Dear Hillary,
I have been looking to rent long-term a condo or house and I was quite surprised to find that you have to give two months security deposit and a month in advance. Now I am a little worried about getting my 2 months security deposit back as I do not speak a word of Thai and my girl who works at Big C, not a bar is as timid as a mouse when it comes to asking questions with the local business people. She has since said that her cousin has a house and we would be safe renting through him. Upon meeting the cousin at a bar he produced a contract in Thai that my girl read through and was quite happy with and relayed most of it back to me, and better still the cousin would only want 1 month’s security deposit but for me this is all going too fast. It seems like a bargain but I would like some independent advice. Should I go with the cousin or am I risking too much? What would you suggest Hillary?
Patrick
Dear Patrick,
What you need is a minder! Answer me this – would you blindly sign a contract for a studio in Spain if you couldn’t read the language? Or for a pension in Portugal? Or a condo in Kosovo? Come on Petal, what are you doing? Are you a man or a mouse? (Along with your girlfriend.) Go to a reputable real estate agency that speaks your language and employs reputable English speaking lawyers to advise you. You are right when you say it is all going a little too fast. You’ve gone from the checkout at Big C to checking in to Heartbreak House in no time flat. You are setting yourself up for a fall, Petal. Do not do it. Get the correct advice before going another step. By the way, the two months deposit and one month in advance is standard real estate practice in Pattaya.
