Saturday, August 22, 2009

Why???

There are times when I just want to sit down and howl. Yesterday was one of them. I've cleaned for a week. My company has finally arrived. One of the kids brought me a note from our leasing office when she came in from playing outside.

So yesterday was Friday. On MONDAY the maintenance department will be conducting inspections of our apartments. What kind of inspections you say?

Oh... things like smoke detectors, replacement of gas lines for our stoves, replacement of filters for the furnace. And "general housekeeping".

That last one has generated a storm of protest at the rental office. So much so that the leasing manager refuses to speak to any tenant about their concerns. Makes you kind of wonder, eh?

Why would that be? Those who have tried to find out exactly what "general housekeeping" entails haven't had much luck. There have been generalizations handed out. "No piles of stuff." "No clutter." "Nothing sitting around."

By definition, most authors have plenty of "stuff" sitting around. I admit that I was planning on finishing rearranging my office this week. It annoys me that I must spend the weekend cleaning it instead of the other things I needed to do.

But more than that, I resent the cavalier treatment from my rental office. No warning. No courtesy. No explanations. Why the short shrift?

It seems to me that cooperation would be more forthcoming if the leasing agent did their part. When one neighbor expressed concerns because past inspections have led to subsequent robberies, she was curtly told in that case she should make sure that she was in the apartment when the maintenance people showed up. This after she mentioned she had an appointment.

I have to admit that the straws are rapidly piling up. And soon we may reach the one that finally breaks the camel's back.

anny

4 comments:

  1. I do not understand how someone can dictate to you how you live in your own home. I can understand the issues of disease and filth but clutter????????? Seriously????? Who are these people? Are they going to come in with white gloves? You are a stronger woman than I am. I would tell 'em to rack off. Is this a standard carry on in th US rental market? I was a landlord once and as long as people paid on time and my property was clean they could be satanic worshippers for all I cared. It was not my buiness how someone lived. I would really like to understand the US housing issue there

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  2. We lived in a 2 brm apt for five years, and our yearly complaint was over the patio. The unit next to us had weeds taller than the waist-high fence, but we would find maintenance guys inside our gate, weed-whacker in hand, if our weeds grew higher than two inches (usually a once a year occurrance, if D was working long hours at work) But the year we got furious was when our tomato plants were 'whacked'. Could they not tell the difference between a weed and three tall, strategically placed PLANTS? This happened while I was in the hospital after giving birth to S....and the office got a huge dose of hormonal angst over the loss of our plants and 'can't they get the right patio for once? All they have to do is open their eyes and SEE the forest growing next door!'

    Our straw came a month before we moved to the house. Our tiny apt was tucked in behind the stairs, and I was stacking boxes right outside the door, out of sight of anyone coming inside the common hall. I went to the office to let them know we were not renewing, but going month-to-month until the house was ready. They were getting ready to evict us, on the basis of 'your boxes'; 'the dog' (we doggy-sat for the one upstairs), and 'the continuing weed problem'. I went to the head security guy, who spoke to the owner, who promptly turned around and fired nearly the entire office staff. We could live rent-free until our move, and finally the 'jungle' next door was eliminated. Plus, he let the kids and I use the pool the following year, as we were only moving 30 minutes away.

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  3. OMG! The same thing happened to my son and his roommate - an inspection was mandated by the county and they found that the landlord was guilty of a bunch of violations and the guys had to move out and that's how come I had the puppy for six bloody weeks! You poor thing!

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  4. I have never heard of that! Don't like it!

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