Radostina explained her request to our community as follows, "It looks like my landlord started to play games and would like to deduct amounts from my deposit for rediculous things which are even not true :) Any help or advise is much appreciated! ​​​"​ Here's some of the feedback she got:

Noemi Noemi:

There is no such organization unfortunately. Private lawyer is the solution. Good luck!

Josey Walker:

Don’t pay your last months rent for sure. Tell them to take it out of the deposit.

Tünde Máté:

I assume you have a contract and it should have something in it about the cost of repairs. Show it to a lawyer, that's the easiest solution I think.

Karela Gercane:

1) check your contract. Any specific terms there regarding repairs? Normally you should be liable only for damage done by yourself.
2) discuss with your landlady and try to find an agreement.
3) if she doesn't agree to return full deposit - don't return keys. Tell that your friend will use the flat for another month that's covered by your deposit.
Or threaten that you'll post in FB groups regarding her behavior to warn other potential tenants.

From what you've described it looks like she's trying to take an advantage that you're a foreigner and will be leaving the country in the next days.
And surely you need to have someone along with you when having these discussions.

Beatrice Cocora:

Take 2 witnesses with you to the handover and tell her that you need a record to be made in writing of the amount she refuses to give you back and the reasons for that, because your lawyer needs it.

Tell her all these + that you need these info in avance so the record can be printed by the time you do the handover. Ask a Hungarian friend to help with the record. There are good chances she will not risk it and will bring your deposit in full tonthe handover. But if she does not, and you decide to sue later, you have a solid proof of what happened.

Vera Somfai:

First of all, tell him you will go to NAV.. he might not be paying taxes so it can work.. otherwise a lawyer.

Jonathan Taylor:

It's a pretty common problem... suffered it myself. The solutions given are well meaning but have more possibility of working in Narnia than the real world.

1. Going to the NAV. This is just plain silly. They don't care. It will do nothing. (In fact they are more likely to investigate you as you're a foreigner).

2. A Hungarian contract is not worth the paper it's written on. Coupling this with a lawyer is a waste of money. It takes over 5 years to bring a civil case. In court your landlady will claim poverty and you'll receive the princely sum of 1,000 Ft per month. Oh...after the 1st month she'll stop paying and you'll have to pay your useless lawyer to start the process again. And that represents a lot of money as well as travel to Hungary.

3. The only way to get your complete deposit is to be in a position of strength.

4. As there's no way you can achieve this, then: (A) suck it up and move on. I suggest meditation. (B) if you're feeling bad about it, then get even.... (C) if you don't want to create a problem for your landlady...then see (A). Personally, I'm both a practitioner and believer in (B). She is stealing from you. Are you just going to let it go? Any lack of action just encourages her and she'll just carry on doing the same with the next tenant.

Find law firms in Hungary by clicking here
 

More:

Feedback: Click to email suggesed topics to support your Xpat Community

Get in the loop on Facebook here: All Expats Budapest - XpatLoop's Group

You can follow our fresh news on Facebook here: XpatLoop News Hungary 

Note:

XpatLoop readers include both valuable expats and high-level locals in decision making positions. We refer to this inclusive and cosmopolitan group of internationally-minded folks as the Xpat Community.

We believe that the advice given above, and so this Community Matters content, is given in good faith and is accurate at the time of publication - however it's always wise to consider that changes do happen in Hungary, as everywhere. 

This content is intended to support the communiy at large, as well as the person asking the question, based on publicly viewable posts on XpatLoop's open group on Facebook.

Please note that readers need to use common sense when acting on any advice provided online, and that Xpatloop.com (and publisher) is not liable in any way related to advice here from Facebook posts, and elsewhere on any of our social media platforms.

Thanks for your cooperation and community support.

Note: The opionions above do not necessarily represent the views of XpatLoop.com or the publisher. Your opinions are welcome too - for editorial review before possible publication online. 
Click here to Share Your Story