Ok - so I'm sick. I'm sittin' here feeling sorry for myself, all the windows and blinds closed and mutterin' around the house. Sleep when I can, drink if I can and generally just be in a fowl mood.
So yesterday afternoon, after just getting up from a nap, I'm sitting in the office when I hear a knock on the door. Before I even stand up the front door is being unlocked and by the time I hit the dinning room (not that far away folks) I got two men standing in my foyer.
I don't know who scared whom the most (yes, I was clothed this time) but I looked at them and asked
May I help you?
Hey - how'd you get in here already? Did you come in the back way?
No...(looking around at broken down boxes, full boxes, empty boxes, boxes, boxes, boxes)...I live here.
Oh - well, we need to show this house right now. Have a family sitting out by the pool waiting to come in.
I'm sorry - show the house? I have an 18 month lease.
Oh? Then, you live here?
Yeah, I rent directly from the owners.
Oh, well we have a waiting list for this house.
Well, they've got one hell of a wait, wouldn't you say?
Finally, after more delightful conversation like this they get the idea. I'm living here FULL TIME. I have a lease. This is my home (at least for the next 18 months.)
Oh, well I don't know what to do. We have those people out there. Can I show the house?
**censored** No. And I'm gonna need that key.
Oh, we can only give the key to the owner. Ok - We'll go. Sorry for the mix-up.
I've lived here for 2 months now. Makes me wonder if anyone else has be "showing" the house since I moved in.
But wait, we're not done. At approx. 8:00 last night I'm again in the office and I hear the doorbell ring. As I go into the dining room I hear a key in the door.
Oh No - Not Again.
I step up to the door and put grab the handle so they can't get the door open.
Me: Hello? What do you want? (considerably less polite than previous conversation).
Oh - I'm with the management company. I'm here to change the lightbulbs.
Listen, you guys don't manage this house anymore. I rent directly from the owners on a long term basis.
Oh - well, I just wanted to check the lightbulbs.
They are all fine, besides - I have my own stash.
Ok - sorry.
WTF?!?!? I fired off an e-mail to the owners and placed a call this morning to the Sr. Manager of the managment company. This house is not on their list, and he doesn't understand what happened.
I told him I want the key - he said it's a master, we'll have to change the locks. I wanted to know if anyone else had been in here, he didn't know - hell, he didn't know they had been out here yesterday. His main concern was giving out lightbulbs on houses they don't manage anymore.
Gotta tell you, the sleep factor wasn't all that great last night. I'm going to change the locks, just have to wait till I feel well enough to make the long run to Home Depot. I don't like that this happened, it's actually kinda freaky. I mean why now - 2 months after the fact.
Yeah, just another nice, quiet, run of the mill evening at the Road Warriors. I told you I wanted a dog.
Posted by Tammi at July 22, 2004 04:27 PMWell, first I think you should file a police report since this does NOT add up at all.
Second, find a pump shotgun or something that will make a similar sound. Next time the door rattles, make the Ka-Shunk-Shunk sound and see how long they stick around. Remember, yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow, I will fear no evil for I am a master of Ka-Shunk-Shunk...
Posted by: Laughing Wolf at July 22, 2004 06:23 PMYeah, somebody might have gotten shot had it been me... Well, probably not, since the dogs would have gone after them first... ;)
I wouldn't wait for anyone to change the locks for me; I'd do and present them with the bill.
Hope you're feeling better!
Posted by: pam at July 22, 2004 07:27 PMDon't wait until you feel better... call a Locksmith and have them come out and do it. Then as Pam said, submit the bill.
This is would be unnerving to me.
Posted by: Boudicca at July 22, 2004 08:29 PMBoudicca is exactly right!!! Call a locksmith, have the locks changed and present the management company with the bill. If they balk at paying, tell them they pay, or you file a report with the police about them trespassing on private property. Get out the phone book tonight, find a few places and call tomorrow! See who can come out soonest.
In the meantime, stack noisy stuff in front of the door so you will hear it if you fall asleep and someone tries to come in. Better yet, shove a chair under the door handle and stack books on it!!! Sheesh!!!
Posted by: Teresa at July 22, 2004 08:44 PMI just had an email from the landlords. Locks will be changed AGAIN - funny they changed them in May before I moved in.
Also - they are sending a letter the the mang.company saying if anyone steps in this house again - they will be sued for illegal entry.
I also posed the question of a police report - I think they'll go along with it.
Damn - I'm tired. The chair sounds like a good idea. Thanks.
Posted by: Tammi at July 22, 2004 08:47 PMOkay, if the landlords are going to replace it (optimally tomorrow) make sure it's NOT the same name brand as the lock that that management company has the master key for!!!
This means, still call a locksmith tomorrow. Tell him/her what type of lock you have on the door - tell them about the master key thing and see what they suggest or what they tell you to look out for in a replacement lock!
I still say, if the landlords aren't going to change it tomorrow, you have a locksmith come and change it, they foot the bill. It's just too scary that someone has a master key for your place and can come and go at will!!!
Posted by: Teresa at July 22, 2004 10:59 PMLocksmiths don't have to put in an entirely new lock; they can change the tumblers in the existing lock and give you a new key. Just ask the locksmith if there is something like a "master key" before he does it. In that case, get a new lock, and send the bill to the Landlord. The landlord will likely want a key, however, as in most leases, the landlord has a right to access the property in the event of an emergency.
Posted by: Jim at July 23, 2004 07:38 AM