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Kelly


Hermes

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ugh! I just need to rant
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I'm fuming, but I can't call anyone or anything because the maintenace man is still in my apartment.

Two days ago, I got a random knock at the door. A maintenance man whom I'm familiar with said that there was a leak in my apartment, which they noticed while they were in the basement. I really don't like letting them into my apartment when I'm home alone, even though I'm familiar with them. I'm very puny and unintimidating, and any of them could definitely hurt/rob/rape me if they wanted to. And not to sound like I live in a horrible ghetto or something, but I'm quite confident that if I screamed no one would come out to help because I live in a bad part of town. Still, I let him in and he tore a big hole in my wall to get to the pipes to fix the leak. He told me that someone would be back the next day (yesterday) to fix the hole. I was home all day yesterday, but no one ever came. Today, I have classes all day but I have a few hours in the middle of the day to come home for lunch, rest, etc. Two hours ago, I opened the door to go get my mail and there was a maintenance man fiddling with his keys to try and find the one to my apartment. If he knocked, I didn't hear him - but I didn't have any radio or TV on, so I would have, I think. He was just going to let himself in!

This hole looks pretty easy to fix. It's behind the stove and I basically just need them to nail up a patch and plaster in the cracks. I could do that in like 20 minutes. But he's been here for 2 1/2 hours! I have to leave for class soon, but if he doesn't leave I don't know what I'll do. Not to mention the fact that I was planning on getting a nap and a bath before my next class, but now I couldn't do either of them. I think he must be new or something, even though he's pretty old, because other maintenance men keep coming and peeking through the door at him. And he keeps walking out the door for a couple minutes at a time, and I have no idea why - I'm guessing that it's to ask the other maintenance men questions or something, because he never has anything in his hands while he's leaving or coming back. That's another thing - he's in my kitchen, which is the first part of my apartment that you walk through. And he just decided to leave the door open and come and go as he pleases, and let anyone who wants to see into my apartment. He put his dirty coat on top of my shoe basket. I tried to say something about how I'd hang it up or could he please not put it there, but he has an accent and missing teeth, and for the life of me I cannot decipher 80% of what he says to me, so I just let that go when I couldn't understand his response.

I keep coming up with excuses to go into the kitchen, like to get a glass of water or medicine, because I'm trying to figure out what the crap is taking him so long! If I have to miss my class because of him, I'm going to scream.

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Fashion is art you live your life in. - Devil Wears Prada | formerly ttara123
D


Hermes

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Point to your watch, tell him you have to leave, and tell him he needs to leave. If he suggests that he stays, tell him that you do not want work done in your apartment when you are no present.

Tomorrow, complain to the property manager about the situation, and request that a more experienced maintenance person with the ability to make the repair in a timely manner is assigned the work order. 

Explain that you do not currently have hours to spend at your apartment for a patch job, and that you do not want anyone in your apartment when you are not there.



-- Edited by D at 16:56, 2007-02-15

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Kelly


Hermes

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Thankfully, he left just before 5pm and I had just enough time to get to class. I have a sneaking suspicion that his work day ends at 5 and he was stalling the whole time so he wouldn't have to go do anything else today. But I am definitely calling the management company tomorrow - because I was so relieved and in such a hurry when he left, I didn't even look at the job until I just got home a few minutes ago. There are big plaster blobs dried into my dark blue carpet!!! It's right when you walk in, too - you're just greeted with this big mess that I can't vaccum up because it's all dried.

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cahabo


Kate Spade

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I can relate to your situation in a way so I know how upsetting it is. I once lived in a place where I let the landlord know that the toilet wasn't working properly. Well one day I come home to find that somebody had been in my apartment to replace the toilet. I was so ticked because I didn't know that someone was going to go into my place without me knowing first and without me being there. I didn't even know that somebody actually had another key to the place! Another thing was that it was the landlord's son who lived next door who really creeped me out in the first place. You'd think that there would be laws about this kind of thing. Who knows what they do when you're not there. They can go through your things or take something!

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alb


Marc Jacobs

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I would be so pissed!  You should definitely complain abt the amt of time it took to complete the job and the quality of the work, etc., as detroit suggested.  i would absolutely demand a more experienced worker, and you are probably right about the guy stalling until 5:00.  i'd also demand that they fix the carpet where they dropped all the goop, etc. asap.  and next time don't feel bad or make excuses to go into the kitchen--I totally would have just stood there staring at him!  i know this sounds really bad, but if you did that maybe he would have felt uncomfortable enough to get someone else (whomever was coaching him outside) to finish the job, or at least maybe he would have hurried up (who knows though, the guy sounds like a real moron and maybe wouldn't have even noticed).  uggh, i feel for you!!  

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blubirde


Chanel

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There are laws to prevent maintenance (and other) people from entering your apartment while you're not there. At least in Texas there are laws - I'd assume in other states as well. Basically they can't come in while you're not there unless they give you 24 hour notice. For instance, if the pest guy is coming over, they have to let you know that he'll be in your apartment on this day at this time or whatever.

And I'd definitely complain about him taking so long, interrupting your day, and messing up your carpet. I'd demand new carpet or make them have someone come out and clean it. Just remember - it's your home, not theirs so don't take any crap from the property managers.

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Kari


Dooney & Bourke

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blubirde wrote:

There are laws to prevent maintenance (and other) people from entering your apartment while you're not there. At least in Texas there are laws - I'd assume in other states as well. Basically they can't come in while you're not there unless they give you 24 hour notice. For instance, if the pest guy is coming over, they have to let you know that he'll be in your apartment on this day at this time or whatever.

I think this is true just about anywhere...however, if you call the office to complain about something, then essentially you are on notice that someone will come out to fix it and so that they don't have to turn around again and give you notice.  That is usually in the lease that you sign.  Or, if someone was there one day and didn't get finished, it is reasonable that they have to return the next...so they don't have to again give you notice.





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