The Vine

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Screwed Again!

How unbecoming of me, having just returned from Grand Cayman, to complain!

1) Housemate got a girlfriend.
2) Girlfriend brought her pit bull, to add to his pit bull.
3) At first it was promised that girlfriend had her won place to stay, now she is living here. They offered to pay more for rent, then they did not.
4) My cat will not stay at home because of the dogs.
5) My yard is now twigs and dust from the two dogs constantly racing around it.
6) My cat is a nervous wreck and developed a bad problem with lice, eww!
7) Now housemate and girlfriend are leaving. Gotta find new housemate by Nov 1st.
8) Found new housemate before Oct. 1st, who gave me $200 deposit!
9) Accordingly, spent all my savings ($400) in Grand Cayman.
10) Return on Oct. 15th from GC to hear a phone message from new housemate. She is not going to live with me after all because she didn't get the job she wanted. She's moving to Indiana.
11) Now she wants her deposit back! In spite of the fact that she promised to give 30-60 days notice before moving out. She claims that since she never moved in, she doesn't owe me that deposit money. I say that the deposit money is like earnest money, if you back out of a deal, you don't get it back. She asked about the deposit return, and I had told her that I would take it off the last month's rent, assuming nothing bad had happened. I might need that money to hopefully be able to pay rent for November if I can't find a housemate in 14 days.
12) She comes to my shop to have this argument, during business hours while I am working. Fortunately, the customer who had been crying on me about her sexual blackmail/stalker problem was willing to let me cry on her.
13) Girlfriend Firefly's cat dies, so I get to be Priestess of the Dead Animals again. I am extemely overqualified for this job.
14) I try to re-post my housemate needed ad on Craigslist. They give me a block notice, like I am some spammer or porn vender! (Yes, I deleted my previous ad from Sept. 22nd.) I can't publish my housemate needed ad, and Craigslist has neglected to tell me why or lift the block.
15) Last but not least, hurricane Wilma is now about 90 miles from Grand Cayman, where my parents are still, and predicted to become a force 4. GC is in the 20-percentile hit probablity according to Weather Underground.

Not all of these are gripes, but thanks for listening. I am particularly interested in what people have to say about #11. I have looked at leasing and deposit-return situations online, but nothing deals directly with a tennant who pays a deposit then backs out of the lease before they move in.

I should do a spell, but I'm just not in the mood, and haven't for quite some time....why is that?

My usually cheery nature is being stretched to its limits. Must go watch Simpsons now...

3 Comments:

At 10:36 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

My initial response to #11, would be to give the girl her money back. However - at some point I figured out that 1.you can't be everyones friend and 2.you have to keep the emotional side out of business transactions. The deposit is indeed like earnest money. She walked and left you in a bind - you keep the money to compensate for lost rent. I would be tempted to give her the money back IF you were able to find a new roommate before Nov 1 and were not out any money. BUT - since she felt the need to make a scene at your place of work - that would erase any feelings of wanting to give her the money back. Another thing I would recommend is to use a contract that spells out the conditions of the rental agreement - to include not getting your deposit back if you decide to chose Indiana over Austin!

 
At 10:35 AM, Blogger Cedar said...

Thanks. I have gotten another housemate who cheerfully paid rent and deposit, so I will be able to send her money back.

 
At 11:16 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

greetings ms ivieee!!!
I'm so glad to hear you found another housemate!
Re #11, I tend to think that the deposit is like earnest money.
x0x0
d-fly

 

Post a Comment

<< Home