Dare I hope?
Shortly after I moved into this apartment in 2004, a new neighbor moved in. I won’t say my life has been hell since then, but this neighbor isn’t one you’d want to live next to—unless you like noisy, loud, obnoxious drunks with no respect for other people on the other side of your wall.
But I like my apartment, I like the location, and I really like the low rent which includes abundant steam heat in the winter. And, since I once was one of those loud, obnoxious drunks (or rather, crackheads) with no respect, I figured what goes around comes around. I’ve lived with it for four year, hoping every June that he would move.
I finally got fed up one night shortly after I returned from Colorado. I called the police on him, and again later when he retaliated. The next day I sent an email to the office with an utimatum—he moves or I do.
I left them free to choose the type of tenant they wanted to keep. All I asked was that if they chose him, that they’d let me out of my lease early.
Apparently, this caused quite an uproar in the office, since I detailed my complaints to them about him for four years, and I copied-in the owner. In any event, I was told they began the process of removing him. Given all the previous empty promises I’d heard from them about him, I said I’d believe it when I see it.
As recently as earlier this week, I was scouring Craigslist and RentRochester.com for new digs. As it turns out, I’m fairly particular in my needs. It wasn’t until this week that I found a couple of nice ones just up the street too. A little more expensive, but perhaps moving slightly upscale in rent will get me away from the riff-raff.
Since these were all in buildings, and there were likely to be others available in those same buildings, I decided to think over whether not I wanted to give up certain things—like vacations and stuff—for a 20% to 25% increase in rent. And there’s the economy to consider too.
Then, two days ago big heavy things started being bounced down the fire escape. I thought, Could it be? Maybe it is, because things are being bounced down again this afternoon—right into his pickup truck—and being driven away.
I’m cautiously optimistic, but it could just be a bout of redecorating, or maybe the cat peed on the couch.
If it turns out he is moving out, I’ll be sending flowers and candy to the girls in the office.
And then, I’d like to repaint…
Addendum Mon 9/29
Yes! I just overheard him joking with a neighbor that maybe he’ll leave his cats here to annoy me. So it seems he is moving. Yippie!
September 28th, 2008 at 8:47 am EDT
I am keeping my fingers crossed for you.
October 1st, 2008 at 6:23 pm EDT
Hope the Landlord uses better judgment choosing the next Tennant!