[사회]Is there an accomplice behind the king of the villas… ‘warning light’ charter fraud

[앵커]

Tenants cannot get their deposits back because a rental operator named Kim, who owned more than a thousand villas in the metropolitan area, died suddenly.

As the possibility of organized charter fraud cannot be ruled out, the police are continuing their investigation.

Apart from this, there are growing concerns that this may charter and tenant damage problems start from now on.

Correspondent Kang Min-kyung reports.

[기자]

A new two-story villa in Hwagok-dong, Seoul, was completed two years ago and has about 30 homes.

However, apart from the two houses, the owner is Mr. Kim in his 40s, known as the ‘Villa King’.

Mr Kim, a rental operator who bought 1,100 villas and offices, died suddenly of chronic illness two months ago.

Tenants living in foreclosed homes were stuck without even getting their deposit back.

[A 씨 / 서울 화곡동(피해 세입자) : (건축주가) 개인으로 집주인 명의를 바꾼다고 말씀을 하셨어요. 이 사람이 임대사업자를 하고 있는지도 전혀 몰랐어요.]

Although Mr Kim is dead, the police are continuing the investigation, focusing on the background and possible accomplices, instead of closing the case without any right to prosecute.

[A 씨 / 서울 화곡동(피해 세입자) : 실제로 계약을 했던 피해자 중에서는 (김 씨가) 조금 어눌하게 이야기를 한다, 이런 말도 있었어요. 혼자서 했을 리는 없을 거 같아요.]

If an accomplice is found, the victims may be able to file a civil lawsuit, but even if that happens, it’s a distant future.

The government has also created a joint legal aid task force to help victims, but victims are frustrated that nothing can be resolved immediately.

[B 씨 / 경기도 부천시(피해 세입자) : 주택도시보증공사(HUG)도 같이 따라야 하고 은행도 (정부 움직임에) 따라야 하는데 따라오는 게 없어요. 체감할 수 있는 게 하나도 없어서….]

If more landlords are hit hard by falling house prices and high interest rates after investing without enough capital, it is very likely that more victims will increase in the future.

[강모씨 / 공인중개사 : 2022년도 6월부터 (집값) 하강기가 들어서잖아요. 빌라도. 신규 세입자가 안 들어오죠. 문제가 커질 수밖에 없죠. 이제 시작인 거죠.]

Already this year, the number of applications to the court for a ‘lease right registration order’ to request a preferential right to refund the deposit due to non-repayment of deposits for jeonse and monthly rent in Seoul has been recorded the highest ever.

In addition to the charter fraud, it is noted that the government must quickly find more basic measures, as the warning light is turned on for the can charter, which cannot return the deposit because the price of the charter below the charter price.

This is Kang Min-kyung’s YTN.

YTN Minkyung Kang (kmk0210@ytn.co.kr)

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