Seongdong-gu Provides 'Text Notification Service' One Month Before Lease Contract Expiration... Why?

Nationwide First...Mandatory Lease Change Reporting for Private Rental Operators, Capping Rent Increases at Over 5% Annually, Obligations for Rental Operators, Pre-Notification of Post-Contract Expiry Requirements...‘Rights Protection Notice’ Sent to Tenants of Rental Housing, Landlords Leading Tenant Protection

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jeong Won-oh) is taking the lead in protecting the rights of both landlords and tenants in rental businesses.

In September last year, the district became the first in the nation to implement a ‘text message notification service’ one month before the expiration of lease contracts for private rental housing operators.

This service aims to prevent disadvantages such as fines by providing advance notice of matters that must be observed after the contract expires, including compliance with lease change reporting, suppression of rent increases exceeding 5% annually, and obligations of rental business operators.

The district provides the text notification service by identifying eligible recipients through a query of rental housing one month before the lease contract expiration, targeting approximately 11,059 rental housing units in Seongdong-gu.

This allows landlords to prepare in advance for easily overlooked matters, receiving great positive feedback.

The service has been recognized as an exemplary case nationwide and received an institutional commendation from the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport last month.

For tenants, the district has taken steps to protect their rights. In January, to prevent tenant damages amid an unstable real estate market, a ‘Tenant Rights Protection Notice’ was created and sent out. It was distributed to 4,500 tenants registered in private rental housing in Seongdong-gu, containing information tenants should check when signing lease contracts and preemptive information to prevent damage related to rental deposits.

Additionally, the district actively promoted systems for tenant relief, such as operating Seoul’s ‘Jeonwolse Deposit Support Center’ which provides one-stop consultation services related to housing leases, and guiding tenants to enroll in the Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation’s ‘Jeonse Deposit Return Guarantee Insurance’ that ensures the safe return of jeonse deposits.

A tenant named Kim, residing in private rental housing, said, “Just hearing words like ‘empty jeonse’ or ‘reverse jeonse’ on the news made my heart sink. I was very worried whenever I heard about jeonse deposit return accidents, but thanks to the notice sent by the district, I learned about the deposit guarantee insurance and plan to consult on whether I can enroll.”

Jeong Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, stated, “Landlords can identify their obligations in advance, and for anxious tenants, we provide relief methods through rights protection guidance. We are striving to create a Seongdong-gu where both tenants and landlords can live with peace of mind through proactive administrative services.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.