Monday, January 21, 2008

Landlord diaries

It was a crazy day yesterday. I cajoled Serge into posting the apartment for rent on kijiji. For those of you who don't know, kijiji is like Craigslist but in French. We had already gotten several calls from the Craigslist ad, but I like to reach the widest market, hence my cajoling him to post on Kijiji. Within minutes of him posting the ad, the phone started ringing off the hook. We decided to show the apartment for one hour between one and two in the afternoon. We had over 10 visits and at the end of the day we had four applicants for the apartment. This morning there are 10 more inquiries by email asking for a chance to visit. We'll run a check on the current applicants and if all goes well, we'll have a signed lease this evening. With all this response, I can't help feeling we priced the apartment too cheaply, but this is good to know for next time.

Two of the applicants refused to put their social security number down on the application. It's not impossible to run a credit check without it, but personally I'm put off by the attitude. You want me to enter into a $10000 contract with you, but you want to make it difficult for me to verify your credit history. One of these applicants who refused to put the ss# is on unemployment too. But don't worry, he wrote, he's got seven months left of unemployment benefits and surely he'll find a job by then. Oh and he's living at mommy's house and his reason for moving is "seeking independence". Still, we liked this guy in person, so he may end up getting it. I suppose we'll just take the one with the best verifiable payment history.

I was saddened to learn about Suzanne Pleshette's death yesterday. I have always loved her gravelly smoker's voice. So it wasn't too big a surprise to see that lung cancer had taken her. Another reminder to me about the terrible bad habit, and the necessity for extricating myself from it.

19 comments:

Petie said...

I had seen Suzanne Pleshette's work on TV several times and I am sadden by her death as well.

Since you already have the Touch might I tempted you to try this?

http://www.mediafire.com/?4hby4o1y6vl

It is an audio file which supposedly help your quit smoking, subliminally.

Lyvvie said...

You haven't quit smoking yet?! There's how you'll find the magic of winter - deep glorious lung fulls of clean cold air. Will work wonders on your blahs too.

Good luck with finding the most suitable tenant.

Anonymous said...

If I were a landlord and had multiple applicants for a lease, I guess I would be inclined to ignore any that did not submit information to do a credit check. Of course, I also admit to being very wary of giving anyone my ssn anymore.

"Emily" was always a favorite. A great gift of our age is video recordings. We will be able to keep her "alive" for many years despite our loss.

As an aside, you know how much I hope you (and serge) do!

Anonymous said...

Suzanne is one of those stars that will be missed but almost forgotten by next January when they show all of those who died during the year. She was the perfect lasy to play off of Bob Newhart.
The young man living with his parents sounds like a good bet. He can pay for 7 months and if he doesn't get a job his parents may help him with his rent to keep him from moving back home. He may play loud music and have parties but then if his parents have taught him manners it will be okay. Ed

Anonymous said...

Wow, if that's the guy you liked the best, I'm wondering about the others.

Apartment seeking here is so hard; I'm a perfect candidate (well, before the wonder dog), good job, member of the community and all that, fabulous rental history, and yet every time I've looked for a place, it's been stress, stress, stress, wait, wait, wait.

Like being picked to play kickball in elementary school.

"Pick me pick me pick me!"

Patricia said...

oh my gosh, i didn't hear about "emily's" death :(

i'm glad it was a reminder. so lemme be a pain/kick in the ass and ask, when?

Anonymous said...

I don't think I envy your having to screen these folks as tenants; it's one of the most tedious tasks I know of. At least (here in NC) if I hire someone for a job and they turn out to be a total looser for the position, I have the right and obligation to give them career counseling [fire their miserable soul] and move on to the next victim, I mean hiree!

Best of luck on the search for a tenant and a healthier habit over memories of a wonderful actress.

-C

Lacey said...

I had not heard about Suzanne's death. It pains me to think of you two still smoking. Please stop. Although I will admit, even after years of not smoking, I could light up in a SECOND...IN A SECOND...I still crave the damn things.

GayProf said...

I was sad about Suzanne Pleshette as well. I always preferred The Bob Newhart Show over Newhart, and Pleshette was one of the main reasons.

If the man who lives with his mother is serious about pulling his life together, you would be doing him a nice favor by renting to him. I would generally trust your instincts about people.

Jen said...

I love your blog Torn, and you seem like a great guy, but personally I'd be leary of renting from someone who asks for information they have no legal right to. I'm glad you are considering the guy with out the SIN# and based on your instincts.

http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/en/sin/protect/provide.shtml

Anonymous said...

a request for the SIN has to be optional, unless you are required to ask for it by law (e.g., banks or an employer who have to report income).

http://www.privcom.gc.ca/fs-fi/02_05_d_21_e.asp

Jen said...

Thanks for clarifying John. I'd not seen those BPGs before.

Cheers, Jen

David said...

"Another reminder to me about the terrible bad habit, and the necessity for extricating myself from it."

Amen, sister

Rox said...

I feel for you in your landlord woes! Sounds like the kajagoogoo thing works so that is awesome to know for next time you have a vacancy.

I'm not going to lecture you about the smoking today. I'm tired of lecturing, for a change I'm just going to say that my dream for you and Serge is that you both live long and healthful lives. You wouldn't deny a girl her dreams, would you?

(In the mom biz that is what we call the backdoor guilt trip LOL!)

Anonymous said...

Seven months of unemployment? Good luck with that!

Mark in DE said...

Congrats on all the interest in your apt, and good luck verifying the applicants. Like you, I wouldn't even bother with an applicant that won't provide their SS#.

Mark :-)

Earl Cootie said...

Wow. I hadn't noticed the first time, but I was struck on this re-reading by all the dots along the top of kijiji. It's like a verbal interpretation of Jackson Pollack.

dirk.mancuso said...

I just like saying "kijiji." It's even more fun to say than "I'm Uma Pemmuraju."

I also loved Suzanne Pleshette's voice, especially when she laughed.

lattégirl said...

I admit, I'm one of those sticklers who won't provide a SS# if I don't need to. Companies like Hell Canada will try to get it from ya, but I just say, "Uh... nope." And they don't push it because legally, they're not allowed to ask.

As for credit checks... haha! Guess I'll never rent an apartment from youse guys, huh? My credit history is TERRIBLE.

Good person, bad credit. Le sigh.