The Grind

[auntiemeesh]

It's not quite 11am and it's already been a day of frustration.

My old roommate called to tell me that our landlord is stiffing us on our security deposit. Not a big surprise, but K is really pissed and I'm annoyed. The guy looks upon that place as his baby because he put so much work into it, and expected that when we moved out after living there for two years, that the place would be as immaculate as the day he finished working on it. It's a lovely dream, but not real. I suspected that we'd have carpet cleaning and stuff like that deducted from our deposit and K insisted that he couldn't possibly do that, that's something that landlords just have to do. Well, he deducted. He also deducted on the basis that there was cat odor in the basement, which there probably was, even though the basement was cleaned thoroughly. That sort of odor has a way of coming back after a day or two. He also deducted for having to remove broken pottery and trash from under the back deck and that is just ridiculous because neither of us ever put anything back there and the place was a mess when we moved in -- that was all his crap. Oh well. We're still getting something back, so I'm not going to complain too much, but it would have been nice to get it all back.

On the job search front, I called around yesterday to various places where I'd put in applications and hadn't heard anything. I had applied for a part time position in a day care center at the college, a while ago and so I called back on that. Well, they have to send the applications to the field office in Concord to get certified before they can interview. So they'll probably get the paperwork back next week and then they can talk to me.

On Monday I applied at the local grocery store for a check-out position, just to get something, anything. They sounded very positive when I talked to them, but they never called me back. So I finally got in touch with the woman this morning. She was very nice, but clearly is reluctant to hire me because she knows that I'll be looking for something more full-time and in my field. I said, oh not for a while, meaning, not this week, and she said she'd call me back later today. So I'm going to be upset if I don't get the job, but I'll feel guilty if I do get it, because honestly, it's only temporary, until I find something better and I'd have to lie through my teeth to convince them otherwise in order to get them to hire me. Which I don't want to do. *sigh*

All in all, not the happiest of mornings, but at least I haven't been actively refused any of the jobs I'm looking at, so there is still hope.

Comments

[lil-banik-slave.livejournal.com]

Hope it goes well. I imagine your application just needs vetting or something. A friend of mine tried to get a job at a Primary school and he needed to be security checked and stuff because he was working in the same area as small children.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

Apparently, the application for the day care position has to be certified by someone, so that is in process and after my paper work comes back, then they can decide if they want to interview me for the position.

I heard back from the grocery story and I have an interview with them tomorrow morning, and I've remembered that they want me for evenings and weekends so even if I get a 'real' job, I wouldn't have to quit the store right away, so that should help.

[lil-banik-slave.livejournal.com]

Excellent :-)

Good luck

[liptonrm.livejournal.com]

Ugh, ugh, ugh. I feel you on the job search. So aggravating.

Don't feel too bad about being only a temporary cashier. Frankly, there's perpetual turnover in jobs like that, it's just the nature of the beast. I myself once did the exact same thing.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

It was just being put on the spot about it that made me unhappy. But I've got it all worked out in my head now. It's a position for evenings and weekends and the other jobs I'm applying for are 9-5 type things, so it shouldn't be much of a problem.

:D

[slightlytookish]

How about going to a temp agency? Maybe they'll be able to hook you up with a job, and you won't have to feel guilty about it when you leave because your employer will know it's temporary.

Lots of luck! Job hunting is yucky. *hugs*

[arthurfrdent.livejournal.com]

I'd second the temps... I worked a lot for them in college [even though that was SOME time ago ;) ]

and it was a bit more interesting because it changed a lot...

as for security deposit... well if you're getting something back, that's to the good. Generally landlords only give the whole thing back IFF it is in move in condition for the next person. You can blame their apparent money hungry ways on the people who trash a place so bad that the security deposit doesn't begin to cover it...

stiff upper lip there, toots, something will turn up ;)

AFD

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

As far as the security deposit goes, I wasn't expecting to get all of it back, I'm just happy to be getting some of it. My roommate, though, has unrealistic expectations and is hopping mad. It's always an interesting experience, talking with her, lol.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I keep forgetting about the temp agency thing. I may resort to that soon, if I haven't got anything else lined up.

*hugs you back*

[topaztook.livejournal.com]

At least it sounds like you are getting some of your security deposit back, despite how utterly screwy landlords can be about things like this.

And, as you said, you haven't been refused any of the jobs you're looking at -- so you still have time to happily enjoy the summer weather, and the ranger-led hike!

Still, I know how frustrating and wearing down worries like this can be. Hang in there!

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I'm glad I'm getting anything back. I didn't honestly expect to get everything back. The carpets needed to be shampooed, and we had two cats so the basement, where their box was, got a bit whiff.

As for the jobs, I have an interview tomorrow with the grocery store and I'm pretty hopeful on that account. I think I can talk them round into hiring me. I can be pretty persuasive when I have to be.

:D

woes

[ani-no-mouse.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry to hear your morning sucked. It is depressing to get turned down or made to wait around for jobs that you know are beneath you anyway. I hope something comes through for you soon, income is such a nice addition to one's life.

I've given up much hope of getting any of my security deposit back when I move. I know for sure the pet deposit is gone -- the kitties have just enjoyed scraping the wall paper in the bathroom too much for me to have any hope of getting that back. The carpet is going to need to be cleaned and the whole apartment repainted as well. You'd think that considering I've been there 7 years, the apartment management would count some of that as "normal wear and tear," but I'm not going to hold my breath on it.

Re: woes

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

You would think that after seven years there would be some understanding about wear and tear, but landlords are funny like that. They want to give back as little money as they possibly can.

[ansostuff.livejournal.com]

*hugs*

Can your landlord just take away your money for whatever reason? Aren`t there any rules for what he can and can`t do? I`ve had a few bad landlords in my time and one was a reall pain because he thought that when he rented a house out to four girls he could do whatever he liked. Sad thing is that one of us was a real estate student and we got him good in the end so he didn`t manage to get anything from us.

Any job is better than none, isn`t it? Even if it is temporarily and just part time?

Good luck, dear! I hope you`ll get one you like and can live with very soon.

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

The landlord gave my roommate an itemized list of how much he was deducting and for what reasons; things like shampooing the carpets and repainting the basement. Some of the things he added were just silly, but there isn't really anything to be done. I didn't really expect to get all our money back, though, so it was only a temporary frustration this morning.

*hugs you back*

[b-briarwood.livejournal.com]

I hate dealing with landlords when it comes to security deposits! Make sure he included the interest the deposit earned before he deducted anything. I know in Illinois it's a law that the interest be included on any refund. At least he gave you an itemized list of the deductions. If your roommate is really up in arms about it, she can show the list to someone who's familiar with the laws in your area. Sometimes just mentioning the law that states what's allowed and what isn't is enough to get them to cough it up.

I'm dreading the time I move finally, because in the four years we've been here, we've had three different owners! *sigh*

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

That's a good suggestion. I don't know what the laws are in PA but I'll have my roommate look into it. I don't think he did anything that was against the laws, though, he just was pickier than she expected him to be. She had this idealized idea that we didn't have to clean the carpets or anything like that. Silly girl, now she knows. :)

[i-o-r-h-a-e-l.livejournal.com]

I know it's not really desired but sometimes when we're near despair, having connection might help. Is there anyone you know has a job vacancy?

[auntiemeesh.livejournal.com]

I have a few connections through my sister, but those jobs are pretty much all through the state, which is what holds everything up. So now I'm looking for something that I can do short term and start immediately. I don't have any connections for anything like that, but I think the grocery store will work out. I have an interview with them this morning. :)

[i-o-r-h-a-e-l.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's good. :) Good luck!