May 10, 2010

Living arrangements

Todd and I have a renter.

The guy is also a game warden and to help pay the rent on our Casper apartment - and to help him get into town and get his bearings - we asked him if he'd like to rent out our basement.

While it's been very nice to have our apartment paid for it has come with some frustration.

I have expectations that I really don't think are unreasonable: keep our common areas cleaned up, and be respectful of my space.  I thought these generalities would be easy enough to accommodate, but, it turns out I've had to be pretty specific.  Such as: If your dog comes in and muddies up the kitchen, basement stairs, laundry room, etc., please wipe it up.  Or, as a solution to the big muddy boot tracks in the laundry room, how 'bout we say all work boots off in the workshop?  Perhaps he could wipe down the counters instead of leaving globs of food dripped all over?  Or maybe he could turn lights out and not open every door in the house while the heat is still turned up.

These all seem like pretty logical actions to me!

I've left a couple of written messages for him, but today, I had to have a face-to-face chat.  I've been gone for nearly two weeks in Oklahoma and Casper.  When I came home for lunch today I went to use the bathroom only to find the seat left up and, to be delicate, the toilet in need of a good wipe down.

My last straw.

This is MY space.  MY bathroom.  What is he doing using MY bathroom??  I don't go into the bedroom/bathroom downstairs.  And I certainly don't expect him to be in mine.

It turns out he had his little brother and his bro's girlfriend over for dinner and a movie - which I don't mind - and he seems to think it got left up when they were here.

Ok...ok.  But it'd be nice if you cleaned up after your guests, particularly when they're using MY things, right?

Todd assures me I'm not hard to live with and don't have unreasonable expectations, but maybe I'm just spoiled with Todd.  He's uncommonly clean for a "dude".

I like our renter, and if he weren't living in my basement I'd probably like him more.

But right now, I'm REALLY enjoying my time alone in the house while he's out.

3 comments:

  1. That would be so hard to live with a stranger in your basement. He has to realize that he is living with his landlord - you'd think he'd be extra good.

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  2. I wouldn't be able to stand it. He's trespassing into private territory, and not being very considerate, I believe. I'm sorry, but all h--- would break lose if it was me. Good luck.

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  3. You are much more of a trooper than I. I would lose my shit.

    I don't remember - was there a door between the kitchen and the basement? It might be worth sacrificing using the back door to keep a door between the two locked. There was a kitchenette down there, yes? I can't remember. I guess you need access to the laundry, though.

    Gah. I feel for you. Hang in there!

    ReplyDelete

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