House issues

[Brah]

Drama seeks > drama finds, that's my experience in landlording.

I don't think she's a drama queen at all.

I think House is a drama queen.

Toldja I had House issues

[Hannieroo]

Drama seeks > drama finds, that's my experience in landlording.

If you want to unjustly blow up some huge issue, then expect to get it back in spades (particularly considering the vengefulness of some Singaporeans).

Your temperament seems very aggressive and 'in your face', making enemies at every turn. I don't imagine that makes life in Sg any easier for you... something for you to ponder maybe?

Nah. I've read, I've pondered and I've decided that your behaviour from day one marks you out as a bit of a cyber bully who has it in for me but you don't seem to be getting the message I care not for what you think. In fact I seem to bother you far more than you bother me. Sometimes you're the bright spot in my day. You make me laugh. A lot. Keep it up. Don't let me down now.

[JR8]

Nah. I've read, I've pondered and I've decided that your behaviour from day one marks you out as a bit of a cyber bully who has it in for me but you don't seem to be getting the message I care not for what you think. In fact I seem to bother you far more than you bother me. Sometimes you're the bright spot in my day. You make me laugh. A lot. Keep it up. Don't let me down now.

Jolly good. But perhaps you could explain what the purpose of your running commentary is, what do you intend to achieve by it?

You certainly seem to have made your situation about as complicated as possible: By taking on a property that is (in your opinion) not in a habitable condition. As you probably know, generally when you rent a property, you take it in 'as is' condition. This is as detailed in an inventory that your agree with the owners agent, on the morning that you move in.

Do you have an inventory? Do you have an agreed list of upgrades that was signed-off by the landlord?

Do you realistically expect to live in the property whilst the kitchen is replaced? You know, nowhere to prepare food, strangers walking in and out for weeks. Dirt and debris throughout your home. I find it hard to understand why you have apparently walked into this situation, with your eyes wide open.

It reminds me of one tenancy I had many moons ago. The apartment was in a pretty tired condition, but as I was abroad I couldn't coordinate getting it renovated. As a consequence the rent was materially less than the market rate for a renovated unit, but as that was out of my hands it didn't bother me. The tenant took it, as is, and thereafter started asking for improvements, regular as clockwork every month something new would be requested. That also involved her offering to pay part of the costs, and so on. And on, and on. I seem to recall it ended up a mess, she had none of the works done, I withheld what I'd funded from her deposit, she put it in the hands of her big-shot lawyer... blah blah (she got nothing from me) blah.

It also reminds me of another tenancy. Big old tired unit, in a prime location. Good tenant (a landlord himself, so he knew how to manage the property, and landlord etc). He wanted to do some improvements, and he sent me pictures of DIY he'd done in some of his own property. We agreed I'd fund materials, and he'd provide labour F.O.C. All we had to do was agree paint/carpet colors etc and that was it. Simple, cooperative, everyone happy.

[x9200]

The importance of inventory list would be only if something mentioned over there was mentioned as broken right from the start, otherwise whether it was discovered later or got broken later all what matters is the fact it is broken now and according to all the TA I have seen so far there are rules for it to be fixed.
Not sure why do you assume they rented a ran down place.

[sundaymorningstaple]

THe house was mid renovation when we moved in, workmen, dust sheets and paint fumes everywhere but we liked what we saw and signed. Husband moved in and lived alone here for the month of Feb but wasn't really here very much.

From what I see, they made the same mistakes as most do when they come to Singapore the first time. They trusted people like they were home. They only learn about site like ours after they arrive (a large portion of them, anyway) but it's often too late for what to do on arrival or what to beware of. Therefore, they are in a state of "learning the hard way" or "I didn't really think that they would be like that" or "Isn't there a ombudsman to intercede for us". It's unfortunately, an expensive and frustrating situation that in the vast majority of cases, unless you have done you homework prior to arrival, you are going to lose. Hannie, I wish you luck. They don't realize good tenants are hard to find here and they rent the same way the stores sell here. To them, you aren't a citizen so we will get as much from you as we can while we can. You'll be gone in 12 months anyway!

[x9200]

Very true, but still it does not mean they should be giving up. The fact that they rented it in the middle of renovation does not mean this is how they suppose to live till the end of the contract.

[JR8]

The importance of inventory list would be only if something mentioned over there was mentioned as broken right from the start, otherwise whether it was discovered later or got broken later all what matters is the fact it is broken now and according to all the TA I have seen so far there are rules for it to be fixed.

She said nothing about having an inventory, I'm trying to confirm one exists. She said she has discovered a problem/problems after moving in, I am trying to understand why they were not noted on the inventory.

Not sure why do you assume they rented a ran down place.

Exsqueeze-me That's based upon how she has described it, and the fact that it is half-way through renovations. You do normally only renovate places that are run down... don't you?

[x9200]

"THe house was mid renovation when we moved in"
I guess I had to misinterpret the past form of this statement as well as the fact that normally after renovation the place is not ran down any longer. Is this what I missed?
You really don't believe the fact that they rented during the renovation they should live "as is" till the end of the contract, do you?

[katbh]

Drama seeks > drama finds, that's my experience in landlording.


To JR8 - Nah. I've read, I've pondered and I've decided that your behaviour from day one marks you out as a bit of a cyber bully who has it in for me but you don't seem to be getting the message I care not for what you think. In fact I seem to bother you far more than you bother me. Sometimes you're the bright spot in my day. You make me laugh. A lot. Keep it up. Don't let me down now.

+1

[JR8]

"THe house was mid renovation when we moved in"

I guess I had to misinterpret the past form of this statement as well as the fact that normally after renovation the place is not ran down any longer. Is this what I missed?
You really don't believe the fact that they rented during the renovation they should live "as is" till the end of the contract, do you?

OIC. 'Mid-renovation' suggests, mid-way, or half-way through.

You know what renovation (or even redecoration) is like. Before you begin the work-site looks pretty 'Grade C'. Once you start it immediately looks Grade F. Curiously it stays that way until you do the final 5% of the works, when suddenly the whole project comes together and you get the first taste of the overall improvement that is underway. I enjoy house-painting not least in part due to this expected, but still surprising, final-day phenomena.

I lived in one apartment through a renovation, never again, it's like camping in a building site.

re: Your 2nd point. I've no idea. That poster has rented a run-down place with the promise of it being renovated. Strikes me as a ticket to hell, but hey, just my 2c.

[Hannieroo]

The house had scaffolding all over, dust sheets etc. there is no way to paint this house otherwise, the living area has 30 foot ceilings and the bedroom is not much lower. All the curtains were down for cleaning, outside was being painted and having new canopy things installed. Not run down and no issues apparent. When the inventory was done all was as it should be, nobody checked the kitchen cupboards beyond a glance. That issue arose when I opened them to clean them, removed the liner paper and the melamine came off in my hands revealing rotten chip board. All of the other things have broken as we have gone along, with use. No LL on this earth will let you take 10 showers before you sign. Or bake a cake.

[JR8]

No LL on this earth will let you take 10 showers before you sign. Or bake a cake.

IME, as with our new place right now, we have a month from moving in to report breakages/damages, required repairs.

In rather a contrary way, we have so much time to do this check that we still haven't. Thanks for prompting a reminder!

[x9200]

This one month is to do it fully at the expense of the LL but even later, broken stuff still have to be fixed (if it's not the LL may attempt to charge it from the deposit after the contract ended). The only major difference is the excess to be paid by the tenant ($150-200 typically).

[Hannieroo]

All of our repairs were logged within the month, they repaired the ac in our room twice in that time. I think they were just as shocked as us about everything that has gone wrong but I think they thought things that they had stopped using personally had stopped aging. Sadly that isn't how it works.

[katbh]

This one month is to do it fully at the expense of the LL but even later, broken stuff still have to be fixed (if it's not the LL may attempt to charge it from the deposit after the contract ended). The only major difference is the excess to be paid by the tenant ($150-200 typically).

Usually there is not 'excess'. The $200 (or whatever amount stated) is not an excess as such. You pay for all repairs under $200. This means that you do not call on landlord to fix light bulbs and other minor stuff like new shower hoses etc. If the repair is over $200, you pay nothing. You should not be paying $200 as an excess for repairs.