Thursday morning there was a message for me to ring the property manager. Worried that perhaps my rent hadn't gone through I rang straight away only to have an extremely unpleasant conversation with her. Apparently my landlord had left a message that he had given me till October 2008 to get out of here but I'd dragged it out to November, December and so on. Of course this isn't true as he had told me late January but mid March at the latest. She mentioned that he had gone about it the wrong way (ie. hadn't written me a formal notice to quit) but that he'd only done that "to be kind". Her entire attitude was that he'd been this wonderful landlord who had taken me on when no one else would have wanted to. I brought up the broken window which thirteen weeks on has still not been fixed but there was no answer.
I put it back into her court and asked what properties she'd found for me. She only had one but said I would not be able to afford the rent. Just to make sure that I realised how low I rate in the scheme of things she told me that she'd never be able to find me a place, especially with my dog. She said he disturbed work on the farm. This is news to me as Mishka is usually at my side and will only bark if people come onto the property or too near to it. He never chases stock or is aggressive.
I came off the phone totally demoralized and confused as to why my landlord had changed his story. In desperation I rang the last number I had been given while searching for a place to live. I had not wanted to ring this particular farmer as he had a reputation. I can see why. He asked me the most personal questions. He was most reluctant to have a donkey on his property, in fact he didn't even want me but did say he would be in touch before the end of the day. At 5.30pm just after I had got into the bath the phone rang, then rang again, then someone began banging on the front door. Two hours later this man rang to say that he'd come to see me as he wanted to catch me unprepared so he could see how I live! He then went onto say he was considering my proposal seriously but wasn't sure about the donkey etc.
I spent much of Thursday crying. It really hurts to be talked down to, especially when you talk to other tenants and hear that they have not had similar experiences. I rang the Tenancy Advice Centre and spoke to a lovely lady who was actually a landlord. She told me my rights and generally bucked me up a great deal. However even now I am afraid and feel totally trapped as I know I may end up somewhere I do not want to be.
A huge downpour began Saturday night and by Sunday morning it had really set in. After I came in from my morning wander I turned on the kettle to boil a cup of tea and left the room. A minute later I heard the strangest buzzing and popping sound and saw Gypsy tear out of the room. By the time I got to the kitchen doorway I could see sparks and smoke billowing out of the power point. I knew it was only a matter of seconds before the wall caught fire so leant across the bench, reached my hand through the sparks and switched the kettle off before pulling the plug out. The power point was fried, black scorch marks around the switch and partially up the wall. I was shaking like a leaf.
The first night after I moved in not quite a year ago my brother pointed out green "stuff" coming out of the power point in the hallway and warned me not to use it. Likewise in my bedroom. All the power points affected look to have been installed in the 1980s and I think they may have been put in by an amateur. I always turn appliances off at the wall to save on electricity but now I will do so for safety as well.
I want my sense of hope as well as my sense of humour to return soon as it is hard to cope with life when they're both lacking. I stress then pack before falling asleep and waking to the same old situation. I need a miracle.
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