The past month and a half has been spent “shifting flats” (moving from one apartment to another). Our lease ended May 31st, and we were all too ready to say goodbye to the wilful termites, overabundance of cockroaches, and Superman, our unstable landlord (to put it nicely). Before we could shift, we had to prepare our current flat for its final inspection by Superman. This meant repairing fixtures (that, for all I know, may or may not have worked when we moved in) and learning that our A/C WAS truly broken-and therefore needed repairing itself. The A/C had, in fact, been leaking gas (which may explain some of the difficulty I had in waking each morning...hmmm...).
Why must we go to the trouble? Because local housing rules demand that tenants pay a deposit worth 10 MONTHS RENT before moving in. Yes, ten (10) months. All at once. In addition to actually paying rent. Considering how difficult this is for us to front, it is apparent how such a system discriminates against any but the wealthiest of citizens.
The catch? Oh, yes, it is not that simple, folks. There is NO guarantee that the landlord will pay the deposit back; especially a landlord as slippery as Superman. It was our fear that if the flat was not absolutely perfect upon his final inspection, he would keep our entire deposit. The weeks leading up to this inspection were wrought with headaches.
For example: We called daily about having someone come inspect the A/C and fix the wiring to one light socket. The daily response from both inquiries was that someone would be by later that day. One of us would wait at home later, and be sorely disappointed. Calls the next day would receive explanations such as “oh, the electrician had to attend a funeral unexpectedly” (totally understandable, but a call informing us that no one would show might have been appreciated!) or “oh, yes, he could not come” (no, really?! Well, glad that explains things). And then we would be reassured that someone would come that night, “by 8:00, Ma’am.” Uh, huh. This went on for at least a week. Finally, the A/C guys showed up (we never saw the electrician-a story for another post*). After diagnosing the problem we were told someone would come to retrieve the A/C the next morning. Fine.
This was one week before our inspection/the last day of the month. By this point, we had already been repairing things around the apartment for almost a month. These were just the final touches. Of course, no one showed up the next morning, despite my roommate skipping work for the morning to handle the issue; no one thought to “give a call” and inform us that he would not make it. The next day, my roommate got a call: “Half hour, Madame. Someone is coming in half hour.” Two hours later, someone showed up and took the A/C, explaining that it would take two days to repair and return. Two days later, no A/C and no one would answer our calls regarding its status. Three days later, we called again.
It was a Saturday (most people work Saturdays here; children even attend school). The man asked for one more day, “I will bring Monday.” Okay, that’s actually two more days, but who’s counting? In any other circumstance we would nod and shake our heads knowingly. Unfortunately, we were supposed to have our inspection on Sunday, and be out of the flat by Monday. In other words, we needed it that day. “Okay, Madame, we will bring tonight by 8:00.” Innocently, we believed the man. My roommate sacrificially stayed home, skipping out on an intern/fellows event at our office director’s house. As should have been expected, no one came that night. Instead, the man turned his phone off. Until Monday.
Luckily for us, Superman also turned his phone off on Sunday, and didn’t come to inspect until Monday night. Oi. In the end, my flatmate who handled all Superman interactions for the rest of us ended up crying (which she never does); speaking very angrily with him; and breaking her phone in a moment of total frustration before he finally agreed to return our deposit to us. This was after he berated her for having such a temper, of course, and asked her, incredulously, how she ever expected to get married, speaking to a man in such a manner. Oh, poor Mrs. Superman.
Mind you: this was just the moving out.
[V. and a friend of his helped us move N. and T. into their new flat-N. is in her third year here, and has had MANY items bequeathed from past interns/fellows/friends. Luckily, V. had a friend with a truck, and luckily, they both had muscles to spare! This pic shows me and V. goofing around with T.'s stylish hats on the last, and smallest, haul of the day. Holding items in the truck on the short drive wasn't as uncomfortable as it may have looked. It was a loooong, hot day for moving...and it was only the first of many! 1) We moved OUT of "the Penthouse" May 31; 2) T. and N. moved IN to their new flat the same day; 3) I moved into T.'s old room for a week while J., B. and I waited for our new flat to become available/lease to be finalized; 4) J., B., and I moved out of temporary housing (see photo below) and into our latest, greatest abode!]
[The temporary flat was on the top floor of this lovely home. Auntie and Uncle lived right below-they are the sweet landlords, who had many words of advice for us. So cute.]
No comments:
Post a Comment