Okay. I was extremely apprehensive about getting a roommate to start with, but I did because of finances.
I knew within a week that there would be a problem. Boy, who knew it would be that bad? The first lesson I learned is, always follow up on references, and speak to the old roommate. Even if they have been made to sound like a monster, talk with them and find out something about your roommate’s living habits. My roommate turned out to be a pig who would use my stuff, forget to give it back, and when I finally asked for it back, would return it dirty or moldy.
Next lesson: don’t automatically assume that everything someone tells you is the truth when you haven’t checked their references. I ended up getting involved in a school scandal because I allowed myself to be concerned about her and a chef that she said “took advantage of her.” Well, he didn’t take advantage of her, she knew what she was doing and was manipulating to get a better grade. She just told me a different story so that I would feel sorry for her. She just didn’t realize that I’m the take action sort of person. Completely my fault, I shouldn’t have interfered. Me and my righteous anger. Ugh.
Third lesson: always draw up a contract with a person, even if you are the only one on the lease. Get first and last month’s rent as well as a depost. Also, make sure that it is specified that they give you 30 days moving notice or the deposit is forfeit. EVEN IF THE PERSON SEEMS NICE! I was trying to be the nice girl, because she is a student, too and I know she is having a hard time. Well, not that hard because daddy sends her a check each month if she needs it. But, I didn’t know this at the time. Anyway, one week before rent is due, she tells me she is leaving on the 16th. She also tells me to take the rent out of her deposit. Which means that I’m pretty much screwed for rent. I tell her, no, you only gave me one week notice and I need a check for the time you are here. You will get your deposit when you leave. She was peeved at this, but wrote me a check. Boy, am I glad I insisted on this. One of the smarter things that I did during her stay. A few days before she was supposed to move out, she said that she would need to stay two extra days while the carpeting was being put in. They couldn’t put it in while it was raining. I could understand this, but I only wanted her here the two extra days. No more. All the nasty snipes behind my back, all the times I finally broke down and cleaned up the kitchen after her mess because the smell got to me and it was drawing flies, the threats of violence that she made to her friends (that I found out from her friends), no more. OUT!
Now, it’s Tuesday. And she hasn’t started packing yet. Yesterday, I made the comment, “You’re going to have a hard time getting all this moved in one day, aren’t you?” And she replied, “That’s how I did it when I moved here.” Okay… If that’s how she wants to play it. The thing is, I have a neighbor, a very benevolent neighbor, who, knowing my predicament, said to me, “I tell you what. The landlady is having my apartment recarpeted. I was going to get a storage space to put all my furniture, but if you would give me the room for my furniture, I’ll pay the remainder of your rent.” It works out great, because he feels safer doing it that way, plus his stuff is just a few doors down from him. It makes it a bit easier, and he’s doing someone a huge favor in the process. But now, he’s been waiting since Sunday to start moving his stuff over. He took it well, but remember, he’s the one doing me the favor here!
I come home today from errands, she’s back from school…sleeping! I say, “What are you doing? You’re supposed to be out of here today!” And she wakes up long enough to say, “The carpet’s not in yet.” And puts her head back down. I say, “That’s not my problem. Look, you told me one week before rent was due that you were moving out. You screwed me over, and I had to scramble to figure things out. Now, I have plans for tomorrow and I need you out today!” Just then, her phone rings, so I close the door. She’s on the phone for a while, and now, I can hear her “crying” in the bedroom. She’s done this to me before. I got yelled at because she left her laundry strewn all over the laundry room for three days, and I’m the one on the lease. I said to her, “What were you thinking! This isn’t your private laundry area. It’s a nice area! You can’t just throw crap all over the place and leave it there for three days! My landlady is on the phone yelling at me now because of it!” So, she goes into her bedroom, cries for a while, loud enough for me to here her, and then goes and cleans up her mess. Just so you know, it’s a nice laundry room. There’s a table and chairs, a counter filled with magazines, and two book shelves filled with books. There’s a folding area and a place to hang your clothes. There is also a bathroom with a shower, because the laundry room is by the pool. She left some of her clothes strewn on the table, the counter and soaking in the shower stall.
Anyway, I’m tired of feeling bad for having to play the grown up. She’s 28, not 18! She has taken advantage of me, lied to me, made my landlady extremely irate, and refuses to take responsibility for her actions. And I’m the one getting screwed! And now, she won’t go away. And I’m supposed to feel bad about this? AGH!
This isn’t even everything she’s done, but this rant has gone on long enough.
