This week has been a pressure building exercise in the Me vs. Apartment Complex woes.
I have a stack of notices from them alerting me to a wide variety of annoying things like: not being able to leave/enter my apartment for 4 hour windows, having my water shut off, having to relocate my vehicle because they’re paving the parking lot, forcing their way into my apartment to work on the deck, shutting off my water again, forcing their way back into my apartment to work on the deck, shutting the water off AGAIN, and most recently forcing their way back into my apartment again.
Last night and Today were my breaking points. You see, I don’t mind if they want to make improvements because they’re converting to condos. Whatever - go for it dude. But your workers must still respect the fact that I have a legal right to exist in my apartment until the end of September. Which means, even if you have the legal authority to enter my apartment, YOU NEED TO KNOCK ON THE DOOR FIRST.
Yesterday afternoon in the first of two days of “inspections” they painted some kind of sticky stuff to the deck and covered it with sand. Like the breezeway they will probably give it another coat today to make it look all pretty and shiny. However they tracked the sticky stuff into my apartment and got it all over my carpet. Mr. B likes to walk on the carpet. Paws make contact with sticky stuff, Mr. B takes a bath and licks his paws. Last night Mr. B started shaking and when I tried to pick him up to see what was wrong he made this AWFUL sound like my little Phoebe cat made when SHE was sick before I had to have her euthanized. panic mode: on
My freaking out probably didn’t help the cat any. I tore the place apart looking for the kitty crate and spent some time in the yellow-pages and on Google trying to find a 24 hour Emergency Vet to haul my cat too. (Did I mention that I’d already taken 2 two TylenolPM and was quite drowsy??) By the time I got all my ducks lined up and was about to shove the cat into the crate he wharfed up a huge hairball and a piece of plastic. I don’t know about ya’all but when I’m about to heave I shake and make funny noises too. So I relaxed a little bit and grabbed the cat and went to bed, waking up every so often to check on him. As of this morning he seems as sassy as normal so I think he’s OK.
But around 1130 or so someone tried to come into my apartment. No knocking or anything, just turn the handle and kick on the door. This did not amuse me. They did the same thing yesterday. So at this point I’d just about had it. They’re driving me crazy, poisoning my cat and now busting my door down. So I looked up the Arizona Revised Statute that they claim gives them the right to kick me out if I don’t let them in my apartment and had a wonderful giggle!
33-1376. Landlord and tenant remedies for abuse of access
A. If the tenant refuses to allow lawful access, the landlord may obtain injunctive relief to compel access, or terminate the rental agreement. In either case, the landlord may recover actual damages.
B. If the landlord makes an unlawful entry or a lawful entry in an unreasonable manner or makes repeated demands for entry otherwise lawful but which have the effect of unreasonably harassing the tenant, the tenant may obtain injunctive relief to prevent the recurrence of the conduct or terminate the rental agreement. In either case, the tenant may recover actual damages not less than an amount equal to one month’s rent.
In case you have no idea what I’m talking about, paragraph B gives me the right to seek damages not less than an amount equal to one month’s rent (cha-ching) if their actions can be construed as harasing - or I can get a restraining order to get them to stop. HA! I think my situation MORE than qualifies. Me: clicks print, puts on shirt, checks hair & marches down to the office. I had a nice little chat with Gina the manager and she was about as annoyed with everything as I was. I advised her that she needs to remind the workers that people still live here and that the workers need to do things like KNOCK before entering and they need to not leave sticky resin all over my carpet.
We shall see how things carry on from this point.
As an aside with the cat - last night FREAKED me out. I don’t like sick kitties and I am very worried for my Bigglesworth. I got a text message on my phone this morning from Will telling me that his kitty, Tucker, passed away last night. Tucker had been acting funny and throwing up so Will took him to the vet last week and found out that Tucker had Lymphoma (or some other kinda nasty cancer). Call me strange but I think Mr. Bigglesworth’s behaviour may have been linked to Tucker. Mr. Bigglesworth has previously had sympathy pains with me, so I wonder if perhaps his episode last night wasn’t really because my apartment complex is trying to kill him, but because he was somehow psychically connected to Tucker??
No way we will ever know for certain, but I’m very sad for Will right now - I’ve lost furry children before and know how hard it is. :’(
