A total of 1,177 'malicious landlords' (including corporations) have failed to return tenants' jeonse deposits on time more than twice, with the unpaid jeonse amounting to 1.9 trillion won.
According to the Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation (HUG) Safe Jeonse Portal on the 2nd, the number of individuals and corporations revealed as 'habitual defaulters' stands at 1,128 individuals and 49 corporations, respectively. The disclosure list is comprised of landlords for whom HUG has returned jeonse deposits to tenants and sought reimbursement for claims that have occurred two or more times in the last three years, with the amount exceeding 200 million won.
The average age of malicious landlords is 47. The largest age group is those in their 50s, with 273 individuals (23.2%), followed by those in their 30s with 256 individuals (21.8%), and those in their 40s with 222 individuals (18.9%). There were also individuals in their 60s (201 individuals, 17.1%), 20s (122 individuals, 10.4%), and 70s (44 individuals, 3.7%).
The youngest malicious landlord is a 19-year-old individual, A, living in Gangseo District, Seoul, who has not returned a deposit of 570 million won for nearly a year. Each malicious landlord has failed to return an average of 1.61 billion won in jeonse deposits. The landlord with the largest unpaid deposit is a 51-year-old individual, C, residing in Nam-gu, Ulsan, who has a jeonse deposit repayment debt of 862 million won.
By residence, the largest number of malicious landlords resides in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, with 63 individuals, followed by 53 in Gangseo District, Seoul, 48 in Michuhol District, Incheon, and 34 in Bupyeong District, Incheon, indicating that these areas have seen a high occurrence of jeonse fraud.
Meanwhile, the government is disclosing the names, ages, addresses, jeonse deposit repayment debts, and periods of default for landlords who have habitually failed to return deposits since Dec. 27, 2023, as a preventive measure against jeonse fraud.