It's funny how much my mood can change in just a couple weeks. The beginning of this month was pretty bad, emotionally speaking. It all felt a little pointless, and hopeless, and going-through-the-motions. I'm not jumping off the freaking walls with happiness or anything, but I feel as calm and collected and happy as anyone who has a relatively good and easy life but is scared shitless of our collapsing economy, the outcome of the coming election, the overwhelming stupidity of our society, the unchecked power we give to men who are wolves in sheep's clothing, and the reality that it's possible our lives will resemble Cormack McCarthy's The Road in 20 years (I loved that book, but I'd rather it be fiction).
Phew...I don't know where that rant came from. I wasn't intending this to be a discourse on why I think our society is totally and completely fucked. Really, I wasn't. Yesterday I got in yet another tiff with my shifty landlord and despite my relatively cheerful mood lately, it fracking pissed me off to no end. He's trying to get out of paying the trash bill from now on, which is listed as included in the rent on our lease (the rent which he hiked up $50 after we first saw the place). He was trying to sneak it by, and I only found out because I called DWP to check on a strange charge.
Here's the email I sent to my roommate about it yesterday:
He just called me at work and is trying to make some bullshit deal with me by saying that he'll put the bars on the windows by January if we cover the trash bill, because some shit about how he's losing his job in two weeks and didn't realize our unit gets charged for trash.
This is bullshit because:
a) Why the fuck should we pay for improvements to his property? I brought this up with him and he gave me some excuse like "not everyone likes bars on the windows so future tenants might not be into it". Ummm, people who don't like bars on windows don't consider moving to fucking [really shitty neighborhood in east Los Angeles]. Also why is he trying to bribe us with safety???
b) Oh hey, remember that time when stupid people took on a bunch of mortgages they couldn't afford and then our economy went straight to hell because they lost their jobs and defaulted on their home loans? Uh yeah, not my fault...I'm a renter.
c) Our lease: "Covered utilities: trash".
d) If he's in dire need of money, he can sell his fucking brand-new BMW.
Sorry if I seem harsh. Every time I talk to him he makes me stabby.
I promise my next post will be a return to the usual fucked-up stories from my past, and I might even throw in a short-shorted photo as an apology...cause I'm classy like that.
6 comments:
Ugh! I always used to threaten landlords who tried to violate the lease agreement that I was going to report them to the state apartment association (which is more threatening than a lawsuit b/c it is cheaper for the tenant and requires less proof). But I don't know if they have any governance over individuals who are leasing out their own properties. You might look into places where you could file a formal complaint (or threaten to file one) if you need to - I think California is pretty renter-friendly. I hope it works out!
Ooh, or maybe just start sending him certified letters that document what you have discussed and your response. Those only cost like $2, and it would probably freak him out to know that you're documenting everything.
hey georgia, if i were you, i would document all the bullshit that goes on with your landlord (if you haven't already), and make sure you have some sort of copy of the rent you pay each month. he sounds shady... my friend and i lived at this place in silver lake a few years back and the landlord was incredibly shady and we had to take him to court several times because he wouldn't pay back the deposit...AFTER rain had pouring through the ceilings and he didn't fix it... could barely even serve him papers... etc. that place was adorable too. his name was ross.... hope it's not the same guy!
kathleen
How much money is the trash bill? I know that is so totally NOT the point, but people like myself that have been beaten down by life might be inclined to pay it, if, say, it was under $20, just to be rid of the negative energy.
Of course, people with BMWs shouldn't be trying to squeeze a trash bill out of someone. That would make me stabby too.
I love it when people use stabby as an adjective.
Although I understand your anger at your landlord, I can't get past the fact that you had to email your room mate for him to find out about it haha
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