It's not that I haven't done what I ought to have done, it's just that there's so much to do

[nineveh_uk]

When I grow up and own my own house and don't have to spend nearly all weekend preparing for the four-monthly inspection*, I shall have more time for writing. But what on earth is then going to motivate me to put away all my Christmas trip packing so there is floor space in the spare bedroom***, or sort out the coats in the porch, or throw that random shoebox in the bin?

Things done: house (except bathroom and kitchen floor, to be done Wednesday night), food shopping.

Things undone: CV updated (a task that's been waiting a good year), fic written, Christmas diary finished, amaryllis planted, financial papers sorted, mending, exercise had, new landline phone set up, emails sent, ironing etc. etc.

Also, where on EARTH am I going to put my stuff if my parents move this year? I will have to hope that they buy a house with a large boarded loft.

But at least it was all mostly indoors and in the warmth and I was lavish with the central heating, and my cold is receding if catarrh-y. I have absolutely got to pick up the fic again this week, or I'm going to start to forget things. Resolution set!

*The place is always reasonably clean and tolerably tidy**, but only an idiot would not be cynical about letting agents, and when I leave want to be able to say "You have inspected the place regularly and never found a fault with the way I kept it - return all of that deposit or I'll see you in court."

**For a value of tidy that includes there being paper on every flat surface, and things in the nearest drawer at the time.

***I have never managed to travel light.

Comments

[azdak.livejournal.com]

I had no idea letting agents were allowed to walk in and inspect your living space while you were still living in it. That seems like a breach of privacy 8although I can quite see that it would insure that the place looks tidy at least three times a year).

What an awful lot you've got done! I feel exhausted just contemplating it!

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Not that anything will necessarily be done, but once they're in writing as things the tenant has raised they can't affect the deposit if they worsen.

I always make sure that if I report something it is via email for just this reason. The agency seem fine so far, and very good at getting repairs done quickly, but I'm working on the principle that it pays to be careful. I don't care that the oven seal is elderly and scorches the cupboard a bit (not dangerously, it's just a bit of grease escaping and can be wiped down) but I want it plain that I told them about it and not taking action was their choice.

[littlered2.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine recently had awful landlords who came round every few weeks to check the state of the property and criticised them for things like "clothes on the bedroom floor" and "rubbish in bin" (not an overflowing bin, just an ordinary kitchen bin with some rubbish in it).

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Argh! And though I thikn you can deny entry and complain for that sort of thing, it can be hard to feel you're in a positiion to do so. Mine are nothing like that - it's only 3 times a year and I do get lots of notice. And it's the agency rather than the landlord (though I have met the landlord as he came round personally once when he was arranging for some work on the guttering).

[littlered2.livejournal.com]

They spent a lot of time talking to Shelter and CAB and so on; it sounded pretty grim. I, thankfully, haven't experienced that, though (like you, I deal with the estate agency, not the landlord, and they're fairly reasonable and quite good at responding to stuff).

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

It has to be reasonable notice and access - they aren't being unreasonably demanding and it's a quick check, not a go through your stuff. I can see why they'd want to check people aren't wrecking the place, but it is a bit annoying, and it does drive home the fact that it isn't actually mine.