The Saga Continues...

Ok so I left off letting you know that I had discovered the new girl's name is Kathryn, just like my old crazy roommate. So here's my first email from Kathryn.

My name is Kathryn ********and I just moved into your spot in the Alexandria apartment. In response to the deposit request, I do not feel you upheld the contract on deposit returns--you did not give 30 days notice before leaving and you left the apretment a mess when you left. You left your roommates scrambling to find someone to pay the December rent two weeks after you left, and I spent the week I first moved in scouring the bathroom and cleaning the bedroom, not to even mention the common areas.

I am more than willing to talk to you about this situation, but the way you moved out leads me to believe you are not entitled to a refund on your deposit. My phone number is ********** and my email address is attached.

Thank you,
Kathryn *********

Oh no, thank YOU Kathryn. I love getting these kinds of emails and having my life become more complicated than it already is. And just so you know....you being you, the reader(s) of this blog, this whole email is wrong. Wrong, wrong wrong. And I let her know. First, I did give a 30 day notice. I did clean the bedroom and the bathroom before I left up to my mother's, sister's and brother in law's standards which is good enough for me. As far as leaving the roommates scrambling to find someone to pay the rent, well they had their 30 day notice also and I tried finding someone. I spoke with like 4-5 people about it. And I'm sorry you wasted your time cleaning so much but pretty much, the place was a crap hole when I moved in too and I didn't throw a little hissy fit like you did. Okay, so I might've cried just a little bit after my mom left but I was a still a big girl about it. Oh and really, there were 2-3 people using the bathroom and the other common areas for about 2.5 weeks after I left. You're gonna hold me responsible for that? Really? Oh and I apologized for that fact that my former roommates misspoke. Oh and I was a lot nicer about it.

And then she wrote me back and was like well maybe you gave Jerry a 30 day notice but he should've let the other tenants know. And then she said she was gonna talk to Jerry because she had some concerns about the place. And then a little bit later she wrote back and said this:

I'm worried about the condition of the apartment because he is raising our rent almost $100 but hasn't repainted, cleaned the carpets or done any other upgrades for almost five years. Also, the bedroom door doesn't close and we have never had a key for the deadbolt. He basically told me on the phone that he will take all of the deposit when we move out to fix those things but won't do anything until we move out, which means I would be the one losing the $400 when the problems existed upon my move-in.

I'm not sure I will be staying in the apartment under these conditions. I'm waiting for him to send me a copy of the original contract so I can see what can be done about the current condition of the place, because I won't live in a place where my door won't close and there is no security with the locks.

Well...hmm...not my problem. I'm sorry but these reasons do not justify you keeping my security deposit. Just because you're scared you won't get yours back? And well, I guess she wasn't too concerned about the conditions of the apartment because she's still there.

And then 3 days later we had a lovely phone conversation. It started with me calling her in the morning and went a little like this:

Kathryn: Hello?
Me: Hi, Kathryn? This is Jamie.
K: Oh, I'm at work. (in the most annoyed tone EVER)
Me: Oh sorry. Well could you call me when you get off?
K: Ok

That night
Me: Hello?
K: Hi this is Kathryn
Me: Hi! How are you?
K: I'm fine, and you?
Me: I'm good, just driving home from work.
K: Oh, well I'm glad I caught you after work instead of during.

Uh...hello...you didn't have to answer your phone at work. Jerk. And then it got more pleasant. I'll tell you all about it...tomorrow or the day after.