Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Moving Update

I just realized that I have not been keeping you all abreast of our moving situation. We DID find a house to rent. It is really nice, in our price range and close to two parks. However, we have not been able to move in yet. Why, you ask? Well, it's a crazy, semi-complicated story. Here's the Reader's Digest version. We looked at the house on a Wednesday night. The current tennants allowed us to come in, even though things were kind of all over the place. They told us that they were supposed to have been out that day, but recevied an extension till Saturday. We said, "Great, because we can move in Saturday". Then they called us on Saturday and said, "We don't need to involve the landlord in this, but we need until Monday. We'll be out at noon." Okay, Monday (Labor Day) it is. Still do-able because Scott had the day off from school. We show up around noon on Monday with the U-Haul and they are NOT OUT.

The thing is..the tennants and the owner were victims of a scam involving a fake property management company. The owner paid the compan y to find him tennants, which they did, and the tennants gave their deposit and rent to the company. The company then vanished into the dark of night, leaving both parties screwed out of their money. The owner felt bad for the tennants and told them they could stay in the house and pay him rent. They didn't pay rent. The owner then tried to work with them, offering to do payment plans, etc. because he knew that they had some financial problems. They STILL didn't pay ANY rent. SO, he told them to get out, and they agreed to move.

When they originally moved in, a church member in the neighborhood and the missionaries came to help, and told them to call if they needed anything. Now that they were moving out, they called the member to see if they could round up a few 'friends' (aka the Elder's Quorum) to help out. We attended the ward that Sunday and Scott heard the announcement in EQ. He stood up and said, "Yes, please come help, because when they move out, we can move in." On Monday morning (Labor Day) TEN, count 'em, TEN guys came to help. They filled the truck with a few big items, unloaded them into a storage unit, then SENT ALL THE HELP HOME, even though they were not even CLOSE to being done moving. We arrived at the house before they got back from unloading at the storage unit. When they got there we asked them what was going on, and said we were ready to move in. They told us that they wouldn't be ready until at least Wednesday, but more like Friday. Then he (the tennant) basically said that he "knows his rights" and is not leaving until he is evicted and the constable drags him from the property, because technically they have a lease. Then, they called the police because we had the U-Haul parked in front of the house. The police told us not to contact them and that they would stop by everyday to 'check on them' to see if they were gone yet (which, by the way, they haven't been doing). They are supposed to give the keys to the police when they leave. It's frustrating for the owner, too, because he lives in Dallas and can't do much about it. ARGH!

So, here we are waiting to see if they are EVER moving out of the house that WE are renting and that they haven't paid rent for in about 2 months, as well as looking for another place to rent in case they don't leave soon. We have been staying with my friend Shelley and her hubby Mark, and they have been wonderful about the whole thing. I don't know what we would do without them. They have been such gracious hosts and are so good with the kids. It has now been almost two weeks since those people were supposed to be out.

I guess it turned into a little longer than a Reader's Digest version. I was just venting about the whole situation. It is SO frustrating. I wish SOMETHING in my life could just be 'normal'. Sick of all the drama. I know, I know. I sound really bitter. That is something I need to get past...all the bitterness about everything that has happened in the last year. Why am I so bitter? I have a lot to be grateful for. We have received so many blessings as a family. All my kids are healthy. Scott is in school. We have food to eat and clothing to wear. There's just this cloud of 'bleh' that hangs over my head eveytime I think about all the things that have happened. I think part of it may be my bitterness about my Dad's passing. Why, why why? I guess we'll find out someday, but today is not that day, and it makes it really hard sometimes.

Well, now that you've read this post and gotten thoroughly depressed, I hope you have a great day!

Me? I'm taking the kids to the library for storytime! Yay for storytime!

4 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness! That would be tough to deal with. I hope that you are able to get into that place soon!

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  2. I hope they don't trash the apartment before when they finally move out.

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  3. hey! what a small world. my husband is spencer mortensen and he is in the podiatry school as well! sorry to hear about your housing situation. i wish i new peopel around here to refer you to but i know about 2people here so far, my husband and our cat. what ward are you guys attending in the mean time? we live in the bellair area it just off of bell. good luck again with the housing!!

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  4. Wow Jillian, I am so sorry about the housing drama. Is the owner doing anything to force them out? He has rights to, and the lease has been breached. Just tell them you have spoken to a lawyer and they better be out by X date or you'll see them in small claims court. I learned that from having a lawyer for a dad, you don't actually have to have a lawyer, the threat is usually enough to get things moving. Good luck, I'll be praying for you guys! I also hope the cloud of bleh moves on and a fresh breeze blows in.

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