Repairs in Rental Units: Thai Law on Who Pays

You've just noticed a leak under the kitchen sink in your Thonglor condo. The bathroom tap won't turn off. The air conditioning unit is making that grinding noise again. And now you're staring at a repair bill, wondering: whose job is this actually? You, the landlord, or are we splitting it somehow?

If you've rented in Bangkok for more than a few months, you know this question comes up constantly. The answer isn't always obvious, and it depends on Thai tenant law, your lease agreement, and the type of repair. We've helped hundreds of tenants and landlords navigate this exact situation at Superagent, and the confusion is real. Most people just pay or suffer in silence, but you don't have to.

Here's what you actually need to know about who pays for repairs in a Bangkok rental, straight from the law and real-world practice.

What Thai Law Says About Rental Repairs

Thailand's Civil and Commercial Code lays out clear rules about maintenance and repairs, though most renters in Bangkok have never read it. Section 535 to 543 covers the landlord's legal obligations, and they matter when disputes happen.

The law says landlords must keep a rental property in habitable condition. This means the building structure, roof, walls, plumbing, electrical systems, and communal areas must work. If the hot water heater breaks, the landlord fixes it. If there's a crack in the exterior wall that lets in rain, that's also the landlord's responsibility.

Tenants, meanwhile, are responsible for damage they cause through negligence or improper use. If you punch a hole in the wall during an argument or drop something on the air conditioning unit, that's on you. Normal wear and tear from everyday living, however, falls to the landlord.

The tricky part is that many Bangkok condos don't follow the law exactly. Your lease might say something different, or building management might have its own rules. That's why checking your contract matters before you move in.

Building Defects vs. Tenant Damage: Where the Line Really Is

This is where most arguments start. A building defect is something wrong with the structure or permanent fixtures when you move in or something that fails through no fault of your own. Tenant damage is something you broke or damaged.

Let's say you're renting a two-bedroom near Ekkamai BTS. The tiles in the bathroom start cracking after two months. That's a building defect. The landlord pays. But if you dropped your suitcase and cracked those same tiles, that's tenant damage, and you pay.

The air conditioning unit is a gray zone that causes fights constantly. If the AC unit that came with your apartment stops cooling, that's usually a building defect. But if you blocked the outdoor unit with furniture and it overheated, that's tenant damage. If the filter hasn't been cleaned in eight months and the motor burned out, some landlords will try to charge you. Others won't.

Paint damage is another common one. Small nail holes and minor scuffs from normal living are normal wear and tear. You don't pay. Holes from a TV mount you installed yourself, or paint you splashed everywhere while renovating, that's on you.

What Your Lease Agreement Actually Controls

Here's the hard truth: your lease agreement usually trumps everything else, as long as it doesn't violate Thai law. If your contract says you pay for all AC repairs or all plumbing repairs, that's binding. Landlords can legally shift some maintenance costs onto tenants in writing.

Most Bangkok condos have standard leases that say something like: the tenant pays for damage caused by the tenant, and the landlord pays for structural defects and permanent fixtures. That sounds fair in theory. But then there's always an escape clause buried in Thai text that says tenants pay for "maintenance of amenities" or "wear items."

Before you sign anything, get that lease translated by a Thai lawyer if you don't speak Thai fluently. A translation costs 2,000 to 5,000 THB and saves you thousands later. Some landlords will negotiate too. If you find a rent you like in Ari or Silom but the lease pushes all repair costs on you, ask to change it. Many will, especially if you're planning to stay long-term.

Always take photos of the apartment when you move in, especially bathrooms, kitchens, and walls. Get the landlord to sign off on condition. If the AC doesn't work on day two, you want proof it was already broken. That protects you when you move out and they claim you broke it.

Emergency Repairs: Who Pays When Something Breaks Right Now

What happens when your toilet floods at midnight or the electrics go out? Thai law says the landlord must fix emergency repairs quickly, and the landlord pays. These are repairs that affect the safety or liveability of the apartment. You can't live there without them.

If the power cuts out due to an electrical fault, the landlord must restore it. If the water stops, that's the landlord's problem unless you damaged something. If there's a gas leak, the landlord pays and you might need to leave for a bit.

In practice, most Bangkok property management companies handle these fast. A condo on Sukhumvit between Nana and Asok with a professional team usually responds within hours. Smaller older buildings or individual landlords might take longer. That's why choosing your building matters.

If the landlord delays on emergency repairs and you lose use of the apartment, you can often break the lease without penalty under Thai law. Document everything. Get it in writing. Contact the landlord in writing, not just a phone call. If they don't respond, you have legal grounds to leave.

Small Repairs and Maintenance: The Gray Zone Everyone Asks About

This is where real Bangkok rental life gets messy. What counts as a small repair versus a big one? Who pays for replacement versus fixing something?

Lightbulbs, generally, are tenant responsibility. That's the industry standard, even though technically it's arguable. Most people just buy their own. A broken light fixture or faulty wiring is the landlord's job. The toilet runs constantly, wasting water? That's a small fix, maybe 500 to 1,500 THB from a plumber, and landlords usually do this. But if the toilet cracks and needs replacing, that's a bigger cost and more clearly the landlord's.

Door handles, cabinet hinges, and small hardware: usually tenant responsibility if you damaged it, landlord if it's wear and tear. A drawer that's been slowly falling apart over three years is wear and tear. A drawer you broke last week is on you.

• Structural cracks, roof leaks, exterior damage: Landlord | 5,000-50,000 THB | Building defect, not your fault
• Plumbing (pipes, taps, toilet internals): Landlord | 1,000-8,000 THB | Check lease for exceptions
• Air conditioning unit failure: Landlord | 3,000-15,000 THB | If not caused by neglect
• Electrical wiring, circuit breaker issues: Landlord | 2,000-10,000 THB | Safety issue, always landlord
• Paint touch-up, small wall damage from you: Tenant | 500-3,000 THB | Caused by tenant negligence
• Damage you caused (hole from furniture, broken glass): Tenant | 1,000-5,000 THB | Document and get estimates
• Appliance repair (provided by landlord): Landlord | 2,000-8,000 THB | Unless damaged by you

Moving Out: Damage Claims and Deposits

This is where renters in Bangkok get hit hardest. Landlords sometimes hold deposits and claim unreasonable damage to cover repairs.

Thai law says you owe the landlord money only for actual damage you caused. Normal wear and tear, faded paint from sunlight, and minor scuffs don't count. But landlords often disagree on what's "normal."

When you move out, take photos of every room in good light. Video walkthrough is even better. Send it to the landlord before you hand over keys. If they claim damage later, you have evidence about what condition it was in. If your deposit was 40,000 THB and they claim 15,000 THB in damages from you but you have photos showing the damage was already there, you have leverage.

For a typical one-bedroom condo in areas like Petchburi or Rama 4 renting for 18,000 to 25,000 THB per month, the deposit is usually one month's rent. If you lose it to fake damage claims, that hurts. Prevention is easier than fighting later.

Get a written inventory of the apartment's condition signed by you and the landlord before you move in. This costs nothing and prevents disputes. Some landlords won't do it, which itself is a red flag. Professional property managers at bigger buildings usually will.

How to Handle a Repair Dispute Right Now

You've asked the landlord to fix something. They're ignoring you, or they're asking you to pay for something you think they should cover. What's your move?

First, make the request in writing. A Line message or email beats a phone call. "The kitchen tap is broken and leaks constantly. Can you please send a plumber by Friday?" gives you a record. If they refuse or ignore you for more than seven days, you have legal grounds to do the repair yourself and deduct it from rent, up to a reasonable amount. But this gets complicated, so only do this if you're prepared for conflict.

Second, get quotes from local plumbers or electricians. In Bangkok, a basic plumbing repair runs 1,500 to 3,000 THB for a site visit plus materials. If the landlord is saying you have to pay 10,000 THB for something a plumber quotes at 2,000 THB, that's probably negotiable.

If you really disagree, contact the building management company or the condominium committee. They can mediate. Most landlords don't want a formal complaint with the condo committee, so this often works. If it doesn't, you can file a complaint with the Thai Consumer Protection Board, but that's a longer process and usually requires a lawyer.

The easiest move is to negotiate upfront. When you're signing the lease, ask specifically about who pays for what. Get it clear in writing. If the landlord seems unreasonable about this, that's a sign they might be difficult about repairs later too.

At the end of the day, Bangkok rental disputes usually come down to unclear communication and expectations. The law is actually pretty clear: landlords maintain the building, tenants don't break things. Your lease agreement can tweak that, but only within reason. Photos, written requests, and clear lease terms protect both of you. If you're looking for an apartment and want to avoid landlord trouble before you move in, check the lease carefully and ask other tenants in the building about their experiences with repairs. That's real intel.

When you're searching for your next place on Superagent.co, you can ask us about specific buildings or landlords you're considering. We know which ones are responsive about maintenance and which ones drag their feet. Find a landlord and building that actually take care of things, and you'll save yourself months of frustration.