07 遇上六大类极品房东？FT记者教你逐个击破

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The Snooper 窥探狂

Is your landlady a warm but slightly intrusive pensioner, who lets herself in to check everything is OK?

你的房东是不是一位热心肠的但有些好奇过度的退休老太太？她随意进出你家以确保一切正常。

This sort of thing can happen when you're renting a former family home from a landlord who can't let go.

这种事最可能发生的情况是你租的房子里以前住着房东一家，而房东感到难以割舍。

Know your rights.They can't enter the property without getting your permission 24 hours in advance, unless they want to carry out emergency repair work.

记住你自己的权利，房东不得擅自进入，除非提前24小时得到你的准许或是因为房子需要紧急维修。

The Ghost 幽灵房东

Feel like nobody is listening to your complaints? Then you could have a ghost landlord.

你的抱怨无人理睬吗？那么你可能碰上“幽灵”房东了。

Generally absent, maybe living abroad, even the letting agent has trouble getting hold of them.

总是找不到人，可能住在国外，就算房屋中介也联系不上他们。

This is a tricky one to deal with.Your landlord has to keep your home in a safe and habitable condition.But to enforce that, you're going to have to sue them.

这种房东很棘手。他们有义务保证你租的房子舒适安全。但为了让他履行义务，你只能起诉他。

The DIY Disaster Zone DIY狂人

The shower has run dry.The boiler has blown up.There has never been a greater need for qualified professionals to roll up their sleeves.

淋浴头不出水了。热水器炸了。房子里到处都需要专业人士来修理一番。

But why would your landlord do that when they are also good at DIY themselves? Only problem is, they never really fix it.

但干嘛要请专业人士？房东自己就是个DIY行家嘛！但问题在于，他们从未真正修好过任何东西。

Other than move out or sue them, your hands are tied.

如果你不搬出去，也不想起诉房东，那你基本无计可施。

The Tightwad守财奴

This type of landlord strikes when you move out, accusing tenants of damaging the property and refusing to release your deposit.

这种房东在你临走时才会原形毕露，指责你破坏了房间设施并拒绝退还押金。

Your main defense is making sure your cash is in a registered deposit protection scheme.They can mediate a dispute and decide what's fair.

你的主要对策是确保押金存放于一个登记过的押金保障计划内。这可以帮助你寻求仲裁，判断是非。

But be warned, the process can often take months.

但这个过程可能要持续数月之久。

The Commitment-phobe承诺恐惧者

This is the landlord who decides from the mysterious reasons that you can't rent the property after all, even though your deposit has been handed over and everything verbally agreed.

这种房东会以千奇百怪的理由拒绝你租房，就算你已经交了定金，也对各种细节达成了口头协议。

The letting agent is usually to blame for this one.

这种情况通常应该怪中介。

Someone says you hand over a cash holding deposit to take property off the market, but if the deal falls through, they should give you your money back straight away.If they don't, complain to the property ombudsmen.

有些人会要求你先交一笔现金定金才让房子不再公开挂牌，但如果最后没租成，他们必须立即返还定金。如果不还，你该立刻向社区房地产官员投诉。

The Dumper逐客狂

Did you complain once too often, or you're being a nuisance when you are just in demand for hot water? You might find yourself asked to leave midway through the tenancy.

你的抱怨是否过于频繁？又是否仅仅因为索要热水而惹怒他们？那么你可能在租约期间被房东赶走。

This is known as a revenge eviction, and it was made illegal last year.But tenants can still be asked to leave if they have a break clause in their contract, which many do.

这种报复性的逐客在去年已被定为非法。但房东还是可以下逐客令，如果租房合同里有一条允许它们这样做。

Always read the tenancy agreement very, very closely.

切记，一定要非常非常仔细地阅读租房合同。

词汇总结

roll up one's sleeves

卷起袖子，做事，辛苦工作

The shower has run dry.The boiler has blown up.There has never been a greater need for qualified professionals to roll up their sleeves.

淋浴头不出水了。热水器炸了。房子里到处都需要专业人士来修理一番。

one's hands are tied

无能为力

Other than move out or sue them, your hands are tied.

如果你不搬出去，也不想起诉房东，那你基本无计可施。

deposit protection scheme

抵押金保护方案, 押金保障计划

Your main defense is making sure your cash is in a registered deposit protection scheme.

你的主要对策是确保押金存放于一个登记过的押金保障计划内。

nuisance['nju?s(?)ns]

n.讨厌的人；损害；麻烦事；讨厌的东西

Did you complain once too often, or you're being a nuisance when you are just in demand for hot water?

你的抱怨是否过于频繁？又是否仅仅因为索要热水而惹怒他们？

tenancy agreement

租房合同

Always read the tenancy agreement very, very closely.

切记，一定要非常非常仔细地阅读租房合同。