User Name
Password
AppleNova Forums » AppleOutsider »

How do I deal with a stubborn landlady?


Register Members List Calendar Search FAQ Posting Guidelines
How do I deal with a stubborn landlady?
Thread Tools
Luca
ಠ_ರೃ
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
 
2004-09-05, 10:35

About a month ago I moved into a new place. It's the upper half of a very nice duplex. Obviously there were some kinks to work out, but so far it's been great. The main recurring problem happens with the washer and dryer that the landlady provides. They're pretty old, and they're coin-op, but at least I don't have to haul my clothes to a laundromat.

Unfortunately, they seem to not work properly at all, and the landlady is pretty stubborn about it. Once she got them working about a week after I moved in, the washer's coin slot wouldn't insert. Fine, I took my clothes to my parents' house to wash. She replaced the coin slot for the washer and the next time I did my laundry, it worked fine. Then the dryer. Put in my clothes, and they didn't get dry, so she took at look at it. She said it wasn't heating properly, so she had it fixed. Tried it again... they were still wet, so she came and made sure she set the cycle to go for the right amount of time. Tried again... still wet. I called her about it and she said the cycle was already set to 25 minutes.

25 minutes? That's ridiculously short! When I told her what I thought of her idea of what a "pretty standard" drying cycle was, she stuck to her guns and said I was probably overloading the dryer (which is actually true). Anyway, this morning I dried my clothes again, but I made sure to only put in a few things. Two pairs of shorts, one pair of jeans, three shirts, two pairs of socks, and two pairs of underwear. Not a whole lot. About half as much as last time. Well, they're STILL wet. And not just damp, but totally soaking wet.

I noticed that the washer wasn't draining the water out properly either. The clothes were sitting in about four inches of sudsy water after they were done washing, so I had to wring them out afterwards. That may have contributed to the problem, but 25 minutes is still far too short of a time to dry any clothes.

Anyway, my housemates and I are going to be buying a used washer and dryer set anyway, but until then, what do you suggest I do? Keep bitching about it, emphasizing that I did exactly what she wanted me to do (dry fewer clothes at once)? Live with it and just take my clothes home to my parents' house whenever I need to do laundry? Perhaps offer to pay the other person living here to use her own washer and dryer set instead of the ones provided by the landlady? I've already called her a zillion times in the past about this and while I don't mind being rude (she's kind of a bitch), I think it won't get me anywhere other than raising my blood pressure.
  quote
staph
Microbial member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Send a message via AIM to staph  
2004-09-05, 10:42

I'm not sure about the situation in America, but washing machines and dryers are not one of the standard things provided with a rental house (the stove is usually the only standard thing, because it's regarded as a "fixture"). So unless they were pointed out to you as one of the advantages of the house, or are mentioned on the lease, I don't really think there's much you can do. Pissing off your landlady probably isn't worth the trouble, especially if you're planning on getting your own equipment anyway.

Are you on a long or a short-term lease? Can she kick you out if you annoy her too much?

Edit: oh yeah, and line-drying really is much better for your clothes. Just a thought.
  quote
alcimedes
I shot the sherrif.
 
Join Date: May 2004
Send a message via ICQ to alcimedes  
2004-09-05, 10:48

ask her for a rent break, and tell her you'll replace the washer/dryer. although if you plan on taking them with you, then that might not work out.

the other thing to do would be to start documenting all of this crap as it happens. that at least gives you something to fall back on later on.

if the washer/dryer were part of the lease, then you can also technically withold rent until she fixes them. however, (and i'd check on this to be sure) you don't just hold the rent. rather, you pay it to the court, who then holds it until she fixes what has to be fixed. there's a term for it which doesn't come to mind right now, but then you can't get kicked out for not paying rent, but at the same time she doesn't see a dime until it's fixed.

MN has pretty strong tenent laws, so you shouldn't worry too much about getting evicted wrongfully.

Google is your frenemy.
Caveat Emptor - Latin for tough titty
I tend to interpret things in the way that's most hilarious to me
  quote
murbot
Hoonigan
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Canada
 
2004-09-05, 12:10

Have you considered banging her and capturing it on video? Blackmail is effective, and it's not like you're trying to get $10,000 out of the old bat. She'll cough up a few hundred bucks for a new set just to keep the grandkids from seeing Grandma doing very bad things.

Unless she's like the landlord from Kingpin. You don't want to end up praying to the porcelain god like Woody Harrelson did. Yeck.
  quote
Moogs
Hates the Infotainment
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
 
2004-09-05, 12:16



Why did I know you were going to suggest that?
  quote
ast3r3x
25 chars of wasted space.
 
Join Date: May 2004
Send a message via AIM to ast3r3x  
2004-09-05, 12:56

Bitching does nothing, even if you could convince her she is wrong, her pride will make it difficult to give in.

"If there is any one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other persons point of view and see things from that persons angle as well as from your own."

Think about it from her perspective. You won't get anywhere from telling her what you want. You want to appeal to her wants. Sit down, and think about it from her point of view, and then let her know why SHE benefits from having them working properly and all that good stuff. If you can't think of any benefits it might have for her...then she probably hasn't either.

Just remember...appeal to HER wants, not yours.
  quote
Luca
ಠ_ರೃ
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
 
2004-09-05, 13:05

I'm guessing what SHE wants is to milk me dry by having me pay:

1) Rent
2) All utilities, including the water and electricity necessary to run the washer and dryer
3) Coins to use the washer and dryer

But that's not enough for her, so she sets the dryer to go a very short amount of time in an attempt to get me to buy two cycles instead of one. Well, that's enough of that.

Maybe what she WANTS is for me to just buy my own washer and dryer, and then decide that I don't want to move them out when I leave. But I'm definitely not going to leave them there. I'd rather trash them than let her keep them.

Anyway, I think I'm dealing with greedy and unreasonable desires here. There's nothing I can really do. I'm going to review the lease to see if the washer and dryer are mentioned, but if not I'll just be getting a set from the local classifieds.
  quote
Naderfan
Queen of Confrontation
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ohio
 
2004-09-05, 14:13

The dryers at my appartment are also set for 25 minutes cycles. And I learned the hard way that if you put in money for two cycles at once, it only goes an extra ten minutes. However, my landlord is an idiot and I'd rather pay another 25 cents than deal with him. That sucks though. Hope you can get it figured out.
  quote
Luca
ಠ_ರೃ
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
 
2004-09-05, 14:32

25 cents for 25 minutes? You got it good. She charges $1.00 for the washer and $0.75 for the dryer. Yeah, you heard right. For a washer that doesn't drain and a dryer that only goes 25 minutes. Both of which she refuses to fix.

Damn greedy landlords. Maybe if they weren't jerks, their jobs would be easier, because they wouldn't have people calling and complaining all the time.
  quote
Maciej
M AH - ch ain saw
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-09-05, 14:51

My dorm does 1.25 for a 35 minute wash, and 1.25 for a 40 minute dry. As I am satisfied with it, I am not complaining, and I don't have to lug my laundry across campus.

User formally known as Sh0eWax
  quote
Powerdoc
Cat's Dreamlands
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-09-05, 14:54

Obviously I will not use anymore her washer and dryer.
I would say to her, that you will no more use them.

I have a bad experience with a Landlady. Some years ago we rented to a landlady an appartement. We worked at three ten days, in order to change all the wallpapers of the appartement excepting the Water closet and the kitchen (three rooms, the living room, the bathroom and the main entrance), I changed all the electrical plug, and hidded all the electrical wires, I changed the carpet (they gave me the carpet, but I took me three days of work to do the job : and it was a pretty good job, according to a professional) of two rooms. We paint all the ceilings.
Under my request they did the necessary electrical works to be in the norm, and they changed the carpet of the living room.

When we leave the appartment, she did not want to give back the bail, arguing that the carpet of the living room showed some traces of usage. (it was normal usage). I said to her, that if she did not give up back the bail, I will go in a court of justice. (and I was really angry, and wasn't kitting).
She said that we should cool down, and she gave us back the money.

My wife and I decided, that we will buy our own house as soon as possible.
  quote
ast3r3x
25 chars of wasted space.
 
Join Date: May 2004
Send a message via AIM to ast3r3x  
2004-09-05, 14:55

Well...what do other tenants think about it? She wants $1.00 for 25 minutes. Well, she wants to make money. You are happy to use the machines that make her money, but you will no longer be using the machines if she doesn't increase the times, so she will be making no money.

I don't really see that they are a big money maker for her. If they are (I don't know, do the math with the tenants and see how much she could make if everyone uses it) not pleased with it, maybe they don't use it because of it as well.

Bottom line, show her how this will benefit her, because think about it, if you were her, why would you go out of your way to spend your money on something that isn't profitable.
  quote
Maciej
M AH - ch ain saw
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-09-05, 14:57

Houses are the way to go, but they can be a headache for first time buyers. My parents recently bought their first home, its a lot of decisions and you have to keep your head on about it. But from the sound of things, you will be more than able to handle it.

User formally known as Sh0eWax
  quote
Luca
ಠ_ರೃ
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
 
2004-09-05, 15:00

Hah, yeah, buy a house. Sounds like a plan. I'm a junior in college btw.
  quote
LoCash
Rest In Peace
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2004-09-05, 16:38

Damn, my last apartment in Boston charged $2.25 for a 35 minute wash and $2.25 for a 40 minute dry. A load of laundry was $4.50. It totally sucked.

It is with great regret that we say our farewells to Jack, who passed away on May 28th, 2005. Jack, you will be missed by all

Superior thinking has always overwhelmed superior force. - Marine Corps Officers

"You don't lead by hitting people over the head-that's assault, not leadership." - General Eisenhower
  quote
sunrain
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Portlandia
 
2004-09-05, 16:50

Quote:
Originally Posted by LoCash
Damn, my last apartment in Boston charged $2.25 for a 35 minute wash and $2.25 for a 40 minute dry. A load of laundry was $4.50. It totally sucked.
Christ on crutches! It'd be cheaper at that point to drop your laundry off and have it done for you.
  quote
LoCash
Rest In Peace
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2004-09-05, 16:52

Yeah, only at that point I was living in an apartment just outside of Boston and nothing was within walking distance of my place; it was assumed you would own a car. I actually did a lot of handwashing of my clothes in the sink

It is with great regret that we say our farewells to Jack, who passed away on May 28th, 2005. Jack, you will be missed by all

Superior thinking has always overwhelmed superior force. - Marine Corps Officers

"You don't lead by hitting people over the head-that's assault, not leadership." - General Eisenhower
  quote
_Ω_
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Send a message via AIM to _Ω_  
2004-09-05, 17:02

Quote:
Originally Posted by LoCash
Yeah, only at that point I was living in an apartment just outside of Boston and nothing was within walking distance of my place; it was assumed you would own a car. I actually did a lot of handwashing of my clothes in the sink
Just take a shower with your clothes on - much quicker
  quote
Maciej
M AH - ch ain saw
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-09-05, 17:06

Haha, ironically, a fellow a couple of the guys across the hall lived with last year, just bought a 160K house. He is a sophomore in college, but we cannot figure out where he got the money... maybe sold a person or something of that sort...

User formally known as Sh0eWax
  quote
Moogs
Hates the Infotainment
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
 
2004-09-06, 11:33

College landlords are evil, generally speaking. They know there is a huge desire by thousands of kids to get out of the dorms (so they can drink whenever they want, play loud music, make their bed springs squeek all night, etc.). They take advantage and milk it for all its worth.

Think of it as your first introduction to the real world, where "real world" means finally living on your own in your own place. If anything, the apartment you get in the city or suburbs after college will have more restrictive rules, higher costs, and more minutia to pour over. The good news is the quality of the place is likely to be higher because people in the working world won't put up with shitty laundry machines or stoves or whatever, if they're paying anywhere from $800 - $1800 for a single bedroom apartment each month.


...into the light of a dark black night.
  quote
Maciej
M AH - ch ain saw
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-09-06, 11:48

We have some nasty landlord from what I understand. Last year a story in our school paper ran, about these landlords. The things revealed, tho true, were so bad that the landlords threatened the school with legal action, tho baseless and infringing on the rights of the press, the school withdrew the article to avoid hassle and costs of court. We live in Wisconsin, so many of the things mentioned, such as broken heaters for the winter months, were a big deal and it really did get things changed. The other cool part is that the University is buying up land all over the west side of downtown, and building/remodeling non-stop.

User formally known as Sh0eWax
  quote
Moogs
Hates the Infotainment
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
 
2004-09-06, 12:01

UW-Madison?
  quote
Posting Rules Navigation
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Post Reply

Forum Jump
Thread Tools
Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
What's the deal with Wikipedia? Moogs AppleOutsider 25 2009-09-25 11:38
The Boston Macworld thing...what's the deal? psmith2.0 General Discussion 15 2004-07-17 14:53


« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 21:06.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004 - 2024, AppleNova