South Korea rental system is not same, I managed to speak to a S.Korea tour guide many years ago. According to the S.Korea tour guide, their rental system , they need to pay up front 12 or 24 months but this money , the owner must return these 12 or 24 months upfront money to the Tenant not a single sen less upon the end of the tenancy tenure. The owner can only use the money for their investment purpose/rolling with interest free from the tenant.

My worst case - a group of Chinese females, less educated type & blue collar workers. The rents always overdue by 1 to 3 days during the entire tenure.

Every month required frequent reminders. Once they occupied the unit, my neighbor downstair text me direct to complain about ppl stomping legs & pulling chair late at night & causes the nuisance, got cigarette butts being throwed to the balcony & ended in my neighbor unit. I'm in good term with my neighbor downstair & on/off we got text each other if there were trouble arises within the neighborhood. Due to the nuisance created, I called up my agent & extended the complaints I received, asking my agent if the group can be removed & I'll return their 2.5 months deposit.

My agent called them to investigate, the tenant denied all the allegations. The tenants even called me after that & refused to admit. My neighbor downstair text me back, after I complained, thereafter magically all the legs stomping, chair pulling , cigarette butts disappear by itself.

On the 3rd month, the kitchen sink get choked. The tenant called up to complaint & talked in a tune like "customer always right" & asked me for compensation in term of rental rebate for not being to use the sink in cocky style. I did not promise anything to them immediately knowing that the argument without proof will lead to no conclusion. I told them my plumber will come to do the checking & fixing first. I reached out to my regular plumber, the plumber went to the unit immediately next day on my request. Upon checking, the plumber extended to me the reason of the sink being choked. All the food waste was washed down to the sink without the strainer, the oil waste also was poured down, I received all the photos evidences. Of course the tenants will argue it was not them. Before I contact them again, I called my agent again to clarify the clauses within the T.A. Found the clause within T.A that tenant have grace period of 1 week after moving in to make formal compliant to the owner for the rectification on any defects found. After the grace period over, the defect/damages are on tenant. I get my agent to call the tenant first before I call them. The repair cost was back charge to the tenant (deduction to the rental deposit).

This group was the only group of tenant being served almost 4~5 times notice of breached of T.A continuously on the late payments. At almost the end of tenure, when 2 months of notice on unit repossession (hope they move out quickly), the tenant stated not willing to continue. By surprise, on the last month , the tenant called if can extend another 2 weeks of stay & ask me to pro-rate the rental. I disagreed on the pro-rated rental, either they move out or take 1 month straight because the 1/2 month will be a total loss to the owner.

During the unit repossession process, multiple damages to the furniture, light bulbs blown not replace, door locked vandalized, sink strainer went missing, sliding door lock damaged, dining table's chair became shaky, TV also spoiled. When showing them the facts of finding, I was given the argument/ baseless defense without the proof. All the damages were there when they moved in. I responded, they have so many chances to notify me on the damages & yet the remained silent. If they reported it during the grace period of 1 week, all the damages cost will be on owner. If no record on such reporting, the damages cost will be on the tenants. After that, the tenant making up the story by claiming that they complained to my agent before. I said show me the Whatsapp proof on the record transpired between them & agent, I will honor the recording & won't penalize them if they can show. They became silent. I called the agent on the loudspeaker on the spot, the agent said didn't receive any complaint or else they will have forwarded the complaints to me.

Luckily I have not encounter any worse than that batch. The tenant's background is important, when handing over the keys, meet them in person & talk to them to know their characters. Sometime the agent's assessment on the character may not be accurate.