Ship of Fools: Can I just bitch, please?

Thread: Can I just bitch, please? Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

To visit this thread, use this URL:
http://forum.ship-of-fools.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=70;t=022726

Posted by rhflan (# 17092) on :

Our landlord sucks. She is the worst landlord I've *EVER* had. You have to complain about something MULTIPLE times for her to do anything about it....and half the time she still doesn't. We moved in last August and some of our outlets weren't working. They're still not. The door to our apartment hasn't latched since December (and even before then it didn't always work properly). Since moving in I've probably complained about it at least 5 times.

Now we have new downstairs neighbours...who smoke...in their apartment. According to our lease, there is to be ZERO smoking on the entire property. I saw them last night smoking in their unit, and tonight I could smell it. Seemed to be a mixture of cigarette smoke and pot (to be fair, it's been a while since I've smelled pot...but it's the only thing that I could think of that would smell like that).

I'm just fed up with it. If we were going to be staying in this town past our lease I would just have us pack up and move NOW.

She (landlord) is just the most useless good-for-nothing person I've ever met!

GGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Evensong (# 14696) on :

Can you just bitch?

I'm not sure. Usually you need to project your innate anger (that comes from the shadow side of your soul and is usually made worse by frustration and resentment and disappointment ) onto something and then bitch.

*Looks up. Noticed OP*. Oh no wait. It's all good. Carry on.

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :

Bitch, please.

Posted by Steve H (# 17102) on :

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan:
Now we have new downstairs neighbours...who smoke...in their apartment. According to our lease, there is to be ZERO smoking on the entire property. I saw them last night smoking in their unit, and tonight I could smell it. Seemed to be a mixture of cigarette smoke and pot (to be fair, it's been a while since I've smelled pot...but it's the only thing that I could think of that would smell like that).

Why the bloody blue bollocking blazes shouldn't they smoke in their own apartment? Jesus wept - you anti-smoking fascists really piss me off!

Posted by Spike (# 36) on :

Does the landlord own the other apartment? If not, there's bugger all she can do about it.

Posted by Evensong (# 14696) on :

LOL. You tell em Steve. We smokers are an oppressed group these days are not? Viva la revalucion!

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

Because these are (at least I assume so) tenants and the property isn't theirs. If you don't own your own home, you take what goes with the lease. The landlord - or landlady - has every right to ban smoking if she wants.

It might not bother you, but I can still remember many years ago renting a bedsit with net curtains, and discovering after I'd moved in that they weren't actually net curtains, it was just the congealed smoke on the windows. The place reeked of stale smoke, the ceiling was brown and there were cigarette burns on the furniture. I can't say I blame any landlady for banning smoking in her property.

[ 03. June 2012, 08:11: Message edited by: Ariel ]

Posted by Marvin the Martian (# 4360) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
Because these are (at least I assume so) tenants and the property isn't theirs. If you don't own your own home, you take what goes with the lease. The landlord - or landlady - has every right to ban smoking if she wants.

Just one more reason why buying your own home is vastly preferable to renting.

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

Assuming you're in a position to do so.

Posted by Marvin the Martian (# 4360) on :

Well yes, that goes without saying.

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

We are landlords - we ban smoking.

Our tenants are in for the long haul, I'm glad to say - they like us and even invite us to their parties.

The smoking ban is for the sake of future tenants (And ourselves, we don't want to re-decorate throughout if she moves on!)

Posted by Evensong (# 14696) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
Bitch, please.

Dudette. I got about thirty seconds into that vid and its scary I tellsya. Scary.

[ 03. June 2012, 11:05: Message edited by: Evensong ]

Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Steve H:

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan:
Now we have new downstairs neighbours...who smoke...in their apartment. According to our lease, there is to be ZERO smoking on the entire property. I saw them last night smoking in their unit, and tonight I could smell it. Seemed to be a mixture of cigarette smoke and pot (to be fair, it's been a while since I've smelled pot...but it's the only thing that I could think of that would smell like that).
Why the bloody blue bollocking blazes shouldn't they smoke in their own apartment? Jesus wept - you anti-smoking fascists really piss me off!

If you'd bother to read the OP, you'd note that no smoking in unit was a condition of the lease. Yell at the OP's landlord. But spare us.

Idiot.

Posted by Twilight (# 2832) on :

quote:
I saw them last night smoking in their unit,

Poor newbies. Landlady probably needed renters so didn't even mention any smoking rules. Now he's just moved in and he has some guy peeping in his window.

Posted by Poptart22 (# 17096) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:

quote:
I saw them last night smoking in their unit,
Poor newbies. Landlady probably needed renters so didn't even mention any smoking rules. Now he's just moved in and he has some guy peeping in his window.

We're not peeping, quit being ridiculous. It was dark out and their light was on and they were just right there smoking as we walked in with our laundry. But last night we didn't look at anyone...it just smelled AWFUL out there. The non-smoking thing is in the lease. It's pretty hard to miss. We liked the non-smoking rule, not only does it just stink, my aunt just died waiting for her second lung transplant and it pisses me off seeing people waste good lungs when she never once had a good pair (and she never smoked).

Peeping in someone's window is creepy. People have done it to us and we've gotten in trouble for being "inappropriate" (which is probably code for making out) when the problem is not with us, but the creepy people standing in JUST the right spot for a very long time to even possibly catch something.

Posted by rhflan (# 17092) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:

quote:
I saw them last night smoking in their unit,
Poor newbies. Landlady probably needed renters so didn't even mention any smoking rules. Now he's just moved in and he has some guy peeping in his window.

As we were told off by our landlady when a peeping tom saw something 'inappropriate' (the only thing we could have been doing was kissing), the new tenants might as well learn early on that our landlord doesn't have a problem with peeping toms. Though for the record, I wasn't peeping in his window...the window in question is HUGE and faces the front of the building. So if the blinds are pulled up (as they were the night that I saw someone smoking), assuming you're not blind, you really can't help but look in the window as you're walking up the front door of the building.

Posted by Poptart22 (# 17096) on :

Also, there's this thing called secondhand smoke, and smoke also likes to stick on clothes, and I'd prefer not to smell like an ashtray.

Posted by rhflan (# 17092) on :

The reason that I'm so annoyed by it is that it's in the lease. So it's the landlord's job to enforce the lease. But she doesn't. She also doesn't properly maintain the property. And on top of it all, she charges an arm & a leg for rent. We had to deal with a weeks worth of 90+ degree heat in March with no A/C. I've had things stolen out of the laundry room (which is automatically locked when you leave it...meaning that it was either a current or past tenant who stole the stuff).

Part of the reason I even wanted to live here was the no smoking on the property clause in the lease. I have asthma and bad allergies and tend to get bronchitis a couple of times a year. Being around smoke is quite bad for my health.

Posted by EtymologicalEvangelical (# 15091) on :

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan
Our landlord sucks. She is the worst landlord I've *EVER* had.

Has the word "landlady" now been banned?

Just wonderin'.

(Never quite sure these days. Whatever we say seems to offend some idiot somewhere.)

Posted by Anselmina (# 3032) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:

quote:
I saw them last night smoking in their unit,
Poor newbies. Landlady probably needed renters so didn't even mention any smoking rules. Now he's just moved in and he has some guy peeping in his window.

Presumably, though, they did read and understand the terms of their own lease? Smoking rules are a pretty important clause, surely, if it's going to be your home, and also happens to be someone else's property?

Posted by Tortuf (# 3784) on :

Banning smoking is a cost saving issue with landlords. Smoke gets into softs like carpet and cannot be cleaned out well enough to satisfy non-smokers. It also mingles with any grease floating around the kitchen from frying and attaches itself, and its smell, to the walls, counters and cabinets. That adds an extra level of cleaning/replacing when smokers leave a rental unit.

If the landlord does not have to calculate in the cost of extra cleaning and replacing at the end of a lease the entire lease can cost less. The smokers are not just irritating their neighbors, they are cheating their landlady out of money.

Don't get distracted by the peeping tom issue.

Posted by rhflan (# 17092) on :

quote:
Originally posted by EtymologicalEvangelical:

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan
Our landlord sucks. She is the worst landlord I've *EVER* had.
Has the word "landlady" now been banned?

Just wonderin'.

(Never quite sure these days. Whatever we say seems to offend some idiot somewhere.)

Landlady is quite fine, but when I hear or read that word, I always imagine it's coming out of the mouth of a little old grey haired lady from church...lol.

Posted by Zacchaeus (# 14454) on :

I always think of a landlady as someone who is running a public house.

Posted by Poptart22 (# 17096) on :

When I think landlady, I think of an old woman hitting the ceiling with the broom because they're too loud, or someone on a TV show who complains in sort of a harsh way to the cops about the person never paying rent on time.

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Steve H:
Jesus wept - you anti-smoking fascists really piss me off!

[continuing tangent]
And you thoughtless smokers kill me. Two weeks ago I had a severe asthma attack. My pulmonologist wanted to put me in the hospital, but I begged to go home, so he caved and I went right to the pharmacy to get my meds before going home. Outside the pharmacy door, where no smoking is permitted, was a woman smoking. A cloud surrounded her and the door. It literally knocked me to my knees. My friend who was driving me was this || close to calling an ambulance.

That's what your smoking does to me.
[\tangent]

Posted by Twilight (# 2832) on :

That's a shame, Jedi Judy, but has nothing to do with a man smoking in his own home.

We haven't seen the lease he signed. The landlady may have changed her rules, in which case that's something to take up with her rather than the new guy.

I don't smoke and wouldn't want to rent an apartment that smelled like it, but every place I've lived in has had a policy of fresh paint and carpet cleaning between renters.

As for looking at people and getting angry because they're hurting their lungs, do you get angry when you see people eating ice cream because they might be hurting their pancreas? How about loud music and ears or candy and teeth? When did other people's internal organs become your business?

You fitness fanatics are getting to be more judgmental than the Puritans ever were.

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:

As for looking at people and getting angry because they're hurting their lungs, do you get angry when you see people eating ice cream because they might be hurting their pancreas? How about loud music and ears or candy and teeth? When did other people's internal organs become your business?

You fitness fanatics are getting to be more judgmental than the Puritans ever were.

It isn't just their own bodies that smokers and drinkers harm. You know that, don't be so ignorant.

Posted by Twilight (# 2832) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
It isn't just their own bodies that smokers and drinkers harm. You know that, don't be so ignorant.

Drinking isn't part of this conversation. As for passive smoking, the health risk is tiny.

From Bill Bryson's I'm a Stranger Here Myself:

quote:
A rate of 1 in 30,000 [non-smokers getting cancer form regular exposure to side stream smoke] sounds reasonably severe, but it doesn't actually amount to much. Eating one pork chop a week is statistically more likely to give you cancer than sitting routinely in a roomful of smokers. So, too, is consuming a carrot every seven days, a glass of orange juice twice a month or a head of lettuce every two years.

Side stream smoke is just one of those things that people got all lathered about for no good reason except that it satisfies the tsk tsk need in some people.

For every person like JediJudy who really can't be around smoke there are a hundred like the OP couple, who see someone through a window smoking, and start screaming about how now their clothes smell like ashtrays!

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:
That's a shame, Jedi Judy, but has nothing to do with a man smoking in his own home.

That's why I labeled my post a tangent referring to the

quote:
anti-smoking fascists...

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :

Judy, will you just hold still and receive your gauntlet-slap like a good girl?

Posted by Evensong (# 14696) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:

quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
It isn't just their own bodies that smokers and drinkers harm. You know that, don't be so ignorant.
Drinking isn't part of this conversation. As for passive smoking, the health risk is tiny.

From Bill Bryson's I'm a Stranger Here Myself:

quote:
A rate of 1 in 30,000 [non-smokers getting cancer form regular exposure to side stream smoke] sounds reasonably severe, but it doesn't actually amount to much. Eating one pork chop a week is statistically more likely to give you cancer than sitting routinely in a roomful of smokers. So, too, is consuming a carrot every seven days, a glass of orange juice twice a month or a head of lettuce every two years.
Side stream smoke is just one of those things that people got all lathered about for no good reason except that it satisfies the tsk tsk need in some people.

For every person like JediJudy who really can't be around smoke there are a hundred like the OP couple, who see someone through a window smoking, and start screaming about how now their clothes smell like ashtrays!

Always thought pollution from cars and factories would be tons worse than the occasional second hand smoke from us smokers for most people.

Posted by Rosa Winkel (# 11424) on :

I was in Georgia a few weeks ago, where people were smoking in taxis, restaurants and even where we were working. Since then I've been coughing. The other night in a pub here in Poland there was a smoking room, but with only a plastic cover inbetween. Not only did my clothes stink afterwards, but my eyes were sore.

Still, it's the smokers who are the victims [Waterworks]

I was told once when I moved into a flat for a year that I couldn't smoke, had I wanted to, as it would have discoloured the ceiling.

Posted by Angloid (# 159) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:

I don't smoke and wouldn't want to rent an apartment that smelled like it, but every place I've lived in has had a policy of fresh paint and carpet cleaning between renters.

Not enough. We moved into a large vicarage which had been (or shortly was) redecorated throughout and inherited few if any carpets. My predecessor and his lodgers had chain-smoked (not only tobacco); the smell, and the dirt, lingered for a couple of years. I dread to think what a small flat must be like after that sort of use.

Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :

You can be very selective about the research you read about passive smoking - according to this literature review of the 37% of reports that concluded that passive smoking was not an issue, 74% were written by authors with tobacco industry affiliations.

The Lancet published a review of the risks of passive smoking* in 2010 which puts the mortality rates from passive smoking at 1% of the worldwide mortality. It's not mortality that's the major issue, it's the lung disease, particularly in children and heart problems in adults that passive smoking ,causes.

*tinyurl to avoid the brackets in that link

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:

From Bill Bryson's I'm a Stranger Here Myself:

A rate of 1 in 30,000 [non-smokers getting cancer form regular exposure to side stream smoke] sounds reasonably severe, but it doesn't actually amount to much. Eating one pork chop a week is statistically more likely to give you cancer than sitting routinely in a roomful of smokers. So, too, is consuming a carrot every seven days, a glass of orange juice twice a month or a head of lettuce every two years.

That would be Bill Bryson, epidemiologist?

[ 04. June 2012, 15:28: Message edited by: Sioni Sais ]

Posted by Steve H (# 17102) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:

quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:

From Bill Bryson's I'm a Stranger Here Myself:

A rate of 1 in 30,000 [non-smokers getting cancer form regular exposure to side stream smoke] sounds reasonably severe, but it doesn't actually amount to much. Eating one pork chop a week is statistically more likely to give you cancer than sitting routinely in a roomful of smokers. So, too, is consuming a carrot every seven days, a glass of orange juice twice a month or a head of lettuce every two years.
That would be Bill Bryson, epidemiologist?

No; Bill Bryson, journalist-who's-perfectly-capable-of-doing-some-research.

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Steve H:

quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:

quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:

From Bill Bryson's I'm a Stranger Here Myself:

A rate of 1 in 30,000 [non-smokers getting cancer form regular exposure to side stream smoke] sounds reasonably severe, but it doesn't actually amount to much. Eating one pork chop a week is statistically more likely to give you cancer than sitting routinely in a roomful of smokers. So, too, is consuming a carrot every seven days, a glass of orange juice twice a month or a head of lettuce every two years.
That would be Bill Bryson, epidemiologist?
No; Bill Bryson, journalist-who's-perfectly-capable-of-doing-some-research.

Aha, a journalist. That trade which presents objective information.

Journo's write to persuade, even good'uns like Bill Bryson. Information presented by journalists is as variable aand authoritative as that in Wikipedia (though both are usually better than 'a man I met in a pub').

Posted by Poptart22 (# 17096) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:
That's a shame, Jedi Judy, but has nothing to do with a man smoking in his own home.

We haven't seen the lease he signed. The landlady may have changed her rules, in which case that's something to take up with her rather than the new guy.

I don't smoke and wouldn't want to rent an apartment that smelled like it, but every place I've lived in has had a policy of fresh paint and carpet cleaning between renters.

As for looking at people and getting angry because they're hurting their lungs, do you get angry when you see people eating ice cream because they might be hurting their pancreas? How about loud music and ears or candy and teeth? When did other people's internal organs become your business?

You fitness fanatics are getting to be more judgmental than the Puritans ever were.

Sometimes I wonder if you're being ridiculous on purpose, but I'm not sure. rhflan and I KNOW the lease has not changed, as we have discussed this issue with our landlord. Please stop making assumptions when you don't actually live in our building. We ARE taking it up with the landlord. We could have banged on their door and said they make the common area reek, but instead we did what we were supposed to do. Now we're waiting for the landlord to do her part, and perhaps remind the new tenants to reread their lease.

Posted by rhflan (# 17092) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:
That's a shame, Jedi Judy, but has nothing to do with a man smoking in his own home.

We haven't seen the lease he signed. The landlady may have changed her rules, in which case that's something to take up with her rather than the new guy.

I don't smoke and wouldn't want to rent an apartment that smelled like it, but every place I've lived in has had a policy of fresh paint and carpet cleaning between renters.

As for looking at people and getting angry because they're hurting their lungs, do you get angry when you see people eating ice cream because they might be hurting their pancreas? How about loud music and ears or candy and teeth? When did other people's internal organs become your business?

You fitness fanatics are getting to be more judgmental than the Puritans ever were.

Just b/c YOU haven't seen the lease that they signed, doesn't mean that WE (my wife and I) haven't.

*smh*

You get upset b/c we're supposedly making all these assumptions, yet you do the EXACT same thing. I honestly can't stand people that do that.

Posted by Poptart22 (# 17096) on :

Also, you say "we haven't seen the lease" as if you require some sort of proof to participate in this conversation where it is clear my wife just wants to rant, not have someone pick apart her position. I understand this is posted in Hell so people can be idiots but this is getting pretty bad. Why aren't you taking us at our word? We're just upset because of the stinky disgusting breach of lease, especially because non-smoking building was important to us, and we did go through the proper channels. It's a rant. If you want to rant about people being Puritanical, fine, but not here where it's clear this is not the point. I can't read my wife's mind but I'm pretty sure she just wanted to get all this out and maybe get a few "dude I know how you feel, I'm sorry" things out of it. You piss me off so much I think I'm going to have to take a whole Xanax and be a zombie for a while. Blech.

I'm not going to start a fight with someone who is hurting their own lungs just for that reason (though I'd like to, it's not like donor lungs are easy to come by and they'll probably end up on the transplant list), we're just tired of smelling smoke all the time. It's nasty smoke too. I don't know what they're smoking in there, but it's gross.

[ 04. June 2012, 16:16: Message edited by: Poptart22 ]

Posted by rhflan (# 17092) on :

Also, in terms of how dangerous second-hand smoke is, I'll just continue to take the advice of numerous doctors that I've seen for my lung-related issues. I've been advised (but multiple healthcare professionals) to avoid second-hand smoke...which is why I was *very* excited that we found a place where smoking wasn't allowed ANYWHERE on the property, according to the lease.

The lease has not changed. Also, had it changed, it would be a breach on the part of our landlord, meaning she had already broken the lease and we could move out without penalty.

I don't have a problem if you don't know anything about ________, but I find it quite annoying when people who know nothing about __________ talk as if they are experts on the subject. If you're curious as to what the lease ACTUALLY says, why not ask me, instead of assuming that it's just like your lease *coughTwilightcough*

Posted by Tortuf (# 3784) on :

Journalists and Truth. Yeah sure.

Posted by ken (# 2460) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Tortuf:
Journalists and Truth. Yeah sure.

As a profession they are a damn sight more truthful than estate agents, insurance salesmen, plumbers, or the shites who run our water supplies.

Posted by passer (# 13329) on :

quote:
Originally posted by ken:

quote:
Originally posted by Tortuf:
Journalists and Truth. Yeah sure.
As a profession they are a damn sight more truthful than estate agents, insurance salesmen, plumbers, or the shites who run our water supplies.

Even had I not already known, I could deduce from that exchange that Tortuf is a lawyer!
[Cool]

Posted by rhflan (# 17092) on :

Came home to find at least THREE people smoking on the front porch.

Le sigh.

The landlord/lady [Biased]

told me yesterday that she talked to the new tenant. Clearly not very well.

When the woman who just moved in introduced herself, I reminded her that there was no smoking allowed on the property. She seemed genuinely confused. Looks like someone didn't read their lease very well, or was perhaps just playing dumb. Anyway, with my asthma, allergies, and other assorted lung issues, I couldn't hang around and chat any longer with her so I just went inside.

The landlord/lady even put up a new 'no smoking' sign on the property either last night or earlier today (I noticed it when I left this morning). The people smoking weren't even ten feet from that sign.

Ugh.

Posted by ken (# 2460) on :

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan:
Came home to find at least THREE people smoking on the front porch.[...]
The landlord/lady even put up a new 'no smoking' sign on the property either last night or earlier today (I noticed it when I left this morning). The people smoking weren't even ten feet from that sign.

But they were outside? Sounds to me like they are following the rules then. Landlady says no smoking in my building. So they go outside. You won. The landlady has done what you told her to do, the other tenants have done what she told them to do. Congratulations. This is what victory is like.

Posted by rhflan (# 17092) on :

quote:
Originally posted by ken:

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan:
Came home to find at least THREE people smoking on the front porch.[...]
The landlord/lady even put up a new 'no smoking' sign on the property either last night or earlier today (I noticed it when I left this morning). The people smoking weren't even ten feet from that sign.

But they were outside? Sounds to me like they are following the rules then. Landlady says no smoking in my building. So they go outside. You won. The landlady has done what you told her to do, the other tenants have done what she told them to do. Congratulations. This is what victory is like.

As I've said more than once on this thread, there is to be no smoking on ANY of the property (that includes more than just the building, but the entire lot that it's on). So no, they haven't done what the landlord told them to do, as she told them not to smoke on the property.

Posted by rhflan (# 17092) on :

I know that people like to throw their two cents into a thread, but it might do good for people to actually know what the thread is about. It's not even that long yet and already at least two people seem clueless as to what I'm bitching about. It would probably be especially helpful if people would actually read my original post.

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan:
I know that people like to throw their two cents into a thread, but it might do good for people to actually know what the thread is about. It's not even that long yet and already at least two people seem clueless as to what I'm bitching about. It would probably be especially helpful if people would actually read my original post.

You were bitching about

i) your landlord not fixing stuff
ii) your landlord not enforcing a 'no smoking' rule in another apartment.

It looks like bitch ii) has been remedied. Batch i) remains.

Posted by churchgeek (# 5557) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Steve H:

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan:
Now we have new downstairs neighbours...who smoke...in their apartment. According to our lease, there is to be ZERO smoking on the entire property. I saw them last night smoking in their unit, and tonight I could smell it. Seemed to be a mixture of cigarette smoke and pot (to be fair, it's been a while since I've smelled pot...but it's the only thing that I could think of that would smell like that).
Why the bloody blue bollocking blazes shouldn't they smoke in their own apartment? Jesus wept - you anti-smoking fascists really piss me off!

Because some landlords designate a building as "non-smoking," and smokers are pretty much never forced at gunpoint to sign leases in such buildings. Smokers can just live elsewhere. People who need a non-smoking environment do just that all the time.

Once you specifically move into a smoke-free building to be free of all that second-hand smoke that does get into your apartment no matter how hermetically sealed some might imagine apartments to be, you shouldn't be forced to breathe someone else's nasty air just because they take it upon themselves to violate the (legally binding) terms of their lease.

Posted by ken (# 2460) on :

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan:
I know that people like to throw their two cents into a thread, but it might do good for people to actually know what the thread is about. It's not even that long yet and already at least two people seem clueless as to what I'm bitching about. It would probably be especially helpful if people would actually read my original post.

I read it. It made me feel happy that you are not living in the same building as me. I do not want my neighbours to be spying on me and if I had a landlord would not want them to be telling them what I get up to.

Anyway, you won. Deal with it.

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :

quote:
Originally posted by ken:
I do not want my neighbours to be spying on me...

You don't have to spy to smell smoke; all you have to do is inhale.

Moo

Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Moo:

quote:
Originally posted by ken:
I do not want my neighbours to be spying on me...
You don't have to spy to smell smoke; all you have to do is inhale.

Moo

More to the point, don't inhale.

Posted by OliviaG (# 9881) on :

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan:
As I've said more than once on this thread, there is to be no smoking on ANY of the property (that includes more than just the building, but the entire lot that it's on). So no, they haven't done what the landlord told them to do, as she told them not to smoke on the property.

You could try telling the landthing that you specifically rented there because you were led to believe it was a non-smoking property. Since it is apparently NOT a non-smoking property, you believe she misrepresented the lease, and since certain repairs haven't been done promptly, you've started looking for another place, and you believe you're entitled to some monetary compensation for all this hassle as well. Landthing may simply reply, "Don't let the doorknob hit you where the good Lord split you", but at least you know where you stand and what kind of person you're dealing with. OliviaG

Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on :

Right, been a bit since I've been yelled at here so I'll wade in.

Yes, the landlady is clearly at fault, as are your neighbours. With your neighbours being inconsiderate as well. Not sure what recourse you have beyond further complaint. Research tenant's rights in your locality.
The smokers here are grumpy because they feel oppressed, which I understand, but have little sympathy for.
Not worth wasting your keystrokes as they'll not be persuaded.

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

quote:
Originally posted by OliviaG:
You could try telling the landthing that you specifically rented there

I love this. Landthing is so much more expressive than landperson.

Posted by Twilight (# 2832) on :

I once rented a new townhouse along with my huge sheepdog. He disclosed himself upon first meeting and I had my landthing's full permission to keep him inside and to tie him out back periodically. Several years later the complex was full and the owners became more selective, no longer allowing people with dogs. We were the exception because we had lived there for years, always paying rent on time and because, when asked to get rid of my dog, I had said, "No." Most of our fellow tennants, particularly the children, loved our quiet, gentle old dog but the dog haters complained a bit.

So I'm asking OPer and partner, if they are sure the new people signed the same lease they signed?

Can lease rules be changed, midstream? I'd ask our very own Lawthing, but he's serving the other side.

Posted by Sine Nomine (# 66) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Poptart22:
You piss me off so much I think I'm going to have to take a whole Xanax and be a zombie for a while.

All out of OxyContin?

Posted by rhflan (# 17092) on :

Landlord is now officially pissed at the the tenant in unit 1 for smoking. If it happens again, she's kicking her out.

Posted by rhflan (# 17092) on :

quote:
Originally posted by ken:

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan:
I know that people like to throw their two cents into a thread, but it might do good for people to actually know what the thread is about. It's not even that long yet and already at least two people seem clueless as to what I'm bitching about. It would probably be especially helpful if people would actually read my original post.
I read it. It made me feel happy that you are not living in the same building as me. I do not want my neighbours to be spying on me and if I had a landlord would not want them to be telling them what I get up to.

Anyway, you won. Deal with it.

You might have read the original post, but obviously haven't been keeping up with the thread. If you had, you'd know that I saw the tenant smoking in the unit because it has a HUGE window right by the front door to the building. As in, assuming you're not blind, you can't *help* but see into the unit when their blinds are up (which they were).

You'd also know that we did have someone spying on my wife and I, and our landlord didn't care, only that the person spying saw something that upset them (supposedly we were 'making out'). I say 'spying' b/c the only way you can see through the window that the person was looking through is if you stand in one *exact* spot so that you can see a reflection to see through our window.

Posted by rhflan (# 17092) on :

quote:
Originally posted by OliviaG:

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan:
As I've said more than once on this thread, there is to be no smoking on ANY of the property (that includes more than just the building, but the entire lot that it's on). So no, they haven't done what the landlord told them to do, as she told them not to smoke on the property.
You could try telling the landthing that you specifically rented there because you were led to believe it was a non-smoking property. Since it is apparently NOT a non-smoking property, you believe she misrepresented the lease, and since certain repairs haven't been done promptly, you've started looking for another place, and you believe you're entitled to some monetary compensation for all this hassle as well. Landthing may simply reply, "Don't let the doorknob hit you where the good Lord split you", but at least you know where you stand and what kind of person you're dealing with. OliviaG

We would do this, except that when our lease runs out at the end of July the plan is to move overseas. If we were staying in the same city, we'd have definitely moved out by now (for others reasons plus the smoking thing).

Posted by rhflan (# 17092) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Twilight:
I once rented a new townhouse along with my huge sheepdog. He disclosed himself upon first meeting and I had my landthing's full permission to keep him inside and to tie him out back periodically. Several years later the complex was full and the owners became more selective, no longer allowing people with dogs. We were the exception because we had lived there for years, always paying rent on time and because, when asked to get rid of my dog, I had said, "No." Most of our fellow tennants, particularly the children, loved our quiet, gentle old dog but the dog haters complained a bit.

So I'm asking OPer and partner, if they are sure the new people signed the same lease they signed?

Can lease rules be changed, midstream? I'd ask our very own Lawthing, but he's serving the other side.

The lease agreements that my wife and I signed are the *exact* same ones that the new tenant in unit 1 signed. As our landlord, in our lease, made a legally binding contract to provide certain things (including a smoke free property), if she were to change that while we were still under our lease she would be breaking that contract. So we'd be able to move out with zero penalty, b/c the lease would already be broken by her. That is not the case though, as it's simply the tenant not following the rules laid out in the lease.

Posted by Marvin the Martian (# 4360) on :

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan:
We would do this, except that when our lease runs out at the end of July the plan is to move overseas.

So you kicked up a massive fuss about something someone else chooses to do in their own apartment, to the extent of basically getting the landlord to put them on a final warning, even though you'll be moving out in two months and it won't affect you ever again?

Christ, I really hope you don't come and live anywhere near me. Such petty smallmindedness is not what I look for in a neighbour.

Posted by rhflan (# 17092) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Marvin the Martian:

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan:
We would do this, except that when our lease runs out at the end of July the plan is to move overseas.
So you kicked up a massive fuss about something someone else chooses to do in their own apartment, to the extent of basically getting the landlord to put them on a final warning, even though you'll be moving out in two months and it won't affect you ever again?

Christ, I really hope you don't come and live anywhere near me. Such petty smallmindedness is not what I look for in a neighbour.

Huh? If I wasn't clear earlier, I have asthma, bad allergies, and other lung/breathing issues and cannot be around smoke AT ALL. As in, it's not okay for my health to be around it for the next two months before we move.

On top of that, the landlord doesn't want smoking on her property...and was quite ticked off to find out that someone was smoking (*especially* after she already talked to the person about it and even put up a 'no smoking' sign). If you had read the thread carefully, you would also notice that the person wasn't just smoking in their own unit, but also on the front porch, meaning that I had to walk through it to get to my apartment.

I'm genuinely surprised at how many people seem annoyed at me for, *gasp* expecting people to actually follow the contract (lease) that they signed, and for my landlord to, *gasp* actually follow the contract (lease) that she also signed. Perhaps it's a cultural thing? I know that many shipmates are British...perhaps tenancy agreements aren't considered legally binding contracts in the UK? I dunno. When I talk to my family in Scotland about it, they all think that my landlord is ridiculous. So maybe it's just an English thing?

Regardless, I think that I'm done with this thread, as many people seemed to have missed the entire point of it.

Posted by PeteC (# 10422) on :

Oh, dearie me! [Disappointed]

Another n00b ranting in Hell and expecting sympathy.

You want sympathy and understanding, dearie, this ain't the place for it. Try All Saints, there's a dear.

Posted by Marvin the Martian (# 4360) on :

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan:
perhaps tenancy agreements aren't considered legally binding contracts in the UK?

No, they're perfectly legally binding. It's just that whether they're obeyed or not is a matter for the landlord and the tenant, not any passing busybody who decides to stick their nose in. Since when did you become the tenancy police?

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

Also, our porches aren't generally regarded as 'in the building'. Maybe things differ elsewhere.

Posted by Zacchaeus (# 14454) on :

But more and more these days when you go to no smoking places it does say 'no smoking anywhere on the property.' I have seen them reminding us, that this is a no smoking building and it is against the law to smoke anywhere on the property

Any Local authority building and hospital you are not allowed to smoke outside the front door, or even on the grounds. For instance I have seen groups of school/council staff standing just outside the gates to obey the letter of the law.

I also had a hospital appointment today and there were signs outside the doors, telling us we were not allowed to smoke there.

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Zacchaeus:
But more and more these days when you go to no smoking places it does say 'no smoking anywhere on the property.' I have seen them reminding us, that this is a no smoking building and it is against the law to smoke anywhere on the property

Any Local authority building and hospital you are not allowed to smoke outside the front door, or even on the grounds. For instance I have seen groups of school/council staff standing just outside the gates to obey the letter of the law.

I also had a hospital appointment today and there were signs outside the doors, telling us we were not allowed to smoke there.

That's becuse there are signs expressly saying so. Duh.

Posted by OliviaG (# 9881) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:

quote:
Originally posted by Zacchaeus:
... I also had a hospital appointment today and there were signs outside the doors, telling us we were not allowed to smoke there.
That's becuse there are signs expressly saying so. Duh.

And the signs were there because people smoked in the doorways and whined, "Well, we're not *in* the building" and so they put up signs for stupid smokers who apparently can't figure out that the property extends beyond the building. Double duh yourself. OliviaG

Posted by Sine Nomine (# 66) on :

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan:
I think that I'm done with this thread, as many people seemed to have missed the entire point of it.

No, they just got a point you hadn't intended on them getting.

Posted by Amazing Grace (# 95) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Poptart22:
Also, you say "we haven't seen the lease" as if you require some sort of proof to participate in this conversation where it is clear my wife just wants to rant, not have someone pick apart her position.

Well, aren't you just *precious*. Bless your hearts.

quote:
I understand this is posted in Hell so people can be idiots but this is getting pretty bad.

Posted by passer (# 13329) on :

Well, they could always sue the neighbour before fleeing the country.

Posted by Anselmina (# 3032) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Marvin the Martian:

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan:
perhaps tenancy agreements aren't considered legally binding contracts in the UK?
No, they're perfectly legally binding. It's just that whether they're obeyed or not is a matter for the landlord and the tenant, not any passing busybody who decides to stick their nose in. Since when did you become the tenancy police?

I know it's hell'n'all, but to be fair he's hardly a passing busybody - if it's an apartment building, and he's close in proximity to the offender - it's his home, too - he lives there. And unless he can remove his nose and put it somewhere safe, he has no option but to 'stick his nose' into the problem. [Big Grin]

Sure, he's painted the big bullseye on himself, but he also does/did have a point. But as ken said, he's won (so to speak), so end of.

Posted by Organ Builder (# 12478) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Sine Nomine:
...they just got a point you hadn't intended on them getting.

I can think of a number of clergy for whom a prayer to keep this in mind would be more helpful than the Collect for Purity.

Laity, too, for that matter--especially the ones who like to speak up in meetings.

Posted by duchess (# 2764) on :

quote:
Originally posted by rhflan:
I know that people like to throw their two cents into a thread, but it might do good for people to actually know what the thread is about. It's not even that long yet and already at least two people seem clueless as to what I'm bitching about. It would probably be especially helpful if people would actually read my original post.

This post pleases me, greatly.

Now here is my 2¢. Deal with it.
I own my own mondo condo. Have since 2004. Why you ask? Glad you asked, thanks for asking.

Because beforehand I dealt with this:
-living with a family that had stinky, crazy mad grandma. She threatened people occasionally with knives, then snapped back due to malaria she got while living in India and never recovered from it. She also stank up the restroom where a book of matches was kept up on the cistern of the toilet. I will say no more.
-living in a studio with crack-dealers, witnessing a shakedown in person of the washmachines/dryers for coins in the laundry room (I look fairly innocent and clueless when I have a migraine so when I wandered in there, the perp took a look at me and deemed me not a threat, which worked out for me). Crack dealer tried to borrow a credit card from me (long story, out of mercy, I will spare you). I dealt with a lady upstairs who vacuumed after 11 PM, only confessing to regret when she saw me moving out "did my vacuuming bother you? Oh good LORD!" (I will never forget that moment). A kept man used to sing Whitney Houston up there and scream at his boyfriend "Listen bitch, you don't own me!" at all hours of the night. He was OFF KEY too in his singing abilites. A neighbor tried to start a petition against him which I never signed, due to my belief he would be out soon, which he was.
I also dealt with the neighbor who fixed his carborator 11 PM-2 AM more than one night. RIGHT in front of my apt. I dealt with Mr. Happy, the fix-it man there, who used to go into apartments of people he didn't like and pee into their drinks if they were open in the small college fridges we had. So all of my drinks had to be sealed. I could not keep any unsealed water bottles in there.
-Living with a controlling, bossy, crazy lady who yelled at me for leaving skinny cows (a fat-free ice-cream dessert sandwich) in the freezer. Made fun of me being fat, then got into a fight with the neighbors who t-p'd my car and was hard to live with at times "you turned that soap dispenser away from me on purpose to irritate me!" (screaming). Me "ah, no..."

all this and more, to finally OWNING my own place.
I figured I'd better invest in a piece of property since I was tired of roaches, rats (didn't go into that out of mercy in my posts) plus drug dealers. And bitches who are hard to live with an controlling fast. I had some saving and plunked down 13K. I then by the grace of God, got a place. I have only kept it with the Obama stimulous plan (I qualified and Freddie Mac alerted my bank, I refinanced last year for 30 years, fixed loan through the stimulus plan...great rate and no toying around with me). I kept it by the skin of my teeth, barely skimping by money-wise (I don't make that much $$).

I have been able to keep myself housed and now my laid-off boyfriend. And his daughter when her mother threw her out 3 nights ago (1 bedroom, cramped quarters). I thank God I did that. I have been blessed having this place. I don't have to deal with the type of riff-raff I used to deal with. I can change the locks when I lose the keys (the boyfriend put in a new lock in my door), I can paint it any color I want. I don't worry about the rent going up (oh well, just the HOA fees). Nobody bothers me here. I LOVE THAT.

Downstairs, the man smokes like a chimney outside on his patio. Both me and the boyfriend deal with it. We both believe he has a right to smoke. And I am someone who has very, very bad allergies. But I deal. It's outside and his right, plus where else is he going to smoke? Everywhere it is close to illegal in my city, my state (Silicon Valley).

So if you want to keep reading my rambling, lame posts, keep bitching, bitch.

You are one ungrateful person. You should thank your lucky stars you don't have to deal with cockroaches, rats, spiders, drug-dealers, criminals, mean-maintenance men, meaner managers etc. If you did, it might drive you to save up for your own place.

WORD.

Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
Also, our porches aren't generally regarded as 'in the building'. Maybe things differ elsewhere.

Oh yes - we are IN the porch in the UK [Smile]

Posted by Balaam (# 4543) on :

At last, a rant worthy of Hell. Well done duchess.

rhflan take note.

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :

Mr. Balaam, I concur. [Overused]

Posted by duchess (# 2764) on :

I was trying to torture him with a long post. Now I wish I knew a writer who could put that saga into a sitcom. Sigh. From the bottom of my rambling on weezer-pull-this-string-heart, I thank you (towards the Ass's master & ninja bunny) and my work is done here. [Axe murder]

UBB.classic^TM 6.5.0