Sorry to return on such a negative note, but I have an observation about life that is not entirely encouraging. Basically, it goes something like this: in general, you can’t trust people to do what they say they are going to do.
Nothing personal. The people who are most important in my life have not disappointed me. What I’m talking about is the freaking landlord and this whole issue about the roof. The other day the landlord told me the roofers would be here at 2:30 and they would need to come in to go into the attic and see where it was leaking. So I took some time off work, all the time thinking, “Yeah, right, like they’re really going to show.”
And why did I think that? Because I’ve been down this road before. I’ve been waiting for roofers before, that never show. Hell, one time I had a nice afternoon planned, and I cancelled it so I could be home for roofers….who never showed! And do you even want to hear about how many times I waited for a refrigerator repairman when I lived in the Falls of Margate? Man! I think it was literally 10 or 11 times that I waited and they never showed. It was just about the most frustrating experience of my life.
Anyway, come Friday, I get home, and lo and behold, there is the landlord, and here come the roofers! I am most surprised.
Well, everything is fine and dandy, except before they leave, the landlord tells me the roofers will be back on Sunday afternoon, about 2:30 again, and they will want to go up in the attic. Again. To drill a hole, so they can see where they need to work.
Okay, first of all, why didn’t they just drill the damn hole when they were up there on Friday? No, I am being asked to stay home again to let them in. So I say okay, since I don’t really have that much planned for Sunday, just intending to putter around the house. So Sunday afternoon is fine.
Only now it is early Sunday evening, and you guessed it….no roofers have ever shown up. And the landlord has not even called to explain why.
Oh well….the world has just gone back to normal, I suppose.
I think it must have something to do with being a renter. They know they have you over a barrel. At least for one year, until the lease comes due again.
Okay, I’ve vented enough for one day. Thanks for listening.
Not everyone is incompetent. I think it is directly tied to money. The more you pay, the better the service. You pay very little AND you rent, so OF COURSE service is gonna stink! I mean, if you were renting at some place where a studio was $1,200 then service would be AMAZING!
MONEY AND POWER
To some degree, this is strictly about POWER. In the case of the tenant/landlord relationship, the landlord has all the power. They can make you wait forever for maintenance. Well, in the end, of course, at the end of the lease, the tenant has the power when they say, “Tooda-loo!”
And of course, you are right when you say it’s about money. Because the one with the money has the power.