Whats with the 1 year in Advance for Rent??

nadt
By nadt

Whats with people asking potential renters for 1 year in advance. Is this legal? Is this safe..Whats to stop the agents/landlords from taking the money and evicting you or is this normal practice. Can someone please help with this question>..Greatly aprreciated

By MattyHardingLower• 9 Jun 2007 08:50
MattyHardingLower

By nadt• 5 Jun 2007 15:51
nadt

Thanx for the info King Edshel....

I agree with u matty..this is friggin criminal..No where else in the world behaves like this...I dont know how the locals live like this.At least we have the option to eventually leave Q .....We are a family of four as well and i think australia would be a better option for us to live..at least there is laws to protect people from greedy landlords/agents...

By King Edshel• 4 Jun 2007 17:41
Rating: 2/5
King Edshel

happened in our case was. We give him 12 cheques at the beginning of signing the contract. Every cheque got the date as the beginning of each month so he can't withdraw them all at one. We make a photo copy of all the cheques and let him sign on that paper that he got already the original ones and that it. So at the beginning of the month he was cashing the money and sometimes he was cashing the money every 2 or 3 months. Now a days I have no idea, but what I've understood is that they want is whole amount [all the cheques at once]. So when you pay him , he will go and cash all the amount.

Best Regards

By nadt• 4 Jun 2007 17:13
nadt

So who are the right people?? CAn u name any legitimate ones? And what does 12 cheques mean...Does it mean u hand over 12 cheques and sign and date them monthly? This is all to confusing? What ever happened to paying the start of the month and so forth?

By King Edshel• 4 Jun 2007 16:59
Rating: 5/5
King Edshel

people want to get the money in advanced so they can buy more properties to rent for other people. They are trying to build as much as they can to get the benefit of that as much as they can too. One year in advanced seems ridiculous and that is why they reduce the price from 7000 you paid every month to 5000 if you are willing to pay in advanced. While everything is written in the contract, then there should be no problems. Just make sure that you got the contract with the right person or you would be in trouble.

The Countries are in a military racing with each other. People in the same country are fighting each other to live. Those Landlords here are racing with each other to get the benefit of what they are building in 1 or 2 years. Who is the victim here? It is the poor people who are getting paid less than half of what these guys are asking for rent ... It is more like you get the salary by your right hand and hand it over again by the left hand. What is about the savings? Planning? Living? It is gone with the wind ...

Let god be with us all

By nadt• 4 Jun 2007 16:30
nadt

Thanx for the replies everybody...I havent even moved yet and i already feel like we have made a bad descision that we cant get out of for at least a year. The rental situation in Q is a nightmare, man i have never come across a place where there is so much confusion and rip off agents like here..Phewww..We are defintely not planning to pay any idiot 1 year in advance espcially since the rent is astronomical here anyway...We have a morgage in australia and its no where near the rental in this place..What has this world come to....

The responses has been varied but the gist of it is that its ok to pay two months in advance?

For the record..QL is such a great website with so many great and helpful people who go out of their way to repond and help others in their free time. I havent yet relocated and I feel like i know a lot about Q already..Thanx everyone who replied...Nice to know you can count on people to help...

By pearl of qatar• 4 Jun 2007 12:41
Rating: 2/5
pearl of qatar

I know sowmonw who took a bank loan and paid TWO years upfront.

Risky business. What if you get deported for showing a rude hand sign... Ask yourself why they are doing this: landlords need the cash now to finance new building operations or becase of unexpected high costs of building or they are afraid rents are going to drop.Makes you think doesn't it....

By lamea• 4 Jun 2007 12:06
lamea

we paid upfront for a whole year for our villa but have everything in writing. it was a difficult decision but there was no other option. a number of our friends have made similar deals and so far we havent had any problem.

By KellysHeroes• 4 Jun 2007 12:04
Rating: 3/5
KellysHeroes

Some guys would take one year or six months in advance. After few months you would be surprised that the landlord is asking for the rent. Then you will discover that you have paid to the wrong person.

This thing happened to a guy I know.

By MattyHardingLower• 4 Jun 2007 11:05
Rating: 4/5
MattyHardingLower

The last 2 villas i looked at were good, but the landlord wanted 1 yr advanced CASH deposit. As you can imagine we left. I might be new to the country but im not a f@@~ing idiot

The Milky Bars are on me!!!

By Lesley• 4 Jun 2007 10:44
Rating: 5/5
Lesley

If such cases should arise, you have to make sure that you have some kind of clause in your rent contract. If the guy gives you an rabic contract, make sure to get it translated before you sign and ask him to add such details in the main contract. Plus it is normal practice to in some places to take a maximum of 3 months advance but this is for settling the last months rent and other liabilities.

Do not take places where you are forced or asked to pay such advances if not the direct owner. Middle men are thieves and there is plenty of them around.

By WILLYX• 4 Jun 2007 10:25
Rating: 4/5
WILLYX

MY FRIEND PAID 1 YEARS RENT IN ADVANCE CASH 42,000/- TO THE LANDLORD, NOW THE LAND LORD DON'T PAY THE UTILITY BILLS ON TIME TO THE E/W DEPT. THEY HAVE DISCONNECTED MY FRIENDS E/W CONNECTIONS AND HE'S SUFFERING, WE TOLD THE LANDLORD WE WANT TO LEAVE THE FLAT PLS. REFUND US CASH, HE SAYS NO CASH HE SPEND IT, NOW WE HAVE REGISTERED A COURT CASE AGAINST HIM. SO MY FRIEND IS ROBBED, YOU BEWARE- THATS MY ONLY ADVISE !!!!

By Tigasin321• 4 Jun 2007 10:14
Rating: 5/5
Tigasin321

Giving post dated checks for a year in advance is fine. Don't be an idiot like me though and pay 6 months cah upfront. I know, I am a moron for doing it. Post dated checks are normal. Six month or 12 months in advance is only for morons like me.

Patriotism cannot be our final spiritual shelter; my refuge is humanity. Tagore, Bengali Poet

By e46M3• 4 Jun 2007 10:05
Rating: 5/5
e46M3

When I first came to Doha 11 years ago there were landlords who'd ask for a check covering the first year's rent. They don't cash it, they just keep it and have you pay on a month by month basis.

It's still done.

By Cnidaria• 4 Jun 2007 10:02
Cnidaria

This is only normal practice in an unfair society.......

This started in Dubai, first 6 months and now 1 year in advance but this is the first i heard of it here in Doha, somebody show me the exit please, this place is crumbling........

By e46M3• 4 Jun 2007 09:56
Rating: 5/5
e46M3

This is normal practice.

By anonymous• 4 Jun 2007 09:55
Rating: 4/5
anonymous

1 year advance ...Phew...thats a huge rip-off..

I ve heard of 1-3 mths advance but not a whole year.

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