How to Resolve Rental Disputes with Landlords and Property Managers

Prepared by the NovAsia Editorial Team

An everyday rental conflict rarely begins as a legal dispute. It usually begins with a leaking air-conditioner, an unexplained electricity charge, a missing access card, noisy works on another floor or a technician who has promised to arrive tomorrow three times. The problem becomes serious later, when nobody knows who can make the decision, verbal promises no longer match and the tenant is left with a long message history but no clear request or outcome.

In Phnom Penh, it is particularly important to distinguish the apartment owner, the owner's private representative and the management of the condominium building. They may appear in one group chat and speak as though they are one side, but they control different matters. Many disputes can be resolved without formal proceedings if the tenant identifies the correct decision-maker, moves the conversation into writing and proposes a specific solution instead of only describing frustration.

One dispute may involve four different parties

A tenant often has several contacts: the owner, the letting agent, a unit manager and the building reception or management office. When an air-conditioner stops working, each person may redirect the tenant to another. Building management says the equipment is inside a private unit. The owner refers the matter to an agent. The agent says their role ended when the lease was signed. A straightforward defect becomes a dispute about authority.

The owner remains the landlord and contracting party unless the lease says otherwise. Decisions about major repairs, replacement of appliances belonging to the apartment, rent changes, early termination and the use of the deposit will normally need the owner's approval. An owner living overseas does not turn the building administration into the landlord.

A unit manager or owner's representative acts only within the authority granted by the owner. They may receive maintenance requests, arrange technicians, collect rent and approve small costs. A person authorised to call a repair company is not necessarily authorised to reduce rent, admit a financial liability or release the tenant from the lease without penalty. For a significant agreement, obtain direct confirmation from the owner or reasonable evidence of the representative's authority.

The building management company is primarily concerned with common areas and shared systems: lifts, security, access control, parking, corridors, pools, shared pipework and equipment within its area of responsibility. It also applies the building's internal rules. A dispute about the owner's washing machine, furniture or return of the rental deposit will not normally be decided by the building unless it separately manages the apartment for the owner.

The letting agent may be able to mediate, especially where they want to preserve relationships with both sides. Their involvement in the original transaction does not automatically create an ongoing duty to resolve every later problem. Before relying on the agent, establish whether they still manage the unit, formally represent the owner or are simply helping voluntarily.

The most useful first question is therefore not who is at fault. It is who has the power to resolve this particular issue.

Distinguish inconvenience from a material problem

Equally irritating situations can require very different responses. Weak water pressure, a pool closed for several days or paint smell in a corridor affects comfort but may not amount to a breach of the lease. A prolonged lack of water, hazardous wiring, repeated unauthorised entry or inability to use a substantial part of the apartment can affect the basic purpose of the tenancy.

Assess the issue through three questions:

1. How urgent is it?
2. Who controls the cause?
3. What do the lease and building rules actually promise?

A fault creating a risk of fire, flooding or injury requires immediate action regardless of who will eventually pay. Routine air-conditioner servicing can usually wait for written cost approval. A gym closure is inconvenient, but it may be less significant than a broken lift for a resident with limited mobility.

The lease often matters more than either party's assumptions about normal local practice. One contract may make the owner responsible for appliance failures other than consumables. Another may require the tenant to cover minor repairs up to a stated amount. Internet may be included in one unit and contracted separately in another. Without reading the relevant clause, the argument quickly becomes an exchange of expectations.

Cambodia's Civil Code provides a broad framework for leases. Its provisions address the landlord's obligation to make repairs necessary for the use of the property, the tenant's right to use the premises without improper interference and the tenant's duties to care for the property and notify the landlord of repairs that are needed. The lease may still allocate routine maintenance, consumables and damage in more detail. The official Khmer text and the particular contract should be checked in any serious case.

A fault is not automatically the owner's responsibility merely because it occurred during the tenancy. An air-conditioner failing through age is different from damage caused by misuse. A leak from a shared riser may involve the building. A failed washing-machine hose inside the apartment may require evidence about ownership, maintenance history and cause.

Written records change the quality of the discussion

A verbal promise may be sincere and still fail to produce a result. The owner forgets the details, the management office changes staff, a technician gives a different account or the message disappears among voice notes and photographs. Written records are not an accusation of dishonesty. They create a shared version of the facts.

A strong maintenance notice is short. It contains the date the problem was observed, the exact location, the visible effect, supporting photographs or video, the requested outcome and a reasonable response time. A message saying that the air-conditioner is terrible and somebody must fix it leaves the next step undefined. A message stating that the bedroom unit has not cooled below 29°C since 23 July, the filter has been cleaned, an error appears on the display and a technician visit should be confirmed by 6 pm the next day can be forwarded directly to the person responsible.

For a developing dispute, keep one compact evidence file containing:

• the lease and its attachments;
• the check-in inventory and dated photographs;
• messages reporting the issue and the replies received;
• photographs, videos, meter readings and a timeline;
• receipts, estimates and proof of payment;
• building rules and notices from management.

There is no need to send the entire file in the first message. Start with the relevant fact and a clear request. The fuller record becomes important if responsibility is denied, the amount increases or previous agreements are disputed.

After a telephone call or in-person conversation, send a brief written summary: what was agreed, who will arrange the technician, who pays for diagnosis and when the next update is due. This is neutral in tone and prevents both sides remembering the call differently a week later.

Repairs and reimbursement need a defined sequence

Repair disputes commonly arise because four points were never agreed: who chooses the technician, who pays for diagnosis, whether work may begin without approval and what happens if the owner does not respond.

The Civil Code framework supports the landlord's responsibility for repairs necessary to use the property and may allow recovery of necessary expenses in appropriate circumstances. It does not mean a tenant should order an expensive replacement, choose upgraded equipment and deduct the amount from the next rent without consent.

A stronger practical sequence is:

1. Notify the owner or authorised representative with evidence.
2. Give them a reasonable opportunity to arrange inspection or repair.
3. Explain clearly if the situation is urgent because of flooding, burning smell, an insecure entrance or another immediate risk.
4. If there is no response, ask for written permission to obtain a diagnosis and agree a spending limit.
5. Keep the technician's findings, photographs and receipt.
6. Confirm any reimbursement or deduction from rent separately in writing.

Emergency containment is different from an improvement. Turning off the water and replacing a failed connector is not the same as installing a more powerful air-conditioner because the existing one feels inadequate. Even a useful improvement made without approval may remain the tenant's expense or lead to a demand to restore the original condition at check-out.

Hidden defects need particular care. The legal position may be stronger where a problem could not reasonably have been detected at handover and substantially affects use. A visible defect that should have been recorded at inspection is harder to present later as an unexpected breach. A proper inventory and early written notice therefore matter long before a deposit dispute.

In a tropical climate, identifying the cause is essential. Mould may result from a facade leak, a failed drain, poor ventilation, prolonged closure of rooms or several factors together. The issue cannot be resolved reliably by declaring that tropical humidity is always the tenant's fault or that every patch is automatically the owner's responsibility. The moisture source should be stopped and, where necessary, assessed technically before costs are allocated.

Analyse bills from the underlying data

A disputed utility bill should be broken into its source information rather than argued only as a final total. For electricity and water, request the opening and closing meter readings, billing period, tariff and confirmation that the photographed meter belongs to the apartment. For internet, cleaning, parking or access cards, identify the contract term or building rule supporting the charge.

A condominium management company may invoice the owner for common-area costs. Cambodian rules governing co-owned buildings provide a framework for shared property and management, but the tenant's obligation to pay a particular fee should usually arise from the lease or a separate agreement with the owner. A statement that everybody pays it does not answer who is liable under this tenancy.

New charges often expose ambiguity. The building introduces a fee for an extra parking card, a lift repair contribution or a move-in registration. The owner considers it a cost of occupation, while the tenant believes it is covered by rent or ownership expenses. The answer depends on the lease, the nature of the charge and who receives the benefit. Ask for the notice, tariff and contractual basis instead of arguing about fairness in the lobby.

Building rules operate differently from the lease. Management may regulate visitors, deliveries, furniture moves, parking, pets, noise and common facilities. It does not need to renegotiate every reasonable building rule with each tenant. However, a fine or restriction should have a clear basis, and tenants should receive the rules before moving in rather than after the first alleged breach.

Create a clear apartment-access protocol

Access to the apartment sits between the owner's legitimate interest in protecting the property and the tenant's right to use it without constant interference. In practice, a sensible arrangement includes notice, a reason for the visit, a time window and an exception for genuine emergencies.

A claim that the owner may enter at any time because the property belongs to them creates unnecessary risk. A tenant's absolute refusal to allow access during a serious leak into a shared shaft is equally unreasonable. The lease should be the starting point, supplemented by a written procedure where it is vague.

If the owner plans to sell the apartment or conduct frequent viewings, agree the process in advance:

• how much notice will be given;
• permitted days and hours;
• who will attend;
• whether the tenant must be present;
• whether photographs of personal belongings are permitted;
• how keys and access cards will be controlled.

Without a protocol, the same argument will recur before every visit.

Where entry occurs without notice, record the date, time, person involved and how access was obtained. Ask for an explanation, refer to the lease and propose a written procedure. Keep the response proportionate unless there is a threat, theft, harassment or immediate safety concern requiring urgent help.

Negotiate firmly without weakening a valid claim

An aggressive tone is not the same as a strong position. Threatening police, litigation and social media may produce a quick reply, but it can also reduce the chance of a straightforward repair or settlement. In most household disputes, the desired outcome is practical: restore water, correct a bill, stop unscheduled entry or agree an orderly exit.

A useful negotiating message contains four elements:

• a verified fact;
• a contractual or practical basis;
• the requested solution;
• a deadline for response.

For example: the water has been unavailable for two days; management has identified a failed pump serving the unit; the equipment belongs to the owner under the inventory; please confirm replacement by tomorrow or authorise a technician up to a defined amount.

If the owner rejects the proposal, ask them to provide an alternative. This shifts the conversation from denial to choice. The options might be another contractor, a temporary solution, a rent adjustment for a period of unusability or early termination without a contractual penalty.

Separate undisputed and disputed sums. If the rent itself is not contested but an additional charge is, stopping every payment may give the other side a simple argument about arrears. Paying the undisputed amount on time demonstrates good faith. The contested amount can be identified in writing as not admitted until a calculation or legal basis is supplied.

Unilateral rent withholding, lock changes, disposal of the owner's property or retention of keys as leverage can create a new breach by the tenant. A legitimate original complaint can be weakened by a disproportionate response.

Compromise does not require one side to accept every demand. The owner may pay for a part while the tenant covers routine servicing. Work may proceed immediately while responsibility is determined after a written technician's report. Instead of a rent reduction, the parties may agree to terminate early. Whatever the settlement, record the amount, timing, contractor and whether the agreement closes the issue.

Escalate in stages

Escalation is justified where written requests are ignored, agreed terms are reversed, a significant amount is withheld without explanation or safety is at risk. Moving directly from an ordinary message to court is rarely the most efficient route.

The first escalation is a structured written notice to the actual decision-maker. If communication has only involved a receptionist or agent, the owner may not know the extent of the issue. The notice should provide a concise chronology, the key documents and a proposed outcome.

The second level may be a meeting with a neutral participant: a senior building manager, the original agent, an interpreter or another person trusted by both sides. Negotiated settlement and conciliation are common practical approaches in Cambodia. A neutral person helps not because they can impose a result, but because they can clarify facts and ensure the agreement is recorded.

Professional mediation or legal advice may be appropriate for a larger civil dispute. Cambodia established a National Authority for Alternative Dispute Resolution to facilitate mediation and conciliation in eligible civil and commercial matters. Whether a particular residential tenancy dispute falls within a current procedure, what documents are required and which language is used should be confirmed before filing.

A letter from a Cambodian lawyer can sometimes resolve the matter faster than a formal claim. Legal assistance becomes particularly important where there is a threat of eviction, lock replacement, retention of personal property or passports, significant damage, a large deposit, disputed early termination or physical intimidation.

Court proceedings remain available for civil claims, but proportionality matters. Consider the amount, evidence quality, contract language, governing law, duration and realistic cost. In some cases, a negotiated exit limits loss more effectively. In others, concession would leave a serious violation unaddressed. There is no single financial threshold.

Threats, violence, forced entry, deliberate interruption of essential services as coercion or a dangerous emergency are no longer routine customer-service issues. Personal safety, local emergency assistance and urgent professional advice take priority over preserving a friendly chat.

The best dispute prevention begins before move-in

Many difficult conflicts are embedded in the lease before the keys are handed over. A clause stating that the tenant pays for all repairs appears simple until a built-in air-conditioner fails. A right for the owner to inspect the property says little about frequency or notice. A promise to return the deposit after departure says nothing about the inspection period or permitted deductions.

Before signing, allocate at least the main areas of responsibility:

• minor repairs and a monetary threshold;
• air-conditioner servicing;
• appliance failure;
• common-area charges;
• internet and utilities;
• notice for inspections and viewings;
• emergency access;
• approval and reimbursement of urgent expenses;
• deposit return timing and documentation of deductions.

A manager's authority to order small works up to an agreed limit can prevent long delays when the owner is overseas.

The check-in record should show more than furniture. Document walls, flooring, appliances, meter readings, keys and access cards. A continuous video is useful for memory, but individual dated photographs are easier to use in a dispute. Obtain building rules before arranging guests, a pet, parking or a furniture move.

Choose one primary communication channel and a backup contact. Where the owner responds in one messenger and the unit manager communicates by telephone, agreements easily diverge. A shared group containing the owner and authorised representative is often more effective than parallel conversations.

Finally, observe how the building answers a simple question before signing. Management that cannot explain a tariff, technician-access process or moving rule is unlikely to become clearer after the tenant is committed. Communication quality is not a minor amenity; it is part of the property's suitability for a long tenancy.

The practical conclusion

A rental dispute is resolved more effectively through structure than volume. Identify who can decide, separate an urgent defect from an ordinary inconvenience, preserve evidence and request a defined result by a defined time. The owner controls the contract and private unit, building management controls shared systems and rules, and a representative can act only within their authority.

The tenant's common mistake is to tolerate the issue verbally for too long and then move immediately to threats or withheld payment. The owner or manager's common mistake is to make open-ended promises without deciding who pays. Between those extremes is a workable sequence: clear notice, written authority, proportionate compromise and only then mediation, legal advice or formal proceedings.

This article is general information and not individual legal advice. Rights and remedies should be assessed against the specific lease, the official Khmer-language legislation, the facts of the defect and the authority of each participant.

Sources

1. Kingdom of Cambodia — Civil Code, Book on Obligations, Chapter 5 on leases, Articles 596–621. English reference translation prepared through cooperation between JICA and the Ministry of Justice, accessed 25 July 2026.
2. Royal Government of Cambodia — Sub-Decree No. 126 ANK/BK on the Management and Use of Co-Owned Buildings, dated 12 August 2009.
3. Rajah & Tann Asia — A Newborn National Authority for Alternative Dispute Resolution and its Development in Cambodia, 5 July 2024. Used for background on the authority and mediation framework.
4. EuroCham Cambodia, Real Estate and Construction Committee — Charge Collection in Co-Owned Buildings, updated 22 April 2026. Used for practical context on common-property management and charges.

Frequently asked

Can a property management company require a tenant to pay for repairs?

Only where the obligation follows from the lease, the building rules or evidence that the tenant caused the damage. Ask for the written basis, an estimate and confirmation that the person making the demand has authority to do so.

Can I stop paying rent until the landlord repairs a serious defect?

Withholding rent without a clear contractual or legal basis may create a breach by the tenant. Start with a written notice, identify the relevant lease terms and seek legal advice before taking unilateral action in a serious dispute.

Who decides a dispute if the apartment owner lives abroad?

An authorised manager or agent may act for the owner, but the tenant should ask for confirmation of that authority and keep any significant agreement in writing.

What should I do if the owner or a technician enters without notice?

Record the incident, refer to the lease and request a written access procedure, while preserving a reasonable exception for a genuine emergency such as fire, flooding or an immediate safety risk.