Tenants

"Above our garage is a beautiful one bedroom apartment. The first wo years we lived here, our son had it as his place. Last September after our daughter moved out, our son took over her room in the basement and we rented the apartment to a lovely young woman who is taking law at the University of New Brunswick. She moved out this month. She loved the apartment but found it too far from town for getting together with her friends. She was an excellent tenant except for one wee thing. She left the heat on and the windows wide open all winter. Boy does that put up the hydro bill! (It is included in the rent.)

We rented the apartment to an exceptionally polite man, a single dad with 2 daughters who visit him every other weekend. We traded two weeks of rent for him painting our living room while I'm on holiday next month. I can't be around the smell of paint, it makes me ill. Now he is having trouble with his car, doesn't have the money to fix it. I am wondering about the rent money due in 3 days. Will he have that?

It is difficult when people are so polite and friendly, like both of these tenants. It makes it hard to stand up to them and tell them what is acceptable and what isn't. If they were horrible people I would have no problem saying "Close the windows when the heat is on", or "the rent is due NOW!". But when they are nice and polite and friendly, you hate to appear pushy or bossy. At least I don't like to. It can be hard to stand up for yourself and it doesn't get any easier the older you get. Having a daughter who has had problems paying her rent this past year, I am also sympathetic to someone who has problems. But if the rent isn't paid on time where do we get the money we need to pay our bills? This being a ladlord is hard'" I whisper.

Are you listening?