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Can I break my lease or get compensation if the elevators are frequently out of service in my condo?

lease terminationcompensationelevator issuescondo livingThai lawtenant rightsOCPB supportdefamation laws
May 4, 2023
2 years ago
Christina ****
ORIGINAL POSTER
I have a 1 year lease in Ladprao. It’s 15k/month, not cheap. We have 3 elevators and 1 freight. 2 elevators have been broken for 1.5 months and occasionally the 3rd breaks for a few days while they panic fix it. I’m on the 28th floor so no elevator is no good.

I’m curious if I can use this to break the lease or make the condo management compensate for the inconvenience. I’m pretty sure the answer is “no you’re sol” but just checking.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user has a one-year lease in a high-rise condo in Ladprao, experiencing consistent issues with dysfunctional elevators, particularly challenging given their 28th-floor apartment. They seek advice on whether these problems can justify breaking their lease or receiving compensation from the management. Responses from the community suggest that it may be possible to terminate the lease if the living conditions are significantly impacted. Several recommend negotiating with the landlord and contacting the Office of Consumers Protection Board (OCPB) for support if disputes arise. The conversation also touches on the dangers of living in such a high-rise without reliable elevator access and the implications of Thai defamation laws regarding publicly naming the property.
Søren ******
In case of fire i have my harness and my climbing rope. Then you can take you balcony and just jump.
2 years ago
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Frank *********
What is building name?
2 years ago
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Jordi ********
@Christina ***
 I would remove your comment. Thailand has very strict defamation laws. Dont name and shame in Thailand.
2 years ago
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Alistair **********
@Jordi *******
 were the 2 elevators not broken for 1.5months? If they were, she has no issues.
2 years ago
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Jordi ********
doesn't matter if its true.
2 years ago
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Alistair **********
@Jordi *******
 it's literally is the entire point of defamation.

Civil - "as a statement made contrary to the truth which is asserted or circulated as a fact which is injurious to the reputation or credit of another or his earnings or prosperity in any other manner."

Criminal code has a different threshold, but you have to show that the comments were willfully or negligently made with intent to cause injury. That's not the case here.
2 years ago
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Jordi ********
@Alistair *********
 Yeah I get the point. Let me rephrase that. It doesn't matter if its true or false in Thailand. I know plenty of stories, some first hand. I was just letting the lady know that you have to be careful dropping names online if you don't want to find yourself in a lawsuit or on the street. I'm sure her landlord is not snooping around on this platform, it was just a little heads up.
2 years ago
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Jordi ********
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Wilhelmina ********
You named the place? Tough.
2 years ago
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Wilhelmina ********
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VaiAna **********
That sucks and plus you're on the 28th floor . At least you'll be in greater physical shape
2 years ago
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Craig ********
In the western world, 100% but here not a chance, this is why in my 11 years here , I have never paid more than month to month rent, when the going gets tough the tough get going , lol
2 years ago
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Linz ************
@Craig *******
 good advice 👍🏼
2 years ago
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Christina ****
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Craig *******
 I hear ya but the month to month is like 25-30% more expensive then a one year lease. Always gotta lose out somehow when renting ufff
2 years ago
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Craig ********
@Christina ***
 Sorry but that’s never been the case for me, you roll up to a place they are looking to rent and you can talk about that, never airb&b or anything like that
2 years ago
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Arnold *****
@Craig *******
 what do you usually offer to have them agree? I have found most want 3+ months
2 years ago
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Craig ********
@Arnold ****
 I tell them I can’t afford to pay that much deposit, but I get the pension and that covers the rent and utilities,

I tell them I just want to pay month to month , I have never found it to be a problem, if you deal with the owner or manager, real estates and brokers won’t do it, they say the usual thing , it’s our policy sir, I hate that, I guess they take you on

face value
2 years ago
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Arnold *****
@Craig *******
 thanks that's really helpful.
2 years ago
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Arnold *****
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John ***********
I am in a 26 level building in Melbourne with 3 lifts, one of which has been broken for 5 months, while the other two have been reasonably stoic in that they have not had minor break downs at same time. One lift servicing a 28 storey building would be hell. My sympathies. I would certainly be investigating ways to break a lease.
2 years ago
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Miki *******
100% you break the lease! Damn what a joke
2 years ago
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Jeff *********
Can’t imagine carrying my groceries up 28 floors! 😂😂
2 years ago
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Christina ****
ORIGINAL POSTER
Forget the groceries. Just get yourself up 28 floors. I hope you didn’t forget anything on ground floor…
2 years ago
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Christina ****
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Andy *********
***************************************************************************************************************
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/16/thai-law-landlord-not-playing-by-new-rules-heres-what-to-do/
2 years ago
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David **********
Sounds dangerous and a major fire hazard. That in itself is reason to get out, disaster waiting to happen.
2 years ago
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Christina ****
ORIGINAL POSTER
Probably not in a fire but I’m sure there’s some smaller annoyances where I might want to leave quickly
2 years ago
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David **********
@Christina ***
 yes for me I cannot live where my life is at risk of every other resident starting a fire. Fire escapes are often blocked. To me it is like being a rat in a cage in these condos and without electricity for air con they are completely unliveable, constant air con is unsustainable, expensive and extremely unhealthy.
2 years ago
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David **********
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Martin *********
@David *********
 major fire hazard 🔥 would you use a lift in a fire
2 years ago
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David **********
@Martin ********
 good point all these condos are death traps and inhuman to live in in my opinion anyway. I just always want to know how I can get out of somewhere in an emergency, its automatic thinking.
2 years ago
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Christina ****
ORIGINAL POSTER
@David *********
 what makes them inhumane? I get the death trap part but they just seem like poor attempts to mimic lux living priced too high without actual quality
2 years ago
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David **********
@Christina ***
 for me I cannot live in a box up in the sky. I waa born to walk on the ground and live in the real world with plants and animals.
2 years ago
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David **********
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Andy *********
OCPB Phone #

02-141-3437
2 years ago
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Charles ********
The best thing to do is to negotiate with your landlord. It's likely you would need to fight hard (money and time) to break the lease if they didn't agree.

Temporary elevator outage does not make the unit unlivable by all objective standards. Which would be the key to breaking the lease.

Condos are individually owned, and the common area are owned collectively by all the owners. It's different than an apartment. Not paying you landlord because of a problem no related to your actual lease and the owner has little control over.
2 years ago
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Josh **********
@Charles *******
 But walking 28 floors every day access your room is not ok.
2 years ago
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Josh **********
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Andy *********
*****************************
2 years ago
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Christiaan *******
Yes. Just contact the Office of Consumers Protection Board for support with this if the landlord/owner is not on board with it. Try with the landlord first. Tell them about the situation.

I did it last year. Tried to talk to the owner and agent. They didn't want to return deposit even though living situation got worse. So I made sure I had evidence. They returned 50% of the deposit, only because the latest laws, nobody is allowed to asked for two months deposit. I contacted the OCPB and everyone was called in to go sit infront of mediator. It took 3 months, but I received all my money from deposits. The owner had a bad track record with complaints.
2 years ago
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Carsten ************
Yes, you can terminate the contract if there are reasons like this, but you better use a lawyer, if you want your deposit back.
2 years ago
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Giorgio *********
You can always try! 😊
2 years ago
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Giorgio *********
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