hopehope
Banned
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,815
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Post by hopehope on Sept 28, 2010 21:41:23 GMT -5
oh, vega addressed what I would have.
please -- don't ask if any of it will be refunded. that money is yours, rightfully. tell him when and where he must send it.
be business like. let him get the impression there will be business like consequences if he does not do what he is supposed to do -- with YOUR money.
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Post by missjean on Sept 28, 2010 21:52:05 GMT -5
AnnieOkie, that neighbor was being a jerk, and she probably knows it. She "wouldn't be surprised" if he sued? Then she must be pretty dim, too. Landlords who are too L A Z Y for maintenance rarely get worked up enough to sue. It's too much like work. And I agree with what others said. The landlord isn't worth thinking about. If he badmouths you, it only means that he's mad because now he'll have to work hard to get another tenant he can neglect. Even if you don't get back all your security deposit, you can think of it as the price you paid to leave that joint! Good luck with the housekeeping!
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Post by AnnieOkie on Oct 5, 2010 14:13:24 GMT -5
WHEW! I am literally out of breath. I just called previous landlord AGAIN to inquire about the deposit. He did not answer so I left a message that hopefully got the message through to him that I would like to know one way or the other about the deposit refund.
I hate making phone calls like that.
I told him I would have mailed him a letter but I no longer have his mailing address....which I don't.
Will follow up if I hear anything.
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Post by AnnieOkie on Oct 5, 2010 15:14:21 GMT -5
Well, he called me back finally. I didn't take the call and he left a voice mail.....WEIRD, WEIRD MAN (and that is the uncensored version of what I think of him).....very confusing tallying off how much he had to spend on cleaning baseboards, weed-eating, cobwebs....blah blah blah..... He seemed to think I owed him anywhere from $100 to $700 for all of these things according to his message....but still told me he appreciated my "longevity" as a tenant....WTF?? After I had had a chance to catch my breath I called him back and he answered (surprise). I told him I was confused by his message and asked him how much he thought I owed him? ? Then he said I didn't owe him anything but still appreciated me as a good tenant (rent paid on time, longevity, etc.). So I said "I don't owe you anything?" and he said "No, do you think I owe you anything?" and I said "No, I just want this over with and that is why I have been calling." You know I could be really persistent and press the issue, but honestly I am afraid he has grounds to try to get something from me. I suppose "ghost squalor" and shame rears its ugly head in many places. But no more for me............it is over. I'm cutting my losses, calling it good and a lesson learned. Thanks to all for the support and advice.
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Post by blossoming on Oct 5, 2010 15:20:04 GMT -5
i think your neighbor is a horrible blankety blank and i'm sorry she stirred all this up for you. you did good looking into it, though.
i had a neighbor who would toss their trash in my yard then go tell others how messed up my yard was. only, the brands of cans, etc. were brands i've never bought in my life. people will do very, very odd things especially as angelpuss says, if they can showboat and get attention by making someone else look bad.
glad you're doing a good job at your new place
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Post by toomuchstuph on Oct 5, 2010 15:27:17 GMT -5
Annie, I'm glad for you that this is over!
Just to be on the safe side though, if it were me, I'd write him a letter and send it via a method that required signature confirmation (certified?)
Just confirm what you understand was said in your conversation today. I don't know the rental laws in OK, but in certain areas of California a landlord is required by law to provide a list of how he spent the cleaning deposit if it wasn't refunded. If anything like that is a requirement in OK, you might want to request it by letter. If nothing else, confirm by letter that you do not owe him any money.
Phone conversations are often more congenial - but if anything arises months from now, a written correspondence is a great thing to have.
Again, congrats on closing this chapter!
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Post by Script on Oct 5, 2010 15:34:47 GMT -5
Dear Annie: first of all, I have been away A LOT and don't know if I sufficiently EXCLAIMED with JOY at the photos of your new home. Now to the matter at hand: There are people in this world who genuinely enjoy other people's misery. Please know that your neighbour belongs in that woeful category. These are people to be avoided. Your landlord AS LANDLORD has seen [or will see, if he stays in this business for long] lots of unpleasant things in his rental units, including various illegal activities, squalor, hoarding, clutter, drug and/or alcohol abuse, pet messes, rotting food, broken everything, and so on and so forth. PUT HIM out of your mind as best you can! I have gone with my sister to see her various rental properties [high end]. I have seen the hoarded reading materials creating goat paths through the rooms; I have smelled the ghastly kitchens; I have been frightened by vicious dogs; I have been on the receiving end of the unpleasant e-mails from various irate tenants. THIS GOES WITH THE TERRITORY! If he wants a quiet life without headaches and tenant issues: HE IS IN THE WRONG BUSINESS. "Get real, bud" is my advice to him. Reminds me of a former client, a doctor who didn't like sick people..........
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Post by AnnieOkie on Oct 5, 2010 15:44:28 GMT -5
Thanks, Blossoming...neighbors can be very odd. Toomuchstuph-If I had it in me to call and get his mailing address, I would do just what you said about getting it in writing. But I don't....I do not have his mailing address any more. I am trusting this will be the end of it. But I did save his rambling message so I could let someone else hear how weird he is.... . Script-Thank you!!! Thanks for mentioning my pics. I think you have sufficiently talked me out of EVER wanting to be a landlord. Glad it's over folks.
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Post by messymimi on Oct 6, 2010 8:25:58 GMT -5
Dear Annie,
Haven't been online much lately, and I'm glad it's over for you, too.
Go on and enjoy your new, beautiful home.
messymimi
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Post by cando on Oct 6, 2010 12:28:01 GMT -5
Whew! Glad that is over with... Enjoy your new home. CD
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Post by Meme on Oct 6, 2010 13:49:23 GMT -5
I am glad u both worked it out-- I think in all fairness we have to look at the landlords side of things in this too-- many of us would have no place to live we could not rent-- we have folks homeless and houses sitting empty simply because that landlords have enough---they won't take anyone with out good credit or a valid reference from someone who actually rented to them--- they will only take company letters as some times people have used false landlords for the phone- they pay higher garbage rates- higher insurance rates plus insurance does not cover extensive damage done and the house can be declared unfit to rent again - there has to be respect on both sides - here in our area it is getting harder to rent places with out a lot of money down---- here it is first month rent - last month rent - plus a large damage deposit which is at least double the rent- so some folks need up 5000 dollars just to move in--- social services will only pay one life time deposit and only the one month rent so sadly kids and adults are living in shelters -
Meme
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Post by AnnieOkie on Oct 6, 2010 13:54:52 GMT -5
Thanks, Meme for the reminder. I'm sure there are lots of landlords out there that get taken. I don't feel sorry for this man, though. He makes LOTS of money off of people each month and puts the bare minumum possible into the homes he rents.
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Post by BetsyMarie on Oct 7, 2010 13:11:33 GMT -5
I don't know the circumstances of either the landlord or the tenant in this case, and am not addressing it. Just thinking about landlords and tenants in general. Speaking just for (and about) myself, I would not want to rent to me, the hoarder.
I don't intentionally destroy anything, and am careful about all wet stuff (I learned the hard way - damaged two small places in floors), but I am harder on a place than a neatie would be. I dont vacuum as often so there is more wear and tear on carpeting, especially if there are goat paths. I dont sweep/mop as often so I walk on gritty or sticky floors more often, so the surface isn't as nice as if a cleanie had lived there and swept/mopped often. I dont wash walls regularly so when it's time, I have to really scrub hard - not good for painted surfaces.
Because I absolutely hate to let someone in the front door, there is often delayed maintaining of essentials. Doors or windows or sinks or toilets, disposals that freeze-up, that should be fixed immediately are let to get worse. A stitch in time saves nine.
I've maintained my home poorly both as a home-owner as well as tenant. I'm a good person and always paid my rents on time, but I was not the best of tenants because of my hoarding. There is no way that I could take as good care of a place as normal neaties would.
I'm sure others may disagree, and I don't mean to offend anyone, but judging by my own results, that is my personal opinion.
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Post by mouseanne on Oct 7, 2010 14:31:23 GMT -5
2 comments:
The neighbor... you say she is a hoarder. Her comments on you are her way of making HER better than YOU. (At least I'm not as bad as AnnieOkie-she thinks to herself.)
The landlord's address. If real estate tax is charged on real property in your state/county, you can obtain the mailing address of the owner of the property at your county tax office.
Hugs! mouseanne
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