20190503 (Fri)
A lopsided tenancy agreement. What can you do? Part 2.
Now, most people make payment before they read the contract. This is a common reason why a lopsided tenancy agreement became a dispute. Although there is no law or practice that says you must follow a sequence of event to arrive at a contract, generally the events are:
1. Owner or agent advertised “fully furnished” or “partly furnished” or “empty unit”
2. Prospect tenant making inquiries and viewings
3. Negotiation and offer terms
4. Making booking payment with terms
5. Owner accepts payment with terms
6. Taking final inspection with terms fulfilled
7. Full payment and signing of tenancy agreement
8. Taking vacant possession (keys)
Ask to have a look at the tenancy agreement is a step necessary in the earlier stage before making your booking. Then, you should have all the terms you disagree to be taken out or at least negotiated before you make the booking payment. However, if you cannot get the draft, you give your version of tenancy terms and only if it is acceptable to the landlord, pay the booking fee.
However, in practice, this is not the case most negotiator would do. Their terms are:
1. Only when you make booking payment there will be serious negotiation about your request.
2. Only when you have fully paid that you will see the contract agreement (which is lopsided).
3. At handing over vacant possession only you will read the tenancy agreement.
Tomorrow, we continue this discussion.