Mind Games

I wasn't in a foul mood until I got to the PO Box today. It contained two items. Legal Eagle's latest bill and a sweet note and receipt for rat removal from Ms. Betty. The sweet note wasn't the issue.

The mailbox was missing two checks that had been promised to me. Though it is never a good idea to call people when you are seriously annoyed, it sure felt good to rant to their voice mail. Neither of these late tenant issues were much of a shock.

One of these particular tenants I had been presuming I would be kicking out sooner or later. But, I was letting her limp along until I had the money to pay for repairs. So much for that.

But, what I got next blew me away. I got a call from the wife of the young couple I agreed to rent out the house in Moody to. So far, I haven't gotten a lease, but a promise that they would be giving Carolsue the move-in money (and presumably the lease) on Wednesday.

Heather called to give me a laundry list of all the things that are wrong with the house that she wanted fixed before move-in (on Jan. 1). They included doors which had once been broken--and are now patched and repainted. You can see the patch if you stand just right in the hallway and shine a flashlight. Or, if you saw the holes in the door before they were repaired and painted--which they did because they looked in the windows a few weeks ago.

The list also included a few other minor things that can be done after move-in such as the gutters swept and a hole in the fence. Also, there is a vent that needs to be cleaned and pine needles on the roof that need to be swept up. I can take care of the pine needles no problem: wait for the next gust of wind.

She also included would I be willing to allow her to extend the back deck for her own enjoyment. Of course, she was willing to do the work but wanted me to pay for the supplies. Let me get this straight: she wants to extend the back deck while living in this house for one year of her life?

Did I mention she hasn't given me the lease?

Heather isn't the first renter to play this game. I once had someone tell me the carpets were filthy and wanted a deduction on the rent because of this. However, I faxed that tenant the receipt for the carpet cleaning and she shut up.

It isn't that I am unwilling to make these fixes, it is that she is holding my lease hostage until I agree to put in new doors. I don't play that game. The doors are functional. They are repaired. I am not thrilled there were holes in them. If I had the capital, I would have had them replaced. But seriously, she is living there a year!

Later I e-mailed Heather and told her she could take care of the minor things. The doors were functional and repaired so she would have to live with them. And, I would have to see the plans for the new and improved deck before I agreed on any capital expenditures. Oh, and I haven't seen the lease yet from her. So, let me know if she was going to rent out the house or not, because I have others who are very interested.

And, my guess is the others I talked to this weekend don't give a fig about the doors.