BACKGROUND: I don't know what it is about the third bedroom in my apartment, but we can't seem to keep a tenant in there. Our last roommate moved out near the beginning of the month, but since he did not give me 30 days notice, he understands that if I don't find someone to replace him for April, he is on the hook for the rent for that month. Since he put down a deposit of one month's rent, it's not like he can just tell me to fuck off, either. And he did agree that I was correct in this, mind you. There is no bad blood, either...we are both cool with each other, and he left the room looking great, so despite one friend's suggestion that I just pocket the money whether or not I find a roommate, I plan on refunding his deposit in full if/when we fill the room. Add to the fact that Mr. Anti-Social for the first time ever is a bit behind on rent, and you can understand I'm a bit stressed about filling that room. (Mr. Anti-Social still owes me a few hundred from last month, but he was able to pay this month's on time, and I have told him I will work with him as far as the back rent he owes. Considering how long we have roomed together, and that this is the first time anything like this has ever happened, I have no problem with the guy.)
So you can imagine how unamusing it is to deal with so many idiots.
At first, I had a couple of friends interested in the place, both reliable, both known to me for years. One opted out (still hasn't told me why, despite the fact that she hates her current living situaiton), and one was forced to opt out when he suddenly and unexpectedly got full custody of his teenage son, so obviously needed more space than just the one room. So to craigslist I went.
Now, to be fair, there have been two good candidates. One was a friend of a coworker, who said coworker described as "awesome" and who, in my one meeting with her, seemed to live up to that description. Sadly, she found another place that she took. The other is a respondent from craigslist who seems to be on the same page with a lot of things as myself and Mr. Anti-Social, and who didn't balk at the rent or have a problem with anything I said. Her references checked out well, and now it's just a matter of when she gets down here; she should be here tonight or tomorrow sometime.
Now on to the idjits:
Guy called as a coworker had told him about the place. He left a message. I called him back later that day after I got off work, got his voice mail, left him a message. Haven't heard back from him at all. Or from another girl who responded to the craigslist ad who I called back and left a message for. Okaaaay....
Guy called. Wanted to rent the place for only 2-3 weeks, but was willing to pay for a full month. While I appreciate his willingness to pay for the full month, as I told him, we are looking for someone who is planning on being a little more long term.
Girl called. When we started discussing the numbers, and I mentioned that she'd have to pay rent plus utilities (and our rent is not excessively high for this town, mind you), she said snippily, "Well I can't afford that kind of thing." Well, good to know that up front. I'll be sure not to rent to your broke ass. No need to get snippy, though. Good lord, I can only imagine her response if I had actually mentioned the deposit.
Guy called. Started rattling off stuff about himself, including the fact that he "has money in hand," which apparently makes him somehow better than other applicants. Look pal, I don't work on credit, so anyone who moves in is going to have to have money on hand. Hello? Ah, but it gets better. When I mentioned the deposit, he asked if it were negotiable. As I am not completely without sympathy for how difficult it can be to have rent PLUS deposit (basically double rent) available for a move in, I ask him what he means by "negotiable." He suggests that he pay one third of it every two months. That's right, this guy with "cash on hand" want to take six months to pay off a deposit. Let me think about tha--NO. "I'm sorry, but the deposit really isn't negotiable. I'd be willing to work with you and take the deposit over the first month, but beyond that, due to problems I've had in the past, I'm afraid we are very firm on that point." At which he balked. Why? Because, in addition to telling me about all these problems he's had with roommates, he tells me that a prior roommate had taken his deposit and never given it back, basically screwing him over. Well, that's great, pal, but I have already said the deposit is fully refundable upon your departure from the apartment. I even told him that I'd be more than happy to provide the numbers of former roommates, and he could call them and ask them if they'd gotten back their full deposit. (They had.) At which points, he hastily says, "Well, if I happen to suddenly get $[rent+deposit] in hand, I'll call you back. Wait.....didn't you say you had "cash in hand"? Douchebag.
God, I hope the girl driving down works out. I am so sick of this shit, even if if is vaguely amusing at times.
So you can imagine how unamusing it is to deal with so many idiots.
At first, I had a couple of friends interested in the place, both reliable, both known to me for years. One opted out (still hasn't told me why, despite the fact that she hates her current living situaiton), and one was forced to opt out when he suddenly and unexpectedly got full custody of his teenage son, so obviously needed more space than just the one room. So to craigslist I went.
Now, to be fair, there have been two good candidates. One was a friend of a coworker, who said coworker described as "awesome" and who, in my one meeting with her, seemed to live up to that description. Sadly, she found another place that she took. The other is a respondent from craigslist who seems to be on the same page with a lot of things as myself and Mr. Anti-Social, and who didn't balk at the rent or have a problem with anything I said. Her references checked out well, and now it's just a matter of when she gets down here; she should be here tonight or tomorrow sometime.
Now on to the idjits:
Guy called as a coworker had told him about the place. He left a message. I called him back later that day after I got off work, got his voice mail, left him a message. Haven't heard back from him at all. Or from another girl who responded to the craigslist ad who I called back and left a message for. Okaaaay....
Guy called. Wanted to rent the place for only 2-3 weeks, but was willing to pay for a full month. While I appreciate his willingness to pay for the full month, as I told him, we are looking for someone who is planning on being a little more long term.
Girl called. When we started discussing the numbers, and I mentioned that she'd have to pay rent plus utilities (and our rent is not excessively high for this town, mind you), she said snippily, "Well I can't afford that kind of thing." Well, good to know that up front. I'll be sure not to rent to your broke ass. No need to get snippy, though. Good lord, I can only imagine her response if I had actually mentioned the deposit.
Guy called. Started rattling off stuff about himself, including the fact that he "has money in hand," which apparently makes him somehow better than other applicants. Look pal, I don't work on credit, so anyone who moves in is going to have to have money on hand. Hello? Ah, but it gets better. When I mentioned the deposit, he asked if it were negotiable. As I am not completely without sympathy for how difficult it can be to have rent PLUS deposit (basically double rent) available for a move in, I ask him what he means by "negotiable." He suggests that he pay one third of it every two months. That's right, this guy with "cash on hand" want to take six months to pay off a deposit. Let me think about tha--NO. "I'm sorry, but the deposit really isn't negotiable. I'd be willing to work with you and take the deposit over the first month, but beyond that, due to problems I've had in the past, I'm afraid we are very firm on that point." At which he balked. Why? Because, in addition to telling me about all these problems he's had with roommates, he tells me that a prior roommate had taken his deposit and never given it back, basically screwing him over. Well, that's great, pal, but I have already said the deposit is fully refundable upon your departure from the apartment. I even told him that I'd be more than happy to provide the numbers of former roommates, and he could call them and ask them if they'd gotten back their full deposit. (They had.) At which points, he hastily says, "Well, if I happen to suddenly get $[rent+deposit] in hand, I'll call you back. Wait.....didn't you say you had "cash in hand"? Douchebag.
God, I hope the girl driving down works out. I am so sick of this shit, even if if is vaguely amusing at times.
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