According to the Korean Real Estate Agent Act and its Enforcement Regulations, real estate agents are required to inspect the property and accurately record its condition in a <Property Inspection Report>. They must explain and provide this report to both parties involved in the transaction.
National Law Information Center>
The report includes the following items:
1.
Location, area, and building information of the property
2.
Ownership and legal rights
3.
Land use plans and transaction restrictions
4.
Site conditions: surrounding roads, public transportation, parking, educational facilities, shopping/medical facilities
5.
Building management: security office, management entity
6.
Presence of undesirable facilities
7.
Expected transaction amount
8.
Taxes and tax rates to be borne upon acquisition
9.
Actual ownership relationships or rights not publicly disclosed
10. Condition of internal and external facilities (buildings)
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Water: damage status, water supply quantity
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Electricity: supply status
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Gas (for cooking): operational status
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Fire safety: presence and quantity of smoke detectors
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Heating method and fuel supply: supply method (central/individual), operational status of facilities, fuel type (city gas, oil, propane gas, coal briquettes, etc.)
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Elevators
11. Condition of walls, floors, and wallpaper
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Walls: cracks and leaks
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Floors: need for repairs and locations
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Wallpaper: need for re-papering and locations
12.
Environmental conditions
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Sunlight
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Noise
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Vibration
13.
Brokerage fees and actual expenses, including calculation details
However,
The point at which real estate agents provide this guidance and deliver the report is usually before the tenant moves in, when the previous tenant is still occupying the property.
Therefore, the agents often do not conduct a thorough inspection.
Unless there are major issues, the condition is generally marked as "good."
Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (Republic of Korea)
As a Korean who has signed numerous rental contracts in Korea, I have never encountered a real estate agent who conducted a proper inspection.
Therefore, it is common practice for the tenant (occupant) to take photos and send them to the real estate agent when moving in, which is the time the house is empty.
For example, like this:
It was new apartment but had a hole on the wall. I took a picture.
If a defect that was not properly inspected or detected is suddenly discovered when the contract ends and the tenant is moving out, the landlord may demand repair costs and temporarily withhold the security deposit, even though the tenant did not cause the defect.
This issue is not exclusive to foreigners.
As a Korean, I have also experienced similar situations multiple times, and the real estate agencies did not protect me.
Therefore, I always make sure to conduct a thorough inspection in the empty house before moving in.
However, for expats in Korea, the situation can be even more challenging:
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They may have a fixed schedule to return to their home country, making it difficult to prolong negotiations over repair costs.
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They may have difficulty expressing their intentions clearly due to limited proficiency in Korean.
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They may be unfamiliar with the local laws and how to take appropriate actions.
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etc.
These factors can put expats at a disadvantage compared to Korean nationals during the move-out process.
Therefore, if you are about to sign a lease with a significant security deposit and move in,
I recommend either requesting a thorough inspection through the real estate agency you have contracted or using a professional pre-move-in inspection service.
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