I defeated the slum lords!
After my explosive voicemail, including the insult 'fucking ass fucking hole!', the next day the agent for the slum lord management company of my old apt left a voicemail on my cell saying my message was 'interesting' and I could call his cell when I was 'ready to be civil'.
When I called him I used a super-happy voice: "thanks for calling me back and giving me your number" like nothing had happened. He said some bullshit about not being able to call my cell from the office phone. Then he sighed heavily. I then took over the conversation and didn't let up. I had questions and points to be made.
I asked if he thought the apt was up to code, and if general up keep and improvements were made in the 8 years I'd lived there. "You lived there 8 years?!" Duh! I asked if he knew who first moved into the apt (I'd taken a room mate's place) and when that was. No.
Did he know a water heater had burst and drenched the entire carpet? That 3 cats lived there? He sorta knew. He mentioned the burns in the carpet again. Yes, a computer hard drive and wax burn were both recorded on the begining of my paper trail: my 2000 lease, which I insisted on after living there since '98 w/ no lease. He didn't know that! (Surprise!)
He admitted that, yes, the blinds were put in wrong, so I couldn't have taken them down to clean, and I said I'd told each subsequent manager about it. He said 'we had some problems with bad managers there for a while'. YOU hired them! Sure, blame THEM, scumbag. Anyway, he conceded that point. He wanted to get back to what else he was charging me for. He couldn't even be bothered to know the exact amount. ($177)
When I asked 'is the rent now $895 and was the carpet was cleaned, not replaced? And if it was cleaned, do you feel that all the mold was destroyed?' He said he didn't know because 'we didn't have a lot of time.' So, I reminded him that if the carpet's been replaced, then I owe nothing. I told him that when people were looking at the apt, they could smell the mold smell. He said 'yeah, we had to lower the rent for the new occupant because of that...'
AHA! GOTCHA!
He realized what he'd just admitted, and it was obvious I was building a case to report his ass, so finally he sighed and asked 'what do you think is fair?' I said, look, I never expected the deposit back...' He blurted out 'I'll send you a letter saying you owe nothing in excess of the deposit!' I said 'thank you!'
Sure, I could have fought for the deposit back, but it's so small of him to still want it, so it's like blood money, as far as I'm concerned.
As for my friend's friend, who got booted out for condo building and was desperate for a place, she says he doesn't like to complain, but she did tell him the truth about his carpet. She says he has health problems as it is. The good thing is, I never said I wouldn't talk about this situation in the future, if need be.
But, for me, the whole thing is over. I fucking won! And the moral is, swear, cuss, get mad, scare the shit out of someone, but back it up with preparation, and a little pop psychology, and you can cut a motherfucka down! :-)
When I called him I used a super-happy voice: "thanks for calling me back and giving me your number" like nothing had happened. He said some bullshit about not being able to call my cell from the office phone. Then he sighed heavily. I then took over the conversation and didn't let up. I had questions and points to be made.
I asked if he thought the apt was up to code, and if general up keep and improvements were made in the 8 years I'd lived there. "You lived there 8 years?!" Duh! I asked if he knew who first moved into the apt (I'd taken a room mate's place) and when that was. No.
Did he know a water heater had burst and drenched the entire carpet? That 3 cats lived there? He sorta knew. He mentioned the burns in the carpet again. Yes, a computer hard drive and wax burn were both recorded on the begining of my paper trail: my 2000 lease, which I insisted on after living there since '98 w/ no lease. He didn't know that! (Surprise!)
He admitted that, yes, the blinds were put in wrong, so I couldn't have taken them down to clean, and I said I'd told each subsequent manager about it. He said 'we had some problems with bad managers there for a while'. YOU hired them! Sure, blame THEM, scumbag. Anyway, he conceded that point. He wanted to get back to what else he was charging me for. He couldn't even be bothered to know the exact amount. ($177)
When I asked 'is the rent now $895 and was the carpet was cleaned, not replaced? And if it was cleaned, do you feel that all the mold was destroyed?' He said he didn't know because 'we didn't have a lot of time.' So, I reminded him that if the carpet's been replaced, then I owe nothing. I told him that when people were looking at the apt, they could smell the mold smell. He said 'yeah, we had to lower the rent for the new occupant because of that...'
AHA! GOTCHA!
He realized what he'd just admitted, and it was obvious I was building a case to report his ass, so finally he sighed and asked 'what do you think is fair?' I said, look, I never expected the deposit back...' He blurted out 'I'll send you a letter saying you owe nothing in excess of the deposit!' I said 'thank you!'
Sure, I could have fought for the deposit back, but it's so small of him to still want it, so it's like blood money, as far as I'm concerned.
As for my friend's friend, who got booted out for condo building and was desperate for a place, she says he doesn't like to complain, but she did tell him the truth about his carpet. She says he has health problems as it is. The good thing is, I never said I wouldn't talk about this situation in the future, if need be.
But, for me, the whole thing is over. I fucking won! And the moral is, swear, cuss, get mad, scare the shit out of someone, but back it up with preparation, and a little pop psychology, and you can cut a motherfucka down! :-)