More ?'s from "Everything's Gone!"

[Melissa Cooper]

Colorado....
In response to the comments, I don't know if
the sheriff was present or not, I wasn't there.
I do know that the maintenece man of the complex
and several other guys actually moved my stuff out.
And yes, I know the responsibility was mine to make
sure my belongings were safe, that's why I spoke to
the apt. manager and she told me (once again) as
long as he paid "something" to catch up and kept her
"informed" everything would be okay. Two days prior
to them removing my items, my ex took to the apt.
office a money order for $250. (I'm not sure the
exact amount, but I did see it myself!) By her accepting
the money order, didn't that alone entitle us to remain
in the apt? Even if not, that was paying "something."
He was only 1 month behind! I was told by an employee
of the office that she knew of "quite a few" tenants
that were up to 3 months or more past due.

I was only given 1 post! But....the building I lived in
had probably 30 apts. or more. It could have been easily
removed by another tenant, kids, or never even put up.
Another question, for it (an eviction) to be legal, shouldn't these "papers" be mailed or severed? I don't see
how 1 post on your door being held with Scotch tape is
an acceptable or legal way to go about something SO SERIOUS!

This incident happened in Jan. of 2000. I realize now that
I should have done something right away, but you have to
understand that getting clothes, a place to live, dishes, etc., etc. had to come first. And it has taken time. One more question, even if it's to late for me to make a police report, could I do anything about how this has affected me?
I have had a difficult time the past year. I will never be able to replace the things I had(i.e. furniture, wardrobe, Cola-Cola collectibles).

 

[mary hartman]

And of course YOU HAD NO RENTERS INSURANCE and proof of value of the items....

DUH....how can someone be so thick headed about renters insurance?

 

[Melissa Cooper]

Don't "duh" me!

You have some nerve to "DUH" me! I don't want
any sympathy from anyone, but I sure the hell
don't need your ignorant comments! I just wanted
some advice from someone knowledgeable on
the subject, not from someone who is obviously
"an insurance salesperson." I have one of them
soliciting around my neighborhood daily,
briefcase and all!

 

[dj1]

Well did you buy some renters insurance ???????? DUH!

 

[LL]

Dear Melissa,

I feel sorry for you in your distress, but I also feel that someone has to explain the facts of life to you.

It is your obligation to pay your rent,and on time. as soon as you fail to do that, you set into motion a chain of events that is intended to get you and your things out of the apartment as quickly as possible. It is your disregard of these facts that brought on your distress.

First, if you were living with someone who is paying rent for you, you cannot use that as an excuse for what happens to you. If he doesn't pay the rent, then you must. Next, making partial payments isn't enough. If the entire rent isn't paid, and on time, then the landlord can forfeit your rental agreement, which means that you no longer have a right to live there. If that happens, and you don't pay attention to that fact, you are living in the apartment illegally, without any right to be there, and you are liable for anything to happen to you and to your things.

I believe that you had all sorts of notices which you ignored.

While you are crying about what happened to you, the landlord is crying over the rent which you still owe and the headache you caused by not getting out when you were supposed to.

Even if your landlord did some "self-help" and didn't wait for all the steps in a legal eviction, what good does it do for crazy mary to tell you "Duh, you should have had insurance". One, your insurance probably would not cover you because you were no longer a legal renter. Two, what does it do for you to go to the police now? You are the wrongdoer, here.

I grow weary of telling people in this column how important it is that you pay your rent, and on time. It is not because I am a landlord and want to see landlords get their money, but because I know that this is the law, and that the law is set up this way for good reasons. The basic legal relationship between landlord and tenant is that rent MUST be paid and on time, and if not, you must vacate the premises immediatly. Unless you have a specific agreement (in writing, of course) that the landlord is willing to "carry" you, he is not expected to. Use your credit, your parents, welfare, your church, strangers on the street if they WANT to help you, but the landlord is simply not expected to loan you the money to pay the rent.

I am sorry for your distress, but you set yourself up for this.

 

[Melissa Cooper]

Take your "facts of life" and..............

It's obvious to me that alot of "people" in this world
can't read or have no comprehension while reading!
I'm not now and I wasn't then just sitting on my ass letting someone "pay my rent." I had the responsibilty of all the other bills. And don't EVEN insinuate
that I'm lying about the notices! Not everyone in
this world are looking to lie and deceive others.
Even though I got totally SCREWED I still have faith
in humans. Try it sometime! One more thing, I didn't set myself up for this! We did (exactly) what the apt. manager told us to do. I can tell you're a typical landlord that probably does something like this yourself (everyday). But, who am I to point fingers, I have to be fair to you. Wait.....who the %$#@ are you? You know how the saying goes, "what comes around, goes around, (seven fold)." I know I have no worries! Now, are you setting yourself up?
Only God knows and only time will tell! Then, we'll see whose "crying."
By the way, we (me or my ex) don't owe that apt. complex a cent! It was paid (in full) long, long ago!
Quit trying to make excuses for these people just because your in the same business. I doubt the guy down below would waste a minute sticking up for them, (or you) just because your in the same or simular business. This is where that "what comes around, goes around", comes in!



[Edited by Melissa Cooper on 04-16-2001 at 12:22 PM]

 

[LL]

Oh Boy,

Why do I even bother to waste my time with people like this.

Melissa, I'm sorry that all of your stuff got thrown out onto the street. I never had that experience and I don't expect that I ever will. I pay my bills on time, I pay attention to any notice that I get, and I know the rules under which I operate.

I own my own home, which involves as much liabilities as renting an apartment, I take care of my Mother who is paralyzed after a stroke and protect her from tax liabilities, even her senior citizen's complex who wanted to bar her from the exercise room because of her disability, I advise my daughter about dealing with her landlord, I teach my son about being a good and decent man, in addition to how to manage apartments, and evaluate computer networks, I helped my wife to get her masters degree, I teach in a university and do research, I advise the U.S. Air Force on their military space program, plus buying and managing my own apartments, including painting, fixing toilets and stoves and also managing relationships with multiple tenants, each with their own problems. Over the years (22), I have learned how to screen tenants, and to reject most of my applicants and avoid problems like these, for the most part. I happen to be a good landlord, both a decent one as well as a knowledgeable and intelligent one, who has developed excellent policies for avoiding and dealing with problems. But you're right, who the %$#@ am I, to be telling you anything.

I don't teach beginning courses any more, because I have a very short fuse for dumbbells who don't have the enthusiasm or the mental capacity to ever learn what I am trying to teach them, and should never have been there in the first place. Sometimes, I feel the same way about people on this buletin board who write for advice and then don't want to listen because they don't like what I say.

Based on my experience, as Socrates suggests, I am able to take a step backwards and take myself out of the immediate situation, and look at the the overall picture, which involves tenants, landlords, judges and the law, and the history of how landlord/tenant relations has evolved. I can think about how they all interact. I have lived and worked outside of the United States for several years and I can add the perspective of how outstanding our system is. You don't see any of this, because you don't know the players or the system, and who has what responsibility, and that's how this all happened to you.

Evidently you haven't learned anything from all this except that you don't want anyone else to go through it. I offer to you or any other reader, to think about what happened and how you, Melissa, as the offending tenant, could have avoided all this.

 

[Melissa Cooper]

I just wanted to apologize! I get defensive when
fingers are pointed at me in this situation, because
this incident has totally changed me from the person
I was before. (in more ways than ANYONE could imagine)
I don't sit around and dwell on this day and night,
though. In fact it actually sits in the back of my head
most of the time, until something comes up.(like finding
this website, and being curious about some replies)
Just don't keep putting someone down when they're
down as far as they can possibly go! Okay?

 

[LL]

Apology accepted.

Pay your bills on time, pay attention to any notice, and put away money for a rainy day. Sorry I had to be so blunt to make you understand.

The system works. But its working for both sides.