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Another tale from the front desk of an apartment building. (Not the Nut House, though).
Me=Me
PM=Property Manager/Leasing Agent (she was both)
SC= Prospective resident, a man in his late 20/early 30s, very nicely dressed and somewhat snobby looking.
It is 6:05pm, but it's been busy, time has flown, and I don't realize it is that late. (Leasing office closes at 6pm and they stop doing tours at 5:30).
SC walks to the door of the building and I buzz him in.
Me= "Good afternoon, how can I help you?"
SC= "I'm interested in talking to someone about renting an apartment."
Me= "Great! Here is some information about our building, and let me call upstairs to the leasing office."
I call PM.
Me= "Hi PM, I've got a gentleman down here who's interested in a 1-bedroom unit."
PM= "Bammer, it's after 6 and we're closed- can you give him my card or get his info and tell him we'll contact him tomorrow?"
Me= "Oh wow, I didn't realize it was after 6. Sorry about that. I'll get the info."
I hang up.
Me= "I'm so sorry- the leasing office is closed. Time got away from me and I thought it was earlier. If you'd like, I can take your name and number and have PM get back to you tomorrow. Also, here is her card- you can call or email as well."
SC, kinda snotty= "What time does the leasing office close?"
Me= "Six pm, and we stop touring at 5:30."
SC, rudely= "But it's 6:08! Can't someone make time to see me?"
Me= "I'm sorry, but it's not possible, because of the--"
SC, very rudely= "Well, you can have this back then! If they can't make time to see me, I'm just not interested! I'll go ELSEWHERE!"
SC shoves the info packet at me and stomps off in a snit.
What SC didn't let me explain was that it would actually be against the LAW for a leasing agent to "make time for him" after the official closing time. It's got to do with the Fair Housing Laws, which prevent renters from discriminating based on race, religion, age, gender, etc. Let's say we bent the rules and gave him (young, white male) a tour after closing time. Then let's say that next week, an elderly black couple came in at 6:08 and wanted a tour, but we couldn't make time for them for whatever reason. Conceivably, we could be sued for discrimination against the elderly or against black people, because we stayed open later for a white man but not for them- EVEN THOUGH we weren't doing it out of racism. Even if we were doing it because the leasing consultant was really tired, or had plans, and had to leave right away at 6. The intent doesn't matter. We could be fired and the building could be fined eleventy gajillion dollars. It's very serious.
So yes, Mr. SC, there is a reason that we couldn't stay open later just for your Very Important Self. I tried to explain that reason to you, but you interrupted me and stomped off.
Thank you. I don't think we want you living here anyway.
Me=Me
PM=Property Manager/Leasing Agent (she was both)
SC= Prospective resident, a man in his late 20/early 30s, very nicely dressed and somewhat snobby looking.
It is 6:05pm, but it's been busy, time has flown, and I don't realize it is that late. (Leasing office closes at 6pm and they stop doing tours at 5:30).
SC walks to the door of the building and I buzz him in.
Me= "Good afternoon, how can I help you?"
SC= "I'm interested in talking to someone about renting an apartment."
Me= "Great! Here is some information about our building, and let me call upstairs to the leasing office."
I call PM.
Me= "Hi PM, I've got a gentleman down here who's interested in a 1-bedroom unit."
PM= "Bammer, it's after 6 and we're closed- can you give him my card or get his info and tell him we'll contact him tomorrow?"
Me= "Oh wow, I didn't realize it was after 6. Sorry about that. I'll get the info."
I hang up.
Me= "I'm so sorry- the leasing office is closed. Time got away from me and I thought it was earlier. If you'd like, I can take your name and number and have PM get back to you tomorrow. Also, here is her card- you can call or email as well."
SC, kinda snotty= "What time does the leasing office close?"
Me= "Six pm, and we stop touring at 5:30."
SC, rudely= "But it's 6:08! Can't someone make time to see me?"
Me= "I'm sorry, but it's not possible, because of the--"
SC, very rudely= "Well, you can have this back then! If they can't make time to see me, I'm just not interested! I'll go ELSEWHERE!"
SC shoves the info packet at me and stomps off in a snit.
What SC didn't let me explain was that it would actually be against the LAW for a leasing agent to "make time for him" after the official closing time. It's got to do with the Fair Housing Laws, which prevent renters from discriminating based on race, religion, age, gender, etc. Let's say we bent the rules and gave him (young, white male) a tour after closing time. Then let's say that next week, an elderly black couple came in at 6:08 and wanted a tour, but we couldn't make time for them for whatever reason. Conceivably, we could be sued for discrimination against the elderly or against black people, because we stayed open later for a white man but not for them- EVEN THOUGH we weren't doing it out of racism. Even if we were doing it because the leasing consultant was really tired, or had plans, and had to leave right away at 6. The intent doesn't matter. We could be fired and the building could be fined eleventy gajillion dollars. It's very serious.
So yes, Mr. SC, there is a reason that we couldn't stay open later just for your Very Important Self. I tried to explain that reason to you, but you interrupted me and stomped off.
Thank you. I don't think we want you living here anyway.
. It may leave a mess, but it can either knock some sense into somebody or just plain knock them out. 
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