Tenants move out without paying owed rent, agent forfeits deposit
The lease signed was for a two-bedder flat with a monthly rent of $4,300 over two years.
Sixty-year-old Li told Shin Min Daily News that he received prompt payment in full from the tenant for three months before problems arose.
"Some months I was paid hundreds or more than a thousand dollars. The agent told me that the tenant paid less rent for various reasons," he claimed.
By Oct 19, the tenant owed Mr Li a total of $6,800.
So the landlord gave an ultimatum to the local family that they had to settle the outstanding amount by Oct 21 if they wanted to continue staying at the flat.
Oct Oct 21, not only did the family apparently fail to pay off the $6,800, but they also moved out.
"We moved out because we couldn't afford to rent it anymore. The deposit is with the other party, so he didn't lose anything," Mr Wu told the Chinese daily.
He had paid a deposit of $8,600 to Mr Li when he signed the lease.
However, according to Mr Hong, the 41-year-old property agent who brokered the deal, forcing the tenant to move out earlier than the lease period was a breach of the contract, so he would be forfeiting the deposit and Mr Wu would still have to pay Mr Li the owed amount.
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