Almost everyone in my house (six different apartments) is moving out this summer, so my slumlord has been hanging out showing the apartments to potential tenants. Whenever I see a new line-up of people, I’m faced with the dilemma of “do I tell them”. Do I tell them about the mice? Do I tell them that we are pretty sure we saw roaches in our kitchen last week? Do I tell them that the landlord is a total sleazeball-asshole? Do I tell the basement people about the huge pipe that burst and spread mould throughout their place?
On the one hand, it seems like a dick thing to do. As much as I dislike my landlord, I shouldn’t be trying to screw things up for him. That’s bad karma and shit. WWTDLD*? And hey, maybe the people that are moving in have a cat who will keep the mice away, or really like signing ridiculously sketchy leases in my landlords’ hip bachelor-pad (maybe he’ll even invite them for karaoke like he did me). Maybe it won’t even be an issue to them. I should just leave it alone. The apartments ARE really nice when you don’t think about what’s happening behind the dishwashers.
But…
But then I see a young couple with a baby. A tiny baby that could potentially be living in a mouse-infested, maybe cockroachy place. And THAT’S when I start feeling like I should say something. I should warn them that we’ve had problems like this in the past (in the present!) and maybe they want to keep that in mind. And if I tell the young couple with the baby, I should tell everyone else. Right?
But…
But I don’t want them going in to see the place and telling the landlord that “the girl next door said there were mice…” I’m pretty sure the landlord already hates me since I ask him to fix things when they’re broken, and I don’t want to add “mouse snitcher” to the list.
(side note: mouse snitcher sounds really dirty. I’m going to leave it in.)
So then I think that I should, instead, post an anonymous thing on Craigslist telling people that there are mice and that the landlord is craycray.
But…
But then I go back to the whole “don’t be a dick” thing and I don’t end up saying or doing anything.
What would you do if you were in my situation?
*TDL refers to The Dalai Lama
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
I would tell them. Only because I really wish someone would have told me before I signed the lease and moved into my apartment which was infested with roaches and mice. :(
ReplyDeleteI'd stop asking yourself what the Dalai Lama would do, and do what Jenny who cares about other people would do.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYEOSCIOnrs
You should definitly tell the people with the baby
ReplyDeletehttp://healthandenergy.com/mold_harms_babies.htm
go to this! Babies will DIE if you dont tell them.
-no it wont..but you know what i mean
Tell them. I don't think it's being a dick. I think it's being honest.
ReplyDeleteI love my apartment, but I do wish I had known what a lazy "leave my garbage anywhere I please and let the previous tenants leave crap in the basement and yard that you have to deal with, and then I get mad at you when you ask for it to be removed" scuzz my landlord is.
The place isn't infested with critters (though we have seen a mouse) but what it comes down to I think is an honest and respectful tenant/landlord relationship. A tenant who pays rent diligently and keeps the property up should not fear reproach from their landlord when they ask for something to be fixed.
Just make your choice. There's consequences for either. Go with the one that makes you feel less bad.
ReplyDelete