The joys of living in rental properties

The BBQ Pit
21

Dude, I’d kill for white walls. My apartment has black mirror on three of the walls. Full length. The landlord is enamored with them for reasons that I’ve never been able to fathom. When the previous tenant moved out, one got cracked and he told us not to worry, that he would replace it. I don’t complain about it much, or move, because my rent is relatively low for a nice building in a good neighborhood close to public transportation, but damn, that shit is ugly. Other than that, I like my apartment.

On the plus side, my wife can see what her outfit looks like in a full length mirror.

22

Uh, so why not use the other back burner? If you use burners the are diagonally opposite each other, you shouldn’t have a problem with leaning over your soup since you’ll be beside it, or with the pots fitting.

I’ve cooked. Rather a lot. Mostly on stoves with only one large burner. Every one of those stoves has had the large burner in front.

Buy an in oven thermometer and monitor the temperature yourself. Yeah, it’d be nice if the actual unit worked properly, but since it doesn’t, ‘Oh well, I guess I’ll just pretend it does and burn these cookies,’ is a particularly lame response to the problem.

23

Aesiron, I lived in the South for about 5 years, on and off, while I was in the Navy. Most of that time was spent in the Norfolk, VA area, so it’s possible it may not count in your mind.

Middlecase, oddly enough, I do sympathize. The way that the laws have been finessed to protect tenants make it almost impossible for landlords to protect their properties from nightmare tenants. However, for a large segment of the population owning one’s own home is not an option. The fact that you have legitimate complaints from the opposite side, as mine, here, doesn’t mean that I’ve no right to kvetch on my own. Heck, if you want to complain about some of your worst tenants, feel free, I won’t mind if you hijack the thread. But - since I’m no longer in the Navy I can complain, and I will.

Go You Big Red Fire Engine, egads… :eek:

Ooner, it’s not that I object to the idea of a large burner in the front of the stove. When I’m using just one burner, that’s the one I’m most often using, I’ll admit. I’d just prefer to have a large burner on the back, as well, so I can have something simmering while I cook for immediate use.

AvaBeth, and cazzle, I’m sorry to hear that this arrangement is more common than I feared…

Calm Kiwi, are you telling us that this arrangement of burners is a Enzedd plot? You Fiends!!! :wink:

Tell Me I’m Not Crazy, whoops. Sorry, didn’t mean to leave you hanging like that.

*When I was working at the Executive Development Program at Cornell University, I got in huge trouble with the manager, when I referred to a casserole being served one day as “glop.” The manager was convinced I was insulting the food, and the cook. Finally she wound down on her tirade, and asked me what my mother would do if I called something she made glop.

I broke the manager’s wittle mind when I pointed out that glop is what my mother calls that kind of casserole. :smiley:

So, now the full name is “glop, just like Mother used to make.”

Miss Bunny, that would work, but for one thing - the shut off valves for the water faucet water isn’t under the sink. And I’m too lazy to actually get up into the drop ceiling and try tracing the pipes hand over hand. The building my apartment is in was originally built in the 1820’s, and the impression I have from some of the archetectural legacies in the apartment is that I’m living in the old coal storage area, for when the building was heated that way. This summer, I’d had the handyman in my apartment trying to find the master valve for the outside water faucet just next to one of my windows… turns out the pipe had been cut years ago, but the faucet is still there. It’s just one of the interesting features around.

AsecretK, I forgot about the building’s laundry facility. It’s just the other side of my wall… and one of the dryers needs a new bearing, or at least some more WD-40. The wheeping of the thing, when it’s running (invariably noticed only at 2 AM, of course) can be trying.

brujo, I’ll admit there are worse color combinations than plain white. I’m just tired of it. But, no, I’m not going to offer to trade with you.

jacquilynne, okay, this is going to get a bit detailed: The stove is against a wall, and I’m right handed, so if I’m coming from the left, so to speak, I need more space, or I’ll be bumping everything. I’m klutz even when I can use my right hand… I have tried using my left at times… and it’s not good. Mess everywhere.

Anyways, since the large burner is the right front burner, if I used the left rear burner I’d be reaching even further over the simmering pot to stir things in the pot on the left rear burner, at least with the right rear burner, I can reach mostly over the sink, and just have to deal with steam on my glasses. When my brain is working properly. Alas, while I’m cooking, I tend to forget things like that, until reminded by the steam… :frowning:

Secondly, the cookies was a one time thing, so far. I don’t bake cookies that often. I will be getting an in over thermometer, but my budget is tight, and usually, I prefer to splurge on two other categories of things before I go for boring kitchen gadgets*: books, and special foods, like, say a nice steak.

*Boring kitchen gadgets: slotted spoons; in oven thermometers (not least of the problem with those is that most I’ve seen are impossible to read, anyways.); and new sponges.

Not to be confused with

Fun kitchen gadgets: attachments for my KitchenAid Stand Mixer; a dough knife; New cutting boards; countertop deep fryers; immersion blenders…

See, I do sometimes remember my asterisks…

24

And you just *know * that I checked! :slight_smile:

25

There are 2 sinks and one shower in my studio apartment. The kitchen sink has the hot on the right and the cold on the left, but the knobs are at least correctly labelled since all I had to do was pop the little plastic ‘H’ and ‘C’ out and swith them.

The shower knobs have hot on the left and cold on the right (as is usual) but the ‘C’ labelled knob is on the left and the ‘H’ knob is on the right. Both knobs need to be turned out from the center to turn on and in towards the center to shut the water off. My first shower in this apartment was a real experince.

The bathroom sink is normal. It’s a miracle!

Before I moved in they had to replace the burner unit (I have no oven) because it had been installed improperly so that the back burner was far too close to the wall, which now had a big black scorch mark on it (!).

26

It counts but, then again, I have an odd definition of the South when compared to most others.

Anyway, I was just curious about whether it was close to my geographic area and it wasn’t so I am guessing calling them eyes is more of a Deep South thing.

27

I rented a house with 3 other girls while in college. This house was in a fairly nice neighborhood and if kept up it would have been a nice house, but the landlord company just did not care about it or us. A few of the biggest incidents:

We had a carbon monoxide leak that we discovered by accident when calling about a gas leak. The furnace was condemned.

The main floor toilet did not work, and the shower drain stopped up so we had to time our showers far enough apart so as not to overflow the tub.

There were live birds and bats in the attic.

and the best one -
The last summer we lived there the kitchen ceiling collapsed while my roommate was cooking breakfast. She managed to get out unharmed but had to wade back in to turn off the stove. The whole ceiling just came down at once and there was about 1-3 feet of debris on the ground. When she called the landlord they did not seem to comprehend what she was saying, they thought some plaster bits were coming off. When she finally convinced them to send someone out that day, he showed up with a bag and a little shovel. He walked in the house, took one look at the kitchen, and walked back out saying he would be back with more guys and a truck. They never did replace the ceiling while we lived there.

28

Is it that you’re not allowed to paint the walls any color but white, or are you just not allowed to leave the walls any color but white? I’ve been a renter for the past 10 years, and most leases I’ve seen basically don’t care what you do to the place while you live there, as long as you return it to white walls and beige carpeting before moving out. Your lease might say exactly what you said, of course, but if you’re not sure it might be worth checking out.

Personally, I like white walls and beige carpeting. I’m not committed to a color scheme or design style, and I spice things up with artwork on the walls. That said, it’s only been in the past few years that I’ve been able to start buying furniture for myself (instead of using whatever hand-me-downs I’ve managed to collect), and most rooms still have a ways to go. So maybe once I have my all-cherrywood bedroom completed, or my Ikea-and-LaZBoy living room completed, I’ll be able to imagine wanting walls that aren’t white. :slight_smile:

The shower in my master bathroom is also backwards in terms of which direction to turn the knob for hot/cold water. The knob wasn’t even attached when I moved in, and when the handyman came to attach it he discovered the situation. I’ve gotten used to it in the 1.5 years I’ve lived in this house, and so far I haven’t accidentally burned or frozen myself when using other showers. :wink:

In my case the homeowner lives overseas, and I have to go through a property management company. The situation has its good points, but I’m hoping that when it’s time to move on to my next rental I’ll be able to deal directly with the homeowner/landlord.

29

Heh, we’re professional renters.

One Cat Allowed: Well, we have 3, but they “go” in the litterbox and vanish like cockroaches anytime we have a visitor (aka: Landlord). We reckon this is not unethical because 1) it’s a stupid restriction–how are 3 well-behaved cats worse than 1 ill-behaved cat? and 2) the cats leave no trace of themselves, my kids on the other hand…

Don’t paint the inside of the house: “Oh…forgot about that, sorry. But the kids don’t do well in white rooms. We’ll paint all before we leave.” Primer and skill is a wonderful combination.

And while we’re here…you don’t mind if we replace the dandelions in the “weed bed” out front $100 worth of tulip/daffodil/crocus bulbs do you? And a couple lavender plants? And bark the bed as well? How about if we just get rid of your dandelions in the lawn too–and these single-pane aluminum windows…I’ll replace 'em all for the cost of materials ($125 each) and give 'em a nice professional look. And listen, I replaced the dishwasher OK? Because the old one was more of a “steamer” than a sprayer. Don’t worry about it, we’re here for another 5 or 6 years…bad credit, y’know. And it’s my pleasure to throw a new layer of shingles on your roof, 10 years of hail have taken their toll. No no, no cost to you but materials, same goes for the back yard fence. I’ll rip out those rotten pickets & throw some new cedar up for you. And you get first harvest out of the garden…did I mention the veggie garden in the back yard? Yeah, the peas took a beating in spring hail, but the canteloupes came in…finally. Ummm.yeah, that’s actually *my *fridge. Family of 5, you know. Your little fellah is out in the garage full of beer…well of *course * the garage floor looks clean…uh…yeah, those are all my tools…Well, gee, I never thought of doing mechanical work on the side. :rolleyes:

Now. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don’t run me off by raising the rent!

30

I was surprised reading the lease at the signing that they specified that there was to be no painting at all, expect in Landlord White. (Yes, I think that’s an official color name. It’s no worse than Eggshell White, if you think of it, to my mind.) I don’t mind painting, and would be willing to paint once and again when it comes time to leave, but I’d rather avoid breaking outright any clauses of the lease.

Bwak! :smiley:

31

We have slow and subtle ways to take over the world. Bwahahahaha

32

LOL!

It sucks that your lease is so specific. :frowning:

33

Does that include making unsuspecting American citizens into New Zealanders? Granted, one of my best friends is a Kiwi but *he *moved here, not the other way around.

34

My landlord seems to think that the solution to the problem of water dripping through the visible cracks in my ceiling whenever the upstairs tenants run the shower without putting a towel on the floor is to remind the tenants to always put a towel on the floor.

I guess that’s cheaper than, say, fixing the cracks in the ceiling :rolleyes:

35

I did {1} and {2}. Being a landlord just isn’t worth the hassle: I’m sure there are wonderful tenants out there, but unfortunately there are total shitbags too, and it’s a lottery as to which you get: and as someone has already pointed out, at least in NZ tenancy laws are heavily weighted against landlords - it’s bloody hard to get someone evicted {and you can kiss goodbye to the rent arrears}, it’s near impossible to recover arrears anyway, and if I do give legitimate notice they’ll probably stop paying rent anyway into the bargain.

I consider myself a reasonable man. I wasn’t a rack-renter, I charged a fair price, and in return provided a roof over someone’s head. Quite a nice roof, I might add. No leaks in it. Floors underneath. No holes in them. Walls in between. Solid ones, with tasteful wallpaper. In short, I let someone else {actually, a number of someone elses} use property of mine in return for financial reimbursement. A contract, you might say. Providing a service. In return, this is some of the shit I have had to put up with:

We have a contract: You pay me rent, I let you live in my {technically the bank’s} house. Not living up to your end of the agreement is stealing - you think the bank’s gonna let the mortgage slide for the month because you can’t be arsed fulfilling your end of the bargain?

Don’t break stuff. Anything you break, I have to fix. That costs me money, since it comes out of my insurance. Normal wear and tear, fine. Banging holes in the wall on a whim, no.

Don’t steal. When you move out, you can’t take the stove with you. Or the light fittings. Or carpet. {Speaking of which, how did you manage to get those oil stains in it?}

The lease specifies no noisy parties. If the Team Policing Unit and a tactical helicopter get called out because one too many of your little soirees gets out of hand and someone gets stabbed {thankfully not on the carpet}, guess who fields the irate phone calls from the neighbours?

Get off your lazy arses. Just because there are fungi growing in the shower doesn’t mean I’m going to pay for a commercial cleaner: ever heard of Vim and scrubbing brushes?

No, I don’t care if you don’t get on with your flatmate. The lease isn’t in your name, and I’m not your mother. You don’t like her, move out. I don’t know you anyway, and legally speaking you have no right to be there.

No, I’m not buying you whiteware. The fridge is too small, and you can’t fit everyone’s food in at once? I DON’T CARE. Buy a bigger fridge with your own money, go shopping more often, or eat your flatmates who probably shouldn’t be there anyway.

No pets means no pets. Even cats. Especially cats. They piss on the already oil-stained floor, they shred the wallpaper, they shit in the bathroom until the place stinks like Miss Havisham’s knickers, and I flat out don’t like the little bastards anyway. Does that make me mean? Fine, I’m mean. Go rent off someone nicer.

This is why I am no longer a landlord. And as for {3}, you can stick it up your arse for nothing and fuck off for free.

36

You have many good points oh crotchedy ex-landlord. Damn those wanker-tenants that make getting a rental proprty as fun as wriggling over hot coals.

37

Hello, Calm Kiwi. Just needed to vent some spleen. Still awake, I see.

38

And it was well-vented (and funny in a “oh, that’s not funny” way :wink: )

39

Or caulking around the shower/tub. I’ve had one of those, too.

40

We didn’t have a lot of problems like what you all are describing. We just had one problem. A big one. The basement.

One of the windows leaked like a sieve due to the horrible grading on that side of the house (sheets of water poured down the wall - luckily it was near the drain). So, we called the landlord. At his suggestion, we caulked it up. No big deal. Five months later, in November, we got unbelievable rains for two straight weeks. And the aforementioned drain backed up.

Here in Indianapolis, we have combined sanitary / storm sewers. We had raw sewage in our basement. When we called Bob to tell him we had water in the basement, he thought we meant a little. No, we meant 3-4 inches of standing shitty water over approximately 1/5 of the basement. Oh, did I mention that it was the part nearest the washer and dryer? He did have a plumber out to unclog the drain or whatever, but it happened more than once in the time we lived there. Oh - and he refused to pay for a professional cleaning crew to come out and take care of the dried human waste on the floor. So my husband had to do it. Three times. The only other option was to call the health department and have them classify the house as unfit for human habitation. I’m sure we wouldn’t have gotten our security deposit back.

I’m glad we bit the bullet and bought our own place this spring!