Landlords Sadly Focus On The Lord And Not The Land
(My husband and I are looking for a new place to rent. Now that the kids are running a lot we want a place with a backyard. We go to this house that is just a few blocks from where we live, which is a big plus because we love the neighborhood. My first impression is, “Wow!” This place is enormous, it has a family room and a backyard, and it’s only for just a little more than we are paying now. But after that, I watch more carefully and realize that the place is very dirty, the walls still have the holes from where there used to be frames, and there are black stains all over. There are three windows that don’t close properly. The plugs in the wall are burnt and the yard is a mess.)
Me: “When are you going to paint the house?”
Landlord: *looking at me like I asked for the moon* “Why would I paint it?”
Me: *showing the big stain in the living room wall and some holes* “Because of this.”
Landlord: “You can clean that with a magic eraser!”
Me: “And what about the backyard; do you have a gardener?”
Landlord: “No.”
Me: “Okay, and it has sprinklers?”
Landlord: “I don’t know.”
(I am feeling that this landlord is not someone I want to deal with every month. Then, my husband arrives from checking the windows.)
Husband: “I just realized that there are three windows that don’t close. See?”
Landlord: *looking like he didn’t see it when he bought the house* “And…?”
Husband: “Are you going to fix them? It’s going to be impossible to heat this house with that.”
Landlord: “No! I’m not going to fix that.”
Husband: “And if we go half-and-half on the price?”
Landlord: “I already told you: I’m not going to fix them. If you want to do it, it’s your problem.”
Husband: “And what about the plugs?”
Landlord: “What about them?”
(My husband shows a burnt plug in the family room.)
Landlord: “You can cover that with something and use another.”
Me: “Let’s go, then. I don’t want to deal with him every time something breaks in this place.”
(With that attitude, I’m surprised that someone rented the house.)
Question of the Week
Tell us your story about a customer who couldn't understand the most simple concept.