Gotta Love Landlords

I've been living in my little tiny apartment since 2006. It’s been through two owners in that time. The original owner lived on Long Island, NY, and rarely came to the building. During that time he had given me the keys to all the offices and apartments and I would do light maintenance and painting as needed to keep the place up. Call it a trade for my rent payment (I was going through very hard financial times back then, just coming off homelessness, divorce, bankruptcy, you name it. I was just glad to not be living in my old Ford Van anymore).

About two years later he puts the building on the market (just before the stock market real estate crash) due to the fact his "long-distance ownership" was beginning to be a hassle.

A local attorney ended up buying the building, and eventually moved his offices out of the "wonderful world of Camden" to this building. As he moved in, I was notified to turn in the keys to the building as he was going to do his own "contracted" maintenance and my services were no longer need. OK, fine, a little stress out of my life as I was now in my 60s and climbing, painting, etc. was beginning to be stressful for me.

I will give credit due where it’s due. He completely revamped the electrical system in the building (in my living room, you could not run the computer and the TV at the same time you ran the coffee maker in the kitchen, you would blow the fuses! You adapt.)

He hired a lawn care company to keep the place looking good as his offices were now here and he needed to present a professional image to his clients. What the heck, he uses the improvements as a tax write off anyhow. I got a new "fridge" and a new gas stove as mine were from the stone ages. I try to rarely complain. (BTW he is a Landlord-Tennant Attorney by trade).

Knowing my financial condition and plight over the years he has kept my rent increases to a minimum and now that I am "retired" and living on Social Security only, I appreciate it.

As with me, he is a Vietnam vet so I guess there must be some kind of "brotherhood" between us and it is appreciated.

About four weeks ago he notified me that we were getting a new sewer line installed. The old has to be maybe 80 years old and keeps getting tree roots in it and about twice a year we have to have the Roto Rooter man come out and do his thing. Nothing like waking up at 2 a.m. to go "potty" and flush the john only to have it start backing up....WHERE IS MY PLUNGER!!!!!

Well, the new sewer line is in we are recovering from all the digging and I even kicked in for some grass seed and stuff to help the yard return to normal. Besides, it gets me out of the house a little. My feathers were initially ruffled a little when the contractor dragged his butt on the restoration process, but it’s coming along. By mid-summer all should be back to "normal."

It’s sooooooo nice to not have to worry anymore about doing dishes, taking a shower or flushing the john and then running for a plunger, LOL.

All in all, I’d say I have a pretty decent landlord.