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I am going to lose my ever loving mind! (long)

I live in an apartment that is ridiculously filthy. Even if I clean everyday it becomes grimy and horrid by morning. The bathrooms are terrible, I have scrubbed the bowls everyday and still BLACK mold keeps coming back, there has also been mold in other places (kitchen, under a built-in). Whomever did the grout in our bathroom before we moved in (they re-did a whole section because part of the shower fell in) did an atrocious job, in the year and a half that we have been here I have scrubbed the tiles trying to get the excess grout off of the tile-facing. Also, the caulking that they did in the shower is obviously not water tight because it has begun to peel up.

I will take this time to mention that we have spiders, not just "oh look a little spider over there" we have spiders! Everyday I see a new one, I knock down a nest and a web and boom a new resident moves in. I am severely arachnaphobic, as in, freeze in my tracks and sweat. But with all of these spiders I've begun to get mad! The office knows, has known, since we MOVED IN. We have never seen a pest guy, and none of the sprays we've bought have worked.

Next, we have two cats, one of which is disabled (she has three legs and a persisting hernia) and we left her with her claws to aide in mobility(this ties in; promise). Recently our carpet seams have started to show (the carpets are nearly 10 years old) and edges are peeling up on other flooring as well. We have told the office about the other problems (for which they have done minimal work) but the carpet concerns me, Amey(our cat) doesn't claw the floor, but I worry they will blame her and make us pay for it.

I just don't know what to do other than deep six the freaking place, we've had (still have) so many issues with this place but we are here till March and I want to try to make it work without killing myself cleaning every day. Is there anything I can do to make this space livable, because right now it's bordering obscene and this neat-freak is going to lose her sh!t.Super Angry

Anniversary ~What is a Pawala? Well, what's a Kinkajou? Sounds pretty dirty to me.~ "Eccentricity gives misfits a way of fitting in."-Mason Cooley

Re: I am going to lose my ever loving mind! (long)

  • I live in a duplex built in 1927 and I'm pretty sure the bathroom hasn't been renovated in 60 years. There's broken/chipped tile, the grout is horrid (I just got done bleaching the whole bathroom - works on the tile grout, but the floor is so far gone - the glazing has totally rubbed off and the grout is uneven and discolored), the caulking is coming up, we get recurring mildew on the ceiling (no fan!). So I totally, totally understand your concern. Our crown molding doesn't actually reach the ceiling, creating space for cobwebs. There's about 12 coats of paint on everything, and I'm sure the landlord doesn't want to strip it, partially due to time and cost, and partially because I'm sure the bottom layers are lead-based. It seems like everything is covered with dust all the time.

    I would do a few things. 1) Check tenant laws in your area. See what has to be done about pests. Also check how often carpet has to be replaced. Usually it is every few years (I know in CA, an apartment also has to be painted each time someone moves out - PITA, but true). There might also be language about "normal wear and tear." Take photos of the way things are in case you need to take legal action. A manager/company that won't even send an exterminator is not likely to be super nice about giving back your full deposit. 

    2) Possibly work with a cleaning service. Once a month? Or have them come in to do one big cleaning? They might be able to give you tips specific to your needs. Also, when "professionals" do it, I always feel like they do a better job than me and it will keep your stress levels down. Whatever you do, have the unit cleaned professionally when you move out. Good luck!

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  • Thank you 100 times for this reply. As a third party you are certainly more objective and less "Doom and Gloom" than I am. And sharing your experience really made me feel better too. Most of all, I am a Renn Faire actress and my husband does chainmaille so that picture is the cutest freaking thing ever and totally made my night. Yes
    Anniversary ~What is a Pawala? Well, what's a Kinkajou? Sounds pretty dirty to me.~ "Eccentricity gives misfits a way of fitting in."-Mason Cooley
  • If I can only tell you one thing it's this:  KEEP A LOG, get a little colorful notebook, keep a log of every single time something goes awry, and when you call management about it, and ask for the name of the person you're speaking with EACH time, so you can say "Yes, I did call about that, I spoke to "Jennifer" on XYZ day and date, and she told me she would tell "Steve"  So NO you can't charge us for those (insert particular apartment problem here) and I'll thank you to reimburse us our entire security deposit by XYZ date."  And document with pictures too.  Take pictures after you clean the next time, and send them to the landlord, saying we'll be moving out in March, just want you to approve the state the apartment's in now, we will work hard to uphold it to this level until we leave"  That way the LL will know he can't pull a quick one and say the apartment was like that all along, and keep your security deposit.
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