structure are necessary, as owners set a security deposit amount to protect themselves against careless tenants who will cause damages to the condo unit and household equipment..
If the tenant’s negligence results in harm to the interior or exterior of the property, a penalty fee should be paid by the tenant as this is commensurate with the damage done. Remember to avoid keeping explosive and harmful items inside the room, as this damages the property and jeopardizes the tenant’s safety and well-being, as well as to the neighbors.
Maintain Frequent Cleanings of the Condo
Generally, maintaining the condo unit by frequent cleaning is the tenant’s responsibility as the condo unit will be their new home. In order for the unit to be in a livable condition, this duty is essential to avoid mold, dirt, foul odor, stains, and insects inside the unit. It is not mandatory to have thorough cleaning every day. But still, a basic cleaning from time to time that would give a fresh vibe inside the condo, like washing the windows, scrubbing the bathroom and floors, taking out trash regularly, cleaning the AC, and keeping the kitchen spotless, is a given act of responsibility of the tenant.
Inform the Landlord with Malfunctioning Items in the Property
It is the tenant’s responsibility to directly inform the landlord of any malfunctioning items inside the property such as faulty wiring, broken windows, doors, floor tiles, faucets, peel-off paint, and malfunctioning appliances, equipment and furniture. The tenant should notify the owner by calling or texting in order for the landlord to be informed about the deterioration inside the property and can repair it immediately before it gets worse, which can potentially damage the entirety of the real property unit.
Avoid Making Changes to the Condo without Landlord Permission
Clauses in the rental agreement always contained changes and improvements that can and cannot be made in the unit without the owner’s permission. The changes that the tenant can make without the owner’s permission are usually minor changes that would not affect the whole of the property.
Lessees rent the property for the time being and do not own it but only have the right to use the property, thus, they must look after the real estate property. Changes such as drilling holes, painting the walls, or other changes that would alter the unit’s structure should not be done without the lessor’s consent.
Be Considerate Towards the Neighbors in the Building
Being considerate in the condo building is non-negotiable, as no one wants to live in a chaotic environment. Every resident in the building is sharing walls, and doors are just beside and across from one another.
As a tenant, being heedful is compulsory such as taking out trash properly, avoiding unnecessary noise, cleaning the area within reach and responsibility, and avoiding smelly food or items that could affect the neighboring units. These things are what we call being polite to the neighborhood that would avoid annoyance and arguments in the future.
Whether you are a Thai local, expats, or long-term stay foreigner who wants to rent a condominium in Bangkok, our experts at PropertySights Real Estate can facilitate your search for a home that aligns with your needs and wants. You may contact us anytime to secure the real estate property you have been eyeing for.
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