During my time in Thailand I’ve had good, average and terrible landlords. It seems that more and more people are becoming a landlord in Thailand without knowing important processes and information. Perhaps it’s the idea that there’s potential to make a lot of money by renting out property here. I decided to write down my top advice for landlords in Thailand based on my experiences as an expat tenant.
Know Immigration Laws
I can’t stress how important it is that you know and understand immigration law in Thailand if you rent to foreigners. As a renter in Thailand I’ve had to explain immigration laws and requirements to pretty much all my landlords.
The TM30 form is now being used all around the country, although maybe not enforced everywhere. If you don’t know what this form is and you’re a landlord or want to be a landlord then seriously follow THIS link and see what you need to do. When you’ve read that page go to THIS link and download / print the form and discuss with your tenant how you will process it together.
Landlords, it’s your responsibility to register foreigners who are staying in your condo within 24 hours of their arrival. This must be done every time they return from staying in a hotel or leaving the country. If you’re too busy to go to immigration then either pay someone to do it for you or go another day and pay the fine for not registering your foreign tenant on time. Don’t says its for your tenant to do, that’s just not true.
If you do get fined then don’t pass the bill onto your tenant. That’s a shitty move. Take responsibility for not knowing / following immigration rules and learn for the future.
Also know that foreign tenants will need copies of your ID and the rental contract for their visa renewals. Provide these in a timely manner.
If the above sounds like a lot of work then don’t rent to foreigners. Only rent to Thai nationals. However, if you rent to a Thai national and they have a foreign partner or family member staying with them it’s still your responsibility to register that foreigner with immigration.
Negotiate
I’m sure you’ve got a price in mind that you want to rent your place out for and that’s great. The problem, especially with condos, is that there are probably multiple other units in the same building up for rent at the same price or even less.
In the end a lot of renters will try and ask for a discount or get something extra thrown in for free. Don’t reject a potential tenant just because they don’t accept your asking price.
At every place I’ve moved in I haven’t asked for a discount but requested a washing machine. At around 10,000 baht it’s a good investment for you as it’ll last a good few years and could be that something extra which makes your place stand out from the competition in the future.
Check websites like DDproperty and HipFlat to see what other landlords are charging. You could even discuss rental rates with an agent (more on them later).
Negotiation is a two-way thing. If you feel like the potential renter is asking for too much discount then feel free to say no. You could also agree to a discount provided they sign a 2 year contract.
Property Agents
There’s nothing wrong with using a property agent. They’ll take one month’s rent as a fee and you certainly shouldn’t charge your new tenant for this.
A lot of people who rent a property go via an agent as these agents will have a selection of places for customers to view and should have a good knowledge base to provide information on the area, prices and condo facilities etc. They should do a lot of the leg work which means finding a tenant should be easier.
However, a lot of agents are a bit useless in my experience, especially if your place rents for less than 15,000 baht per month. There’s a problem with some Bangkok property agents for sure from a customer’s point of view. If you don’t get a good agent then they might not really push your room as they’d rather make more from renting out a more expensive place.
Another issue when using a property agent is that they don’t cancel ads on property sites when your room is rented out. This pisses off a lot of potential tenants and they won’t use that agent who is possibly promoting your room too. There seems to be a few agents who do this a lot. Check out DDproperty to see which agents don’t take off rooms which are rented out.
If you do decide to promote your property directly then make sure you’re available to show people the room and can reply quickly to questions.
Furnishing and Decorating
As a landlord you’re probably not looking at spending a great deal on furnishing your place. As a renter that’s not really a problem as most of us are happy with something simple.
Some places are ideal in terms of location, size and facilities but are ruined by landlords who decorate it in a certain way. Perhaps you’d love a pink bedroom or a Pokemon style bathroom but they’ll be quite off-putting to a large number of potential tenants.
Whilst you’re not looking to spend too much I would argue that adding a few quality items of furniture can really help your place stand out. When it comes to condos, many have terrible sofas. The cheapest 3,000 baht sofas are terrible and the 5,000 baht ones aren’t much better. Renters will want a sofa which is comfortable and can easily fit two people on without being too snug. I’d also add that you should have a decent wardrobe and kitchen equipment that doesn’t look like it will catch on fire as soon as it’s turned on.
If the condo building your room is in doesn’t have a laundry then it goes without saying that you need to provide a washing machine. I’ve seen lots of great rooms without washing machines despite the building not having a laundry, how are people supposed to wash their clothes?
Some tenants may also have some of their own furniture and appliances they wish to bring. Try and be accommodating towards them and if possible remove items from your place that the tenant doesn’t need.
Cleaning
Whilst your condo or house might be your pride and joy, for a renter it’s probably just a place to stay for a year or two. Whilst the contract will state that the tenant has to keep the place in a reasonably clean fashion it probably won’t be their top priority.
One of my previous landlords decided to go 50/50 with me on a maid to come once a week for two hours to clean my room. I actually thought it was a great idea. We each put in 600 baht a month and the room stayed in a clean state throughout.
If you don’t want to go down this route then you could just supply a basic set of cleaning supplies for your tenant to use. I really appreciate it when I’ve got a mop, broom and dusters to use in my place, provided by the landlord. These items should cost you less than 500 baht and, by purchasing them, your tenant has no excuse not to clean the place every now and then.
I’d also recommend getting someone in every six months to clean the air conditioners. Not only will this provide a better environment for your tenant it’ll also help you to keep the machines working longer before they breakdown.
When it comes to a tenant moving out then it’s perfectly reasonable to charge a cleaning fee. Most landlords charge 500 baht and that seems fair to me.
Stay In Contact
I really appreciate when a landlord is contactable and seems approachable. If there is a problem I want to know I can get in contact by phone, Line or email and get a response pretty quickly.
If you’re renting to foreigners then it’ll be a bonus if you can speak their language to a reasonable standard. Your agent might promise the world but when they’ve got their commission they wont stick around to help translate messages.
When I send rent it’s lovely to get a message from the landlord just to confirm it’s been received, especially in the first month. If you’re going to be out of the country or uncontactable for whatever reason then provide your tenant with that information and perhaps an emergency contact they can call if there is a problem whilst your away.
I’m not saying landlords and tenants should be buddies but having a cordial relationship is beneficial for both parties. If you’re constantly in a battle with each other and ignoring messages then it’ll more than likely end in tears.
Replace Items That Need Replacing
If your tenant has been in you place for a couple of years there might be certain items that need replacing. For the sake of a few thousand baht don’t make a big deal of replacing items.
Perhaps the electric grill isn’t working or there’s a lamp which doesn’t turn on anymore. These small things are just the cost of doing business as a landlord, things break you need to fix them.
If your tenant is bringing up issues with large, expensive items then it’s your call as to whether you want to replace them or charge for them. What I would say is that if you’ve got a long term tenant then I’d try to look after them as it’s more difficult to get new renters in older rooms.
Give Plenty of Notice
If, for whatever reason, you need your tenant to move out, give them plenty of notice. Your contract may say that two months’ notice is needed but if you know beforehand that you’ll need them out of the place then pass this information on.
If you are having work done on the place then again make sure you tell the tenant well in advance. Work should be done based on the tenants availability if people need to come into the room. This is especially true if they aren’t happy for people to come into the room whilst they’re not in.
Be Timely When Returning Deposits
Standard contracts drawn up by agents state that landlords have up to 30 days to return the tenant’s security deposit (usually two months’ rent). The idea behind this deposit is that it covers damage and final bills.
In my experience a few landlords have kept this deposit until the 30th day seemingly because they can rather than for a specific reason. That’s not nice and, really, the only reason to do this is to spite your ex-tenant.
It’s fair to take a few days to check the building for any damages. It’s also fair to wait for final utility bills to arrive. However, if your tenant always paid rent on time, you should look to return the security deposit at the earliest possible time.
A few landlords even give security deposits back on the day a tenant moves out. An agreed amount is normally taken which covers final cleaning, the last months electric bill and water bills. It’s up to you if you want to do this but, as a tenant, it’s greatly appreciated.
Be Fair With Wear And Tear
When you buy a new property it’s (hopefully) perfect and shiny. After a year of someone living in it , that will change. Your pristine place won’t look the same after your tenant has been in there for a year or more and you should expect a few little defects. As tempting as it might be to deduct money from your ex-tenant’s security deposit to try and make things as good as new, make sure you are accounting for wear and tear.
If the tenant cracked a window or snapped the curtain rail then of course you keep the equivalent amount needed to repair it. If the living room rug is a little frayed at the edges or the door mat has a stain on it then seriously think if you’re being reasonable.
If you do need to keep part of the deposit to cover damage then make sure you’re replacing like for like. Don’t take more based on buying an upgraded model or different technology. Be fair.
If there are cracks in the walls or ceilings then this is perhaps something to take up with the building management rather than your tenant.
If you’re in a situation when you will take part of a security deposit to cover repairs either invite the tenant round to explain why or send pictures and show them.
Solve Problems
For a tenant it can be really frustrating if their landlord doesn’t help them to fix a problem. Being a landlord comes with responsibility. You can’t just abandon your tenant. Perhaps you need to provide documentation for your tenant or maybe they’re having a problem wit a neighbor, either way try your best to support your tenant if their problem is reasonable.
If your tenant has a problem with your property then listen to them. It’s not a battle to see who is right and wrong, you need to work together to fix the problem. If you do find yourself at an impasse then act like adults and either agree to part ways or come up with a solution.
Advice For Landlords in Thailand
In the end the property should be beneficial for both the tenant and landlord.
The tenant should feel comfortable in a place which is safe. They should also feel confident in their landlord and feel they can contact them.
For landlords you should expect a tenant who respects your room and is also approachable and pays rent on time.
As an expat in Thailand, choosing somewhere to live is always a big decision and I really appreciate a landlord who helps make this process easier.
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