Landlady Susana Ortebello didn't return my deposit while renting an apartment located in Camilo José Cela, Mabrella, Spain.
I have signed real estate company provided contract, followed all the rules there but all seamed to be worthless. If you are looking for an apartment to rent, make sure not to be fooled like I was. Here is my story.
I was looking for an apartment in the center of Marbella, Spain that would be close to the beach, bars and commodities. After viewing several apartments I have found one that was rented by Susana Obertello. It was a small studio and rather expensive but I needed to relocate… House was priced 550eur per month + 550eur deposit. I have paid every single month up until the last day.
Susana Obertello has also told that the same real estate company is going to assist me to get government help of 200eur since I'm working as an autonomous and rental price is high.
Susansa has told me that I will have to pay cotract fee for legal assistance that usually is paid by both interested sides. I was also told that this government help would be only 150eur every 3 month and I had to pay to real estate company 150eur to fill the papers, so at the end it was 150 euro in 6 months, ridiculous. Later I have found out that landlady who rents to somebody with this government help gets 6.000 euro to refurbrish the apartment for renting it out to people with a minimum income...
Contract indicated that I had to tell 2 months before if I wanted to terminate a contract and get my deposit back. I got an offer to go to live and work in Berlin, Germany so exactly 2 months before I have called Susana that I will be leaving. She told me that everything is fine, there's no need to sign anything and that I don't need to worry...
(Translated from Spanish)
I have planed to leave the flat that I'm renting from you in the center of Marbella on 29-th of August 2008. We should meet day 27 or day 28 in real estate office to terminate the contract.
I'm not sure how we should manage last 15 days (from 15-th to 29-th) maybe I could pay them with half of the deposit.
Later I have received her response saying that I have to pay last 15 days of the rental because a deposit can't be used as a monthly payment as indicated on the contract.
Hi, I will call you 1 or 2 days before we will meet to terminate contract. You have to pay a half of the month because rental contract indicates that you can not use deposit as any part of rental payment.
So I paid last half of the month and then received a letter from Susana Obertello saying that she will not give me the deposit back because I didn't live for 6 months there.
I would like to remind you that when you entered an apartment I told that if you're not going to live there for at least 6 months I will not give you back the deposit. You just lived 4 and a half month.
I will write you day 26-th of August if I will not be able to come so you would go and terminate the contract without me.
I have called real estate agency and they have told me that they have spoken to Susana Obertello and that she will return the deposit via bank account when she will make sure that the house is clean.
I have cleaned a house (my mother was visiting me so she helped me to leave it all nice) and next day I went to real estate agency to terminate the contract. They have asked me for bank account I left all the keys and left to Germany.
3 weeks now have passed and no one is responding my mail... Be carefull who are you renting from and make sure to have everything in written and signed.