Okay, breathing...breathing is gooooood....

[slipjig3]

Talked to landlord this morning, who said that we actually have until the end of May to get moved out, provided we pay the back amount on the heating bill by the end of the week. We can do that. (This is the heating bill, by the way, that: (a) they started charging for a year and a half ago, saying it was a temporary winter thing in light of increasing fuel costs, then added it to the lease as a permanent item; (b) does not reflect actual heat/hot water usage, but rather is prorated from the building's total heating costs; and (c) is therefore a variable amount per month, but one which we do not receive a bill for unless we have fallen behind, thus making it our responsibility on a monthly basis to hunt them down and find out what we owe, which was rather difficult when the office was only open 6 hours a week at inconvenient times due to the birth of the clerk's child. But I digress.)

So the situation has been downgraded from PANIC to merely panic, which I can pretty much live with. Still need to find a place to live, but at least we don't have to go diving at something imperfect and overpriced simply because it's available now and will accept our cats. And the place still needs to be cleaned from stem to stern (becuzz it are disgustipating), but this can be done in more manageable steps. We're already discussing which items can be gotten rid of in the de-cluttering process, so watch this space for offers of Free Junk in the coming weeks.

And now to the showers, and then back to coughing into the ears of customers. The fun, it never stops.

Comments

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

I would investigate whether item (b) is actually legal in New York. It seems to me that billing tenants for heat where individual usage cannot be established should be illegal, or at least should not be enforceable. In any event, if it's not spelled out in the lease, the landlords should not be able to bill you for random bullshit that's not otherwise chargeable according to the lease terms.

I have never heard of any landlord in Massachusetts doing that, and I suspect that doing so would be contrary to Mass. landlord/tenant code, but then again, Mass. landlord/tenant law is unusually friendly to tenants as those things go in the U.S.

Talk to a lawyer.

[celtic_maenad]

Calm, happy moving thoughts sending your way.

[oneagain.livejournal.com]

I had wanted to respond to the first post about this, but the puter was having issues. I am glad you have a reprieve, and that you are feeling a bit less panicked. I wish you luck and send soothing home-finding vibes your way. I suggest holding in your mind's eye exactly what you want, and getting it exactly when you want it--and doing your best to catch any negative thoughts and dispel them; works for me, hope it works for you, too. *Big Hugs*

[felisdemens.livejournal.com]

I am glad the gloss of desperation has been taken off the situAtion.

[chris-walsh.livejournal.com]

Phew.

[rubian77.livejournal.com]

(b) is likely legal, as long as everyone is paying the same rate. It's (c) that I'm thinking is - if not illegal, unethical and totally inappropriate. They need to bill you or include the extra cost with your lease payment, IMHO, but my idealism doesn't always jive with what's actually legal.

If you want to look into the legal side of things, you can call the Warren County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service (they're in your town) at 518-792-9239. They'll hook you up with a lawyer who will give you a 1/2 hour consultation for around $30.

*sends lots of good juju your way*

[rubian77.livejournal.com]

Oh, and:

*breathes sigh of relief with you*

And consider the coughing in their ears as payback for what they do to you....

[chainkill.livejournal.com]

I hereby order the state of New York to create a "Awesome People with Cats" zoning regulation, and apply it to a large swath of houses. Those people need to move out, so that only awesome people with cats can live there. They should zone it in a place where there are already a lot of awesome people (who can buy cats) so that only a few people have to move.