The Cost of A Quick Phone Call

For the past week, I have kept up the chore of cleaning up the bits of cerebellum left over from my daily head explosion. This is directly due to the pending real estate transaction I am working on. Actually it can be completely attributed to the loan officer and his inability to call or e-mail once a day, keeping us apprised.

Isn't it amazing the number of times in our lives a simple phone call can make or break a relationship? I have a tenant who is on a widow's pension and social security. She is never late until this month. Because this is so unusual, last week I called her. Last week I also e-mailed her. She didn't contact me back. Instead she ignored me, probably putting her head in the sand, knowing what I was looking for.

After not hearing anything from her, Carolsue volunteered to call her before she went out there and handed her a lease termination notice. Apparently Carolsue's method worked. My tenant e-mailed me.

Her note was simple. Oops, something happened this month and here is how she is planning on making good.

It isn't that I wouldn't have worked with her had she told me this upfront. I would have been happy to oblige. I understand her situation. She has a steady income that will not be going away any time soon. She also doesn't have the money to move, so she and I are stuck for the time being. Theoretically, she is motivated to make this right. Given her background, I suspect I will see the money.

By not telling me when her situation changed and making me hunt her down is downright insulting. By the way, I did write her back. I let her know that I will work with those who keep an open lines of communication. And, it was a good thing I heard from her when I did, because I was about to have her evicted, which would have been an additional cost to her.

I am not sure she completely grasps what intrinsic damage she has caused. She has changed this relationship. By not contacting me immediately, she set herself up for no future favors. I won't consider going to any extra effort for minor repairs. Don't ask me for a reference to the local Rent-To-Own shop. And, don't expect I will be so gracious next time. And, all it would have taken was a quick phone call from her a couple of weeks ago.