ex boyfriends suck
people bumming electricty from you suck too
real estate agents suck
renting sucks
Moving out is costing me so much money and I am INFURIATED
By coffeeshot
@coffeeshot (3783)
Australia
September 25, 2008 9:58pm CST
I lived in a rented house for two years and the lease ended on September 16th. I have been so stressed out about it and it all came to a head about 20 minutes ago when I burst into tears. This is the cr@p that I've had to deal with since moving out.
First of all, I left the house spotless, 10x cleaner than what it was when I moved in. For example when I moved in I found a G-String under the cupboard, complete with skid mark on it, the main bedroom smelled like cat urine for the first 6 months we were there (so i had to buy numerous carpet treatments to try to get rid of the smell which cost me a packet) and the oven had been sprayed with chemical foam stuff and not rinsed. I couldn't use the oven for about a month and it took me hours to get rid of all the foam. Every time we turned the oven on the house would fill with toxic smells. And the walls hadn't been scrubbed for years, as there was a mark around where the head of the bed was.
When I moved in I gave the walls a general wipe down with warm soapy water, but could not remove this mark so I just left it and put it down to the fact the house was over 60 years old.
When I moved out I got a call from the property manager saying "the house is nice and clean but I need to get you to scrub the walls and get the marks off". I explained to her that I had tried when I moved in and that the walls were in that condition from the beginning but she wasn't interested in my answer and threatened to take money from my bond if she had to get a professional cleaner in to do it.
Because my ex refused to come help scrub the walls I did it myself, with the help of my 11 year old brother who felt sorry for me. I spent 2 hours scrubbing marks off the walls that had probably been there for 20 years.
I finally got the forms to collect my bond and my ex and I are each getting $278 each back out of $1100 bond.
This upset me enough then I realised today that I haven't contacted the electricity company to cut off our power. Now, I would have organised this before we moved out but on the exit forms it said in bold letters DO NOT DISCONNECT YOUR ELECTRICITY so I kind of forgot about it and assumed the real estate would talk to me about it. Well they didn't, and I remembered and called the power company up today and this is what they had to say."We'll take a final reading and disconnect the power on Wednesday the 1st October'. I asked why so long and she said they need three working days notice. So I'm paying for some losers' electricity bill for two weeks.
It's making me so mad because they haven't had any new power put on (the power company told me) so they're milking it for all it's worth.
My ex hasn't helped in any of this and I've had to deal with it all myself. The stress got to be too much and I broke down in tears. Now I'm just angry. I will never rent again.
Has anyone else had to deal with cr@p like this from a real estate agent?
4 people like this
18 responses
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
27 Sep 08
oh hell no.i would have cut that right off,especially after they stiffed me for that much deposit.they could ring that up major within two weeks.
yea,i've dealt with a landlord who pulled all kinds of games on move out-took my whole deposit and tried to get more for pre-existing damages.
they backed off when i quoted the law about tenants being able to sue for twice as much on false claims of damage.in a nutshell,she was trying to get me to pay for upgrades to that craphole.
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
28 Sep 08
she used to come in while i was at work too.
i know i didn't wear that godawful perfume i smelt.
*yuck*
@suehan1 (4344)
• Australia
26 Sep 08
i am lucky i have a good real estate agent,and every little mark was noted on the walls etc,a pre lease inspection,so they know what was there before i moved in.do you have a pre lease inspection report.i would definately find out why you did not get all the money back from your bond,and you can get on to the rental bond board and find out your rights.also as far as the electricity you can get onto the telecommunications ombudsman and lodged a complaint,if you feel the the telecommunications people have not done the right thing by you.i am in n.s.w,so you should have the same people in your state.cheers sue
@coffeeshot (3783)
• Australia
28 Sep 08
Yes i did write about the marks onthe wall on the entry report..obviously they don't care. I don't think there's anything I can do about the power either. The only thing I suppose I can do is inform the Real Estate that the DO NOT TURN YOUR ELECTRICTY OFF comment is a bit misleading.
1 person likes this
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
26 Sep 08
Can't day that I have been through that much grief. What you should have done is noted everything about when you first moved in the place and sent a letter - certified mail - to the real estate company. That way when you moved out and they said you need to do XYZ and you have proof that all of those marks were their prior to your move in.
How did they justify not giving you back all of your money after you removed tha marks? In most states, in order for them to keep any of your money they have to send you a detailed list of what they took money out for.
If you have proof you moved out on Sept 16th, you can send that to the electric company and they won't make you pay that bill. They will bill the current tenant - or the real estate company.
1 person likes this
@coffeeshot (3783)
• Australia
28 Sep 08
Nope I already tried to get out of the electricity thing but they insisted they have 3 days notice to turn the elctricity off and get a final reading
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
28 Sep 08
I would call back and speak with a manager OR go to a service center (if you still live in the area). What they are claiming sounds quite illegal especially if you can prove you didn't live there. Threaten to sue if you have to.
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
26 Sep 08
You are simply too nice and you follow everything to the letter of the law.
Bad people love to steal from nice people.
That's how they get rich.
I learned very early on in life... after renting my very first house at 21 years of age... that you could not trust a landlord to do the right thing by you.
So... I did establish my own law.
Every house I rented after that... if I had to leave... I would not pay the last 4 weeks of rent... which is the amount of the bond.
They did not like it... but there is nothing they can do about it.
And as long as you leave the house in the same conditions that the day it was given to you... they have nothing on you.
When we rent a house in Australia... we have a form to fill as we do an inspection of the house on the first day. That mark behind your bed would have been noted on the form... and she could not have asked you to remove it.
As for the electricity and telephone... those are cut off within 24 hours of asking for disconnection. I usually ask them to disconnect 24 hours before leaving. I can even specify the time I want it cut.
All that said... there are just as many tenants stealing from landlords by leaving the house in an absolute mess and not paying their rent.
So... if it is any consolation... your landlord will get her turn.
@teapotmommommerced (10359)
• United States
26 Sep 08
I have dealt with a lot of stuff like that. I feel that landlords tend to forget the shape they rented the house to you and only look at what is left when you leave.
From now on take photos and have the land lord write something in the lease/rental agreement that the place was like this when you moved it. You keep a copy and have the new landlord keep a copy. That way you have proof of what was left there and what was not. This will also cover you if there happens to be a new land lord or a new real estate company/person you have to deal with.
I am soo sorry to hear of the split with your boyfriend. I hope you are OK with all of that. Just the stress alone from the break up is enough to deal with let alone having to deal with all the other cr@ap on your own.
I hope you will soon be able to have a good relationship and a good place to live.
Good luck
1 person likes this
@mimico (3617)
• Philippines
26 Sep 08
Hello there. I don't know what to do or say. I wish I knew you so that we can help. Maybe you can get some help from someone in your family or a close friend? Sometimes things like this just happens. It's like a domino effect. One bad thing leads to another. So don't be afraid to ask help from others even though you feel or you know that you can do it alone. At least with other people on your side you won't be so stressed.
1 person likes this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
26 Sep 08
Aargh sorry to hear about what you're going through coffeeshot. We haven't had any issues as yet. No doubt when we move out next year I don't think that we will get any of the bond back. With a six year old son and a 39 year old daddy LOL the place is not as it was when we first moved in. I've tried my best to keep it clean and in ship shape but when I have two boys that don't tell me when they spill things, a son who writes on the walls and put dents in the walls, and break the blinds etc, it's hard to keep it the way it was when we first moved in.
We have had issues with our Gas provider and they are a pain up the butt, 8 months later I'm still sorting it out ARGH.
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
26 Sep 08
This whole thing just wreaks. For one thing, there is a thing called, "normal wear and tear" on a place. The walls fit into that category. That should not come out of your deposit. As for the electricity, rather than disconnecting it, you should ask them to transfer your electric bill to your new place and leave the electricity on in the old. The landlord should get that bill until new tenents move in. I have never dealt with this much from one landlord. I did year's ago, lose a deposit because I could not prove some things that were wrong with the place when I moved in & not something I caused. I was told then, to take pictures of things that are not right with a place when you move in & there you'll have proof. live & learn.
1 person likes this
@coffeeshot (3783)
• Australia
28 Sep 08
I've moved back home! And there were new tenants in 3 days after we left. So i'll be paying for the power they've been using since sep 16.
There is al arge mango tree in the backyard and I will mysteriously be removing all the mangoes for my own pleasure. Immature? Perhaps. Satisfying? Definitely.
@angel_of_charm (4134)
• Philippines
26 Sep 08
i feel for you...i haven't moved out yet but i know i will be dealing with this sh1t once moved out this 1st month of the year 2009...when i move in this apartment it has a lot of things that is broken, like for example the shower is broken, the faucet are broken both on the sink and the the laundry area, the laundry area drainage is flooding whenever we do our laundry...the door knobs are broken as well...just when I'm done with the inspection once i move in i told the landlady and here's what she has to say "once you moved in you must have inform me with it rather than waiting for days to report it, now i cant do anything with it coz i didn't know who broke it" it hit my nerves but i was in the contract already, so i fix all of it...now, on August this year i was robbed inside the apartment...took my personal belongings and money specially my laptop...he broke in the window but before that he tried to break in the front door reason why the front door knob is broke again...so i called her and said i was robbed and that i need her to change the knob because i don't feel much safer and that i need a double lock...here's what she has to say "it is not my responsibility to check upon your security, its the tenant who is responsible for their safety" in other words i had to change it again myself...just this year i had so much expenses with this apartment....so i told her, "fine! I'll change it again. but this time when i move out I'm taking the replacement i had to do in this apartment..because at the first place it says on the contract you are the one liable for changing what's broken it its a natural cause....
1 person likes this
@coffeeshot (3783)
• Australia
28 Sep 08
do as much research as you can now before you leave because your landlord sounds like a loser. I feel sorry for you having to go that crap in a few months time. At least you have time to prepare!
@cupid74 (11388)
• Pakistan
26 Sep 08
Hi Dear
Not a Good Situation u r In, And u know what i will blame it to Ur Ex rather then Real state agent ( no doubt she is making fuss too) as he must take responsibilty of same.
Well whenever i rent some thing, i note all readings of Power, Gas Etc and Give it to Agent, Show him Repair needed and tell him its Not Me
And same i do before giving keys back to avoild later problems
regards
zass
1 person likes this
@SukiSmiles (1991)
• United States
26 Sep 08
All I can say is good luck. I rented an apartment once where the manager embellized the pet deposit. So, when I asked for it back after moving out two years later, the new managers said, sorry, you didn't have a pet deposit. I guess I should be glad that I at least got the orginal deposit back. Of course, the place we ended up moving into was disgustingly dirty and we did take picture of everything. We didn't even have a working fridge and had to wait 3 days for one - and we had literally just moved to the middle of nowhere with a baby. Not fun. I thought I was going to break down crying.
1 person likes this
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
26 Sep 08
I'm not sure what the laws are where you are, but when I had a problem with a rental that was handled by a real estate agent, I was able to complain to the board of realtors and they helpled me.
In today's world, whenever one rents anything (even a car), it's wise to take pictures of what it looked like when you took possessiona and what it looks like when you give up possession.
Since this was handled by a real estate, did they do a walk through with you before hand? If so, were there any notations made on the lease agreement at that time? If not, that's a lesson to be learned in any leasing situation - with a realtor or a landlord. None of them like giving back money.
Also, one time when I moved out of a place where a resident moved in right behind me, I was able to give the power company the name of the new occupant and they switched the names for me over the phone. They used the date I called in as the switching date and estimated what my bill would be. Then they did the official reading when they could get out to do so.
1 person likes this
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
26 Sep 08
Hi coffeeshot,
I am so sorry to hear about all this stuff going on in your life, I would tell the whole lot of them to go get stuff, theyonly treating like this because you are a womam, my husband wouldn't put with all that, I cannot believe how the landlord has bullied into cleaning the walls when it was there in the first place, I would have bothered, I am angry just reading your post.
Tamara
1 person likes this
@blackbriar (9076)
• United States
26 Sep 08
Holy crap!!! Sounds like you've had a landlord from hell and beyond, coffeeshot. The 2 times we've ever rented, we never had problems with the landlord. They were great people. Guess we were lucky in that respect. IF you ever rent again, take tons of pictures of what the place looks like BEFORE you move a piece of your stuff in and BEFORE you do any type of cleaning and keep them in a safe place for when/if you need them when you move out. Had you done this, you wouldn't of had to spend time/money scrubbing the walls of marks that you didn't make. Sounds like your EX needs to have his wallet/brain dragged through the manure for a while. Sending prayers up that things start looking up for you soon, my friend.
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
26 Sep 08
I am so sorry you had to go through with all that hardship... the money you paid is certainly not worth all the time and effort you spent cleaning the house... so i can understand why you are upset... i hope you will be lucky with your next apartment...
This is why i love the apartment where my daughter and i live... it is small but we are the first ones to live there... and my landlady had it cleaned before we moved in... so i consider myself very lucky...
1 person likes this
@CAdreamer (118)
• United States
26 Sep 08
While I haven't had to deal with a real estate agent, I have had to deal with a property manager, and I can say that I have had similar results. Basically they can get away with almost anything. What you need to do when you rent a place is to make sure you document everything that is wrong when you move in. Take pictures, Videos, and copious notes, and make sure the pictures and videos show the date and time. THen you make a copy, give the copy to the agent, and that way they will know what was wrong when you moved in. If they still try to take all your money, then you take them to court. With all the documentation you would have no problem winning a ruling and compensation for your troubles. As for the electric company, all you have to do to deal with them is calmly, but sternly tell them the exact date you moved out. Then explain to them that you were told in the contract not to shut off the electric immediately. That way if anything you can tell the judge when you left and the agent will be responsible for the expense on your electric. Otherwise, shut off the electric immediately upon moving out, because legally once you are out you are no longer a resident and you are not responsible for keeping the electric on.
