You Get What You Pay For

As most of you know we are currently leasing our home because our lease payment is about half of what we would expect our mortgage payment on this home to be, and we have the option of purchasing it when our lease expires.

Well, one of the great things about leasing a home is that we aren't responsible for the repairs, unless of course we cause the damage. On the down side of that we are at our landlords mercy on how timely the repairs get made. We have an unusual clause in our lease that states that we are to contact a thrid party to handle repairs, not the owner.

Anyway, as of today, we have been in the house for 3 months. Wow, where does the time go?? Within the first week of us moving in, actually the first time I filled up my big Jacuzzi BathTub I realized that it wasn't working and called the thrid party. It took multiple phone calls and then a strongly worded email to the landlord before anyone came to look at it 8 weeks later. Well, when they came out they took the pump from the tub and left everything disconnected leaving the tub inoperatable.

Well, yesterday was three weeks that not only has the tub not worked but that I haven't been able to use the tub at all. So I am quite feed up with the third party repairman, and take the liberty of calling my landlord. I explain my frustrations and request that she offers some type of allowance for us not having this ammentity. She said that she didn't set the rental price based on the ammentities but on her expenses. So I explained to her that I didn't agree to the price of the rental based on her expenses, but based on what I was getting for my money and I didn't feel that I was getting all that I was paying for.

The outcome: She offered me a retroactive $100 a month allowance for each month that the tub is inoperatible. So the December's payment will be short $300, and if it isn't fixed before the end of the month, I will deduct another $100 in January.

So, long story short. If you aren't getting what you are paying for it is your responsiblity to voice your concerns and to ask to be made whole. I did not request $100 but some form of credit. She could have easily said no, but after hearing my arguement offered the $100. If I would not have taken the time to call and ask, I would have received nothing.

Now, I have an additional $300 in my budget to spend. Wherever will I spend it??