2010-04-12 16:39:13
- #1
Good day
I have several problems with my landlady. I have already researched the topic on the internet, but found nothing comparable to my confusing case. Since I have never experienced anything like this with a landlord, I feel a bit torn and hope you can give me advice on how to behave / proceed.
The situation is as follows. I moved in at the end of September 09. Before that, I had no income due to an accident (meanwhile I lived in my parents' house). I can finance the rent through the benefits of the compensation fund within the framework of a retraining. At the time of signing the lease (August, which was also the start of the retraining), the rent due date was set to the 28th in advance. However, it turned out that the compensation fund is not the fastest and it usually takes until the 10th of the following month for my salary to reach me. When I told her this when the second rent was due, she was not happy but agreed; however, I had to pay in cash, which was not a problem for me.
Then it was necessarily time to do laundry; she showed me the laundry room which I was allowed to use. After the first wash, she came to me again out of herself and complained about lint left behind in the washing machine, which would damage the machine. She told me to simply put the laundry basket out on Thursdays, and she would properly load the machine and do the laundry. Somewhat perplexed by the fragility of today's washing machine technology, I agreed.
At some point in November, one evening I forgot to lock the door again after receiving a delivery at the door. (The outer door, we share the hallway.) The next evening I was addressed rather sharply about this and was threatened with termination. Slightly pressured and not pleased at the thought of having to move again, she demanded that I agree that she could visit the apartment several days in advance without prior notification (which I found quite unrelated) and she also later added this as a note in the lease and urged me to sign the note. I thought nothing bad of it; whether she knocks on Mondays and asks if she may come on Wednesday, or just enters right away, was relatively the same to me. That she may enter the apartment at any time WITHOUT my presence was NEVER mentioned. It was only about shortening the notification period, and I saw no problem with that.
One fine evening I came home and found a note on the door... She said she had heard my cats meowing and therefore entered my apartment to check if everything was okay, and threatened me the next day by note on the door with animal welfare (which is absolutely nonsensical... my pets are doing great). Since she is crazy about cats, I tolerated this on the grounds that she only meant well and in her eyes it was an emergency. A few weeks later, in the evening, the houseplants were no longer where I last saw them, which was probably also due to a visit from her.
When she again hung a "nice" note on the door because I had left the light on in the hallway, I lost my temper and asked her to please use common sense and not threaten me over such peanuts. After that, there was silence... it was possible for the first time to use the apartment like a normal tenant.
Last week (3 days before my salary arrived and I could transfer the rent), the worst happened: when I put the laundry basket out as agreed, I found it that same evening in front of my door with the note "Laundry will be done when paid." Somewhat beside myself, I confronted her, demanded ALL keys to the mailbox and apartment because I no longer trust her. In response, she insulted me, verbally terminated the lease, and forbade me from doing my laundry myself during the months until the notice period.
Now, what can I do in such a case? Just keep doing laundry despite the ban and risk another confrontation? Or can I reduce the rent and do laundry at friends' places in the meantime? And if so, by what percentage?
I would really be very grateful for advice. Because I truly don't know how to deal with this woman.
Martin.
I have several problems with my landlady. I have already researched the topic on the internet, but found nothing comparable to my confusing case. Since I have never experienced anything like this with a landlord, I feel a bit torn and hope you can give me advice on how to behave / proceed.
The situation is as follows. I moved in at the end of September 09. Before that, I had no income due to an accident (meanwhile I lived in my parents' house). I can finance the rent through the benefits of the compensation fund within the framework of a retraining. At the time of signing the lease (August, which was also the start of the retraining), the rent due date was set to the 28th in advance. However, it turned out that the compensation fund is not the fastest and it usually takes until the 10th of the following month for my salary to reach me. When I told her this when the second rent was due, she was not happy but agreed; however, I had to pay in cash, which was not a problem for me.
Then it was necessarily time to do laundry; she showed me the laundry room which I was allowed to use. After the first wash, she came to me again out of herself and complained about lint left behind in the washing machine, which would damage the machine. She told me to simply put the laundry basket out on Thursdays, and she would properly load the machine and do the laundry. Somewhat perplexed by the fragility of today's washing machine technology, I agreed.
At some point in November, one evening I forgot to lock the door again after receiving a delivery at the door. (The outer door, we share the hallway.) The next evening I was addressed rather sharply about this and was threatened with termination. Slightly pressured and not pleased at the thought of having to move again, she demanded that I agree that she could visit the apartment several days in advance without prior notification (which I found quite unrelated) and she also later added this as a note in the lease and urged me to sign the note. I thought nothing bad of it; whether she knocks on Mondays and asks if she may come on Wednesday, or just enters right away, was relatively the same to me. That she may enter the apartment at any time WITHOUT my presence was NEVER mentioned. It was only about shortening the notification period, and I saw no problem with that.
One fine evening I came home and found a note on the door... She said she had heard my cats meowing and therefore entered my apartment to check if everything was okay, and threatened me the next day by note on the door with animal welfare (which is absolutely nonsensical... my pets are doing great). Since she is crazy about cats, I tolerated this on the grounds that she only meant well and in her eyes it was an emergency. A few weeks later, in the evening, the houseplants were no longer where I last saw them, which was probably also due to a visit from her.
When she again hung a "nice" note on the door because I had left the light on in the hallway, I lost my temper and asked her to please use common sense and not threaten me over such peanuts. After that, there was silence... it was possible for the first time to use the apartment like a normal tenant.
Last week (3 days before my salary arrived and I could transfer the rent), the worst happened: when I put the laundry basket out as agreed, I found it that same evening in front of my door with the note "Laundry will be done when paid." Somewhat beside myself, I confronted her, demanded ALL keys to the mailbox and apartment because I no longer trust her. In response, she insulted me, verbally terminated the lease, and forbade me from doing my laundry myself during the months until the notice period.
Now, what can I do in such a case? Just keep doing laundry despite the ban and risk another confrontation? Or can I reduce the rent and do laundry at friends' places in the meantime? And if so, by what percentage?
I would really be very grateful for advice. Because I truly don't know how to deal with this woman.
Martin.