One of those days today

I suppose things were going too swimmingly well this past week (apart from me feeling totally shattered by about 8pm every night with going back and forth).

Was over at the new place yesterday and had arranged to go meet some pals who live in Pyla for a quick drink. I said I'd go over later, shower and change there, pop to the (dog friendly) pub for a quickie and then drive back here.

I went out to discover the local shops, leaving Bella behind and she was good. Bought a colour to put on my hair and returned to apply it. Stripped off and got it all ready then decided it would be a good idea to see just how hot the solar water is there and how long it takes to come through. (You could nip to the shop and back before the hot reaches the tap here!)

No water from hot tap and only a trickle from the cold one! Dagnammit! I had water at the drinking tap, the outside tap and the loo so knew it wasn't a mains supply problem. Had turned on the 'water pump' switch in hall (delighted that the place has a booster pump because pressure is dismal without one).

Called the agent. Told her I had a pump problem. She did not reply for about half an hour. Said she would be over first thing today and get it sorted.

I drove over with my pal, Andrea, at about midday, saw some of the site maintenance team and asked if they'd heard anything. No.

I went in and still NO water! Called her again to ask what she'd done about it. Oh she had driven over there and taken a look and confirmed it was the pump? Well hooray we ALL know it is the pump now what? Oh she is waiting for the 'owner' to get back to her.

Well to say I launched on a verbal tirade is to put it mildly! A managing agent (like me) should have permission and authority to sanction and arrange for all that sort of stuff without resorting to the owner. Especially if he is in another country - what's the point otherwise of employing an agent? I can deal with the owner direct and save time - like I do here.

Among other things I told her if it wasn't sorted QUICKLY I would arrange for it to be done myself and bill the owner.

Turns out that she wanted to wait until her husband is back from UK on Wednesday to see if he can 'fix it'. He is neither an electrician nor a plumber. Another lecture from me. Don't want any cowboys dealing with my lektriks!

She then said she didn't know if KSL (site maintenance company) would be responsible or whether they had to get a plumber. Honestly you really can tell she has only just started doing this. (My tenancy agreement is a joke but that acts in my favour). And hadn't even given ANY thought to what happens when things go wrong.

I had just about got back here when she called to say it would be KSL. Grrrrrrr! I was there and talking to them 20 mins beforehand. She has the spare key and is flying to UK tomorrow.

So I am now waiting for a call to say whether to be over there to give them access or whether they don't need to get inside the flat.

But I pointed out to her that I have it in writing from her that for everything concerning the flat SHE is the point of contact. Not KSL or anyone else. Now she is telling me they are!

I said 'so you just find the tenant and collect the rent?' she said 'yes'. I said fine, in that case I won't have to contact you again for anything for at least 6 months as that's how long I've paid rent for.

When I told her I was on the verge of contacting the owner direct she almost had a fit. 'But you don't know the owner' she says. I replied 'I don't know him personally but I know his name, UK address, his business and company address and all his contact details lol! Adding that did she really think I would part with thousands of euros to someone I'd met ONCE without checking who the place 'belonged' to and get their details just in case the money didn't find its way to him! As that has happened to me once before here - agent took 1 yrs rent from me and others and ******ed off to spain with it!

She had the temerity to mention that the tenancy hadn't 'officially started' yet. She shouldn't have done that. It gave me the opening to lecture her on how LUCKY SHE WAS that I am going back and forth almost daily BEFORE it starts because all the things I am discovering that need attention are things that she, who has apparently been 'looking after the place for 4 years while it was empty' should have been checking and seeing to.

Christ, turning on taps and flushing loo and running w/machine now and then is a BASIC for an empty property. As is 'airing it out' now and then. So far I've had to point out a malfunctioning loo (fixed it myself), point out that leather table mats had been stacked in a drawer and had mould on them - probably wiped over and put away damp. Point out that there is a leak from auto plant watering pipe on path above my place and I don't want a permanent puddle as that will become a haven for mozzies soon.

This has resulted in a very nicey nicey phone call from her just now. Probably wetting her knickers that I will contact the owner.

(Just glad I didn't put that L'Oreal colour on my hair - I'd have had to drive back here to rinse it off!) Ended up paying my home hairdresser to do it this morning.

Off me soapbox now!

Oh wow Pat, yep it was really lucky that you hadn't put the colour on............the agent woman is not so lucky lol. She's got you on her case now, oh boy she's in for it. It's such a good thing that you know exactly how to deal with all that stuff, I definitely wouldn't have a clue. Hopefully it will be perfect in every way by the time you move. Good luck with it, but you really don't need luck do you, you can cope with this with your eyes shut!! Well done you.

Thanks Gellygoo. It was just a 'get it off my chest' exasperated rant really. Yes, I've been doing what she is (trying) to do on a bigger scale than her for years and years.

I've seen the two owners ONCE in all that time. One of them now deceased so dealing with her sons who I've never seen. And all going swimmingly because I told them what I am responsible for. I transfer money to them and attach an updated spreadsheet (simple in and out - accounting for what's been transferred to them, what's been spent on upkeep and what's left in the pot - never a lot as I do not like holding lge amounts of money for other people.

But hell, the reason they think I walk on water is because I don't bother them for ANYTHING. They leave it to me. If a sink needs mending or a loo breaks down - I find a plumber and pay him and get him to sign a receipt and take it out of rents received and account for it on my records for them. Ain't rocket science. If a tenant stops paying rent I do inform them and what I am doing about it. Only had the dreaded MONETH so far and I went over and above what should be expected of me to get it from her. Got it in the end but not the utilities money. But the rent covered those.

Then the eejit who thought he'd move in, jack his job, live rent free until he found another job? He was OUT in five mis flat the same night he announced his plans. I don't ****** about with eviction notices or any sort of notices and certainly won't take someone to Court here (wouldn't live long enough to see the case come up!)

She will learn that she is the LUCKY one to have found a tenant like me (recommended to her by a mutual friend) who just doesn't bother the landlord or owner for ANYTHING other than major disasters (like having no water and needing a new pump installed BEFORE I even live there! That's quite MAJOR!)

I stopped her continuing to go over and clean every day once I got the key saying she could save her time as I am the sort who will just do it all again myself 'to be sure'. But, if she'd been doing her job properly it wouldn't have 4yrs accumulated DUST in it anyway!

I don't clean properties here. Hell I hardly ever clean my own. I get someone who LIKES cleaning to do it and pay them and put THAT down as an expense on the owner balance sheet too.

I used to give holidaymakers the option of cleaning it themselves or paying for cleaning. Stopped that when they all took up that option but didn't clean it properly! Now it's just included in the holiday rental fee.

But stopped doing short lets as the amount of work involved isn't really worth it especially if they are in for not even a week. Even one night and you still have to change all bedding, clean, check etc.

Was going to leave next door empty for a while. But have had a REALLY nice girl from next block approach me to show it to her friend. Her friend loves it and WANTS TO BUY MY FAMOUS DAYBED!

Oh I will always be a soft touch for those worse off than me. But that's how I am wired and would rather be me than one of those people who take advantage of people like me.

These girls, bless them, attend the University next door to where I am moving and said if I need help taking stuff over they can drop some off every day when they go to Uni!

And I've just had another 'I am NOT your MUM' meeting with Sabby in my old flat. Flea in his ear for not clearing his shite off verandah while painters needed access to paint (so his is the only one not done) and for hanging one of MY French Cafe paintings that I kindly let him keep in there outside on the verandah! Ruined it is, sunbleached but watermarked too. Good job I'm not his mum - I felt like clipping him round the earhole!

Cooooooore you can be one frightening lady when you get going I do agree though that it sounds as though that woman has done nothing to make sure the apartment didn't suffer being left empty

Probably best to check everything else before you move in. Teething problems from total lack of use.

Good luck

I hope she had spare knickers in her handbag. Blimey ain't rocket science is it sort the jobs if they need sorting.
Unlucky for her you know your stuff.

Lucky for YOU that you know your stuff, can you imagine moving in and THEN finding all this out!!!!

Please don't tell me.......no, you didn't did you??????!!! Have you got any hair left, not just from pulling it out with the sheer frustration of the lack of hot water, but from the colour being left on whilst you drove back to your current pad to rinse it off

I'm sure you wouldn't....but then again....you are a bit dizzy when you've got too much to do Pat and you have had an exceptionally busy week trying to transmogrify yourself into me(purse left at home when driving to cash machine I seem to remember or something like that ?)

Oh, we're ok, I just read your last paragraph!!!!

Fair play to you Mrs P,not taking any nonsense!! Even squatters have rights Geez,sounds like that girl would need permission to change a light bulb
Was at the thought of a head full of hair dye and just about to rinse!

That is more or less word for word what I said to her tawney. I might be puzzled now ... I'd be blooming furious if that was the case!

Landlord responsible for supply of water to the premises - tenant responsible for paying water bills. What's to 'discuss' ? Just do it!

Just imagining the scene, you put hair dye on hair, and whilst you're waiting you go to the loo....er no flusheee, then go to rinse hair dye off....no rinseee......
Explosion fills the flat.... as Tang vents