Getting Your Condo Deposit Back in Bangkok
Short answer
A condo deposit (usually two months’ rent) is returned on the schedule in the lease after you move out and hand back the unit. The owner may deduct only unpaid rent or utilities and damage beyond normal wear. To get it all back, photograph and film everything on move-in day, attach an inventory to the lease, give notice as the lease requires (often about 30 days), and inspect the unit together with the owner on hand-back day.
Summary of this article by the DooAsset team · Updated
What the deposit is, and what may be deducted
The deposit is money the landlord holds as security for the whole lease. Most condo leases in Bangkok ask for two months' rent.
Deductions are fair for
- Rent, electricity, water or service charges the tenant has not paid.
- Damage beyond normal use, such as holes in the wall, a broken table or torn curtains.
- Leaving before the end of the lease, where the lease says the deposit is forfeited.
Deductions are not fair for
- Normal wear over time, such as faded paint or ageing carpet.
- Appliances that fail with age, not through misuse.
- General cleaning, unless the lease says so.
Collect evidence from move-in day
- Photograph and film every room, including existing marks, stains and every piece of furniture. Send them to the owner by chat so they are dated.
- Attach an inventory to the lease listing the items in the unit and their condition, signed by both sides.
- Record the electricity and water meter readings on move-in day and photograph them.
- Keep a receipt for every payment.
During the lease
- Tell the owner at once, in a dated message, when something breaks or leaks.
- Clean the air conditioners as the lease requires and keep the receipts.
- Get written permission before drilling walls or changing anything.
Before you move out
- Give notice as the lease requires. Many leases ask for about 30 days. Send it as a dated message or letter.
- Clean, and fix small marks you caused.
- Inspect the unit with the owner, compare with the move-in photos, and record the final meter readings.
- Return every key and key card and get a written confirmation.
- Agree the deductions: ask for a list with receipts or repair quotes, and the date the money will be transferred back.
Some owners hold back part of the deposit for the last utility bills until they arrive. That is normal, but agree the amount and the return date.
If you don't get it back
- Send a written demand stating the amount, the reasons and the date it is due.
- If the landlord runs a rental business, complain to the Office of the Consumer Protection Board on its 1166 hotline.
- If that fails, ask a lawyer about a claim, using your photos, lease and receipts as evidence.
Read next: Condo Lease Agreement in Thailand: What to Check · Move-In Day Checklist for a Rented Condo
This article is general information, not legal advice.
Last updated · written by the DooAsset team · figures may change as listings open and close each day
