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Witholding rent

1806 Views 13 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  IQ2012, 
IQ2012
Hi all

Have an issue which I thought I'd like some advice on.

I moved into my appartment in Feb 2012 but being a newbie I didn't have the 2 rent cheques. I paid 2 months rent in advance with the understanding that I would have the 2 cheques ready for March.

When I moved in there were numerous issues with the place which have now been fixed. The outstanding items are mainly that the curtains need to be fixed in living room, master and guest bedrooms.

The handyman has come over and provided an estimate to the agent who presumably has passed it on to the landlord (who is overseas).

Anyway have asked the agent when it is likely that the curtains are going to be repaired but no surprise she isn't returning my calls or answering my emails.

My question is: would it be a good idea not to provide the 2 cheques until the curtains are repaired? Or would that be a very bad move?

I know things are different to UK and rights tenants have there. But I feel once I give the cheques then that is it. No way are those curtains going to be repaired.

Thanks in advance

:)
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indoMLA
Same thing happened to me... but I kept hounding the agent... I mean hounding.... calling, texting, emailing everyday... when I got the landlord's information, I did the same to him as well... I finally got some stuff fixed, but not everything...

I don't know if you are within your rights to withhold the checks, but something you need to ask the agent about. Maybe get the items repaired and reduce the rent check by that amount? Again, I don't know much about the laws here, so better to ask someone that is better informed.

Good Luck.
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indoMLA
Gavtek said:
I'm in my 3rd home in Dubai, every time I've needed to buy and put up my own curtain rails.
Click to expand...
Mr Rossi said:
If you're new to Dubai and curtain rails are your biggest problems - you've had a touch.

Seriously, get up to Ikea, conserve your energy for something more serious that will inevitably come along.
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Yeah, normally I would agree with you and not hassle with the landlord and just get my own rails, but my landlord had installed mechanical curtain rails with remotes in the unit and they did not work.... (they were stuck in the open position). He told me they would be fixed prior to my move-in, but as soon as he got the check, never heard from him. I offered to install my own, but he refused saying that I would be in violation of the contract (something about removing fixed items on the walls)...

So I found out his cell numbers (both of them) and also his company email and number. Called, emailed, texted, and finally had him bring in a team of people to fix most of the issues in one go. They fixed the major stuff, but the small things they never did (still have panel missing on one of the balconies). I cut my losses...
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