16/07/2018
This is the new rent a house / condo law
1. Lessors can only request 1 Month Advance Rent and 1 Month Security Deposit
It is usually standard practice in Bangkok, for landlords to request 1 month advance rent and a customary 2 months security deposit.
This refundable security deposit, is held by the lessor during the rental term; it is taken as security in case of liabilities caused by the tenant. This usually includes property damage (Beyond ordinary wear and tear), default of monthly rent or early termination of the lease.
The new law will mean that Landlords will only be able to request 1 Month Security Deposit, thus potentially leaving them exposed to extra irrecoverable liabilities in the case of a bad tenancy.
2. Lessees can terminate their Lease by simply providing a 30 Day Notice
Prior to this new law, a Lessee unable to complete their rental term (I.e. 12 Months) would automatically need to find a replacement tenant (Acceptance of replacement Lessee is at the discretion of the Landlord) or forfeit their security deposit.
However the new regulations stipulate that Lessees have the right to provide 30 days’ notice, without risking their security deposit.
3. Lessors are prohibited from charging Premiums on Utility Rates
This is particularly relevant to apartments, that often set arbitrarily high utility fees (I.e. Water, Electricity, Wifi) that can vary considerably from the rates set by the main utility providers.
These 3 changes, are some of the many requirements and regulations now imposed on landlords.
