Trials and tribulations
I'm safely home from Vancouver - it was a great trip, no complaints there. And once our current crisis is sorted, I'll post about it in more detail.
Right now we have 2 problems:
1. I'm hugely jet-lagged and suffering from a cold. Last night I got about half an hour of sleep. I'm taking today off as a lieu day for all the travelling on the weekend.
2. We haven't had more than 3 minutes of hot water or heating since 18 June, and any at all since Saturday.
It is not fun to have to boil the kettle to wash your hair.
It is even less fun to have to tell your landlord that you want to move because of said water problem - and the fire alarm that's been deliberately turned off for 2 months, and the hugely excessive noise - and have him tell you that you either need to get a replacement tenant, or you forfeit your deposit.
Never mind that it's illegal to turn the fire alarm off. Or that the water and heating problem last happened 6 months ago, and has been worked on for the past 2 weeks to no effect.
Add to that the pressure of finding a replacement apartment in a central location, of a similar size, of a similar standard, and with a car park (looks like I'll need to drive to work, so we may need a car), and for the same price, just so you can get a decent night's sleep and a hot shower or central heating.
And did I mention that people queue up to view properties, and it's intensely competitive, so you don't necessarily have a great chance of getting one, even if it does magically meet all your criteria?
So we're a bit stressed at the moment. Frankly, I don't know how David manages it - looking forward to yet another cold shower, dealing with an overtired and grumpy wife, plus doing all the usual work and home stuff. He's a star.
Right, off to look for somewhere to live. Otherwise, we may be homeless.
Right now we have 2 problems:
1. I'm hugely jet-lagged and suffering from a cold. Last night I got about half an hour of sleep. I'm taking today off as a lieu day for all the travelling on the weekend.
2. We haven't had more than 3 minutes of hot water or heating since 18 June, and any at all since Saturday.
It is not fun to have to boil the kettle to wash your hair.
It is even less fun to have to tell your landlord that you want to move because of said water problem - and the fire alarm that's been deliberately turned off for 2 months, and the hugely excessive noise - and have him tell you that you either need to get a replacement tenant, or you forfeit your deposit.
Never mind that it's illegal to turn the fire alarm off. Or that the water and heating problem last happened 6 months ago, and has been worked on for the past 2 weeks to no effect.
Add to that the pressure of finding a replacement apartment in a central location, of a similar size, of a similar standard, and with a car park (looks like I'll need to drive to work, so we may need a car), and for the same price, just so you can get a decent night's sleep and a hot shower or central heating.
And did I mention that people queue up to view properties, and it's intensely competitive, so you don't necessarily have a great chance of getting one, even if it does magically meet all your criteria?
So we're a bit stressed at the moment. Frankly, I don't know how David manages it - looking forward to yet another cold shower, dealing with an overtired and grumpy wife, plus doing all the usual work and home stuff. He's a star.
Right, off to look for somewhere to live. Otherwise, we may be homeless.
Ohh, that sounds rotten!
The Marciavitz (that's spelled wrong, but I'm not Irish, I'm allowed to not be able to spell it right) Swimming pool is near to Tara St dart station and used to be ok for a public pool (doesn't compare to Wellington's, don't get your hopes up) - anyhow - hot showers, can't beat 'em.
Threshold is an organisation that looks after tenants rights. They're really good and worth contacting - it sounds like your landlord has broken the lease himself, so you'd be within your rights to go, but check with them anyway.
And, of course, Daft.ie for lettings. Actually, I rented through the Dublin Letting Agency - they were really good and had some nice places. I know you like city centre but Rathmines / Rathgar and Ranelagh are worth looking at.
OK, long comment, sorry, but there's my 2 cents :-)
Regardless of what country you live in, the fire inspector in your area should be VERY interested about the landlord turning off the fire alarms. (Around here, they'd be interested to the tune of a four-figure fine.)
I don't suppose you can create a tenant's association and get all of you pressuring him at once? Or are you the lucky ones with no water and everyone else is fine?
Uh that's crap. Bit I guess that's not-so-unnormal here in ol'smelly dublin... Hope you get something better though, we'll need to start looking too, soon.