WARNING: THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG ONE!
Obviously I have been neglecting my responsibilities lately as a blogger. I would apologize but I am just too stressed out to care.I realize that everyone has stress now and again or for periods of time but right now, I feel like I can't catch a break in the stress department lately.
For starters, November 1st, I went to my mailbox to retrieve the mail and found an envelope from my renters. WOW! Could it be? Say it isn't so? They are paying their rent on time? It's an early Christmas miracle! I should have known it was too good to be true as they have only ever paid their rent on time once before, the month they moved in! I proceeded to open the envelope only to discover a 30 day notice stating that they would be vacating the premises by the end of the month. I immediately digress into panic mode. Holy crap! I don't have the money to pay the mortgage in December (I still don't) and crap we will also have to come up with the money to return their deposit right before Christmas - OH HOLY NIGHT!!!!
Being a un-organized planner, I quickly begin plotting out how I am going to handle this dreaded situation. First I think, okay may be we can get someone in there by December 1st and the whole matter would be resolved without issue. I was so convinced of this plan, I put the house on Craig's List a couple days after getting the 30 day notice. In the two weeks I had it listed I got three responses - new plan needed ASAP!
Next I thought, if this finding a new renter doesn't pan out, I could just use a portion of Scott's Christmas bonus check to pay the mortgage in December. Then I realized if I followed through with this particular idea, my kids would not have much under the tree this year. We are talking a candy cane and a lump of coal here people! And that's if they are having a four for the price of one sale on each of those items. I almost immediately decided against that preposterous idea!
Lastly, the money will fall into our laps, right? HA! I am still waiting for THAT miracle to pan out!
On the 23rd, we got a call from our renters' stating that they had locked the keys and the garage door opener in the house. The next day Scott and I make the trek over to our old house. We arrived with high hopes there would only be a few minor repairs and we could get the house rented by December 1st. With notebook and pen in hand, we entered the house.
There are no appropriate or legal words I can use in this blog to describe the anger and despair I felt when we started to walk through the house, making our list and checking it twice. Olivia and Sarah had come along with us and I was wishing that either I had left them at home or had packed a hazmat suit for them to wear. There is no other word to describe the state of the house other than filthy. I am not even sure that covers it. On the bright side, I am no longer worried about coming up with their deposit money! In fact, I now wish I had to return their deposit money. Five hundred dollars would have been a drop in the bucket compared to what it will cost our all ready broke selves to repair this home to a livable condition. I digress.....
I will be happy to see the month of November pass at midnight tonight! It has been a rough month. I have forgotten to pay several different bills (Remember, I am an un-organized planner! "Un-organized" being the keyword.). How do I know that I forgot to pay my trash collector, cable bill and Sam's Club account? Well these very friendly bill collectors called and gently reminded me that I should pay them or else...Ha!
My favorite call was from the people at Sam's Club. Actually, it was a company, that will remain nameless since I don't need any more trouble over in my neck of the woods! The company handles the "credit" accounts for Sam's Club. Actually, this would have been the company that handles the delinquent accounts for the second company. Anyway, the caller started out by informing me that my account was in arrears and that she was there to help me. "HELP ME?" Sister, people better than you have tried to "help" me and failed but whatever. I asked her exactly how she was going to help me out - "Are you going to erase what I owe?" I mean that would be extremely helpful in these economic times! All kidding aside, I pulled out that statement and informed her that I got a five page, front and back bill that states I didn't owe anything that month. Furthermore, I haven't received any other bill in two months AND I haven't been able to access my online account for at least three months! She informed me that I needed to call the credit company directly, not to be confused with Sam's Club - okay, you following all this? Before she let me go she asked if I wanted to go ahead and post-date a check to pay my bill for the next three months. Uh, that would be a no!
I call the credit card company and go through the lovely automated system for what seemed like an eternity before getting to "Mike". Immediately, I realize that this dude's name is no way, no how Mike. May be Peggy but not Mike - Have you seen that commercial? The conversation went like this:
"Mike": Can you verify your home phone number?
Me: stated my home phone number
"Mike": That is not the number we have listed Miss Downing.
Me: Well, then I don't know who's account you are looking at "Mike" because THAT is my number!
"Mike": Are you sure that you don't have another home number listed Miss Downing?
Me: Yes "MIKE"! That is the ONLY home number I have EVER had listed on this account!
"Mike": Are you sure that you don't have another home phone number listed Miss Downing?
Me: Mike, put me through to someone in the United States, RIGHT NOW!
My suspiscions were immediately confirmed....I was holding on the line to speak with a good old fashioned American! Hallelujah! Or may be not...
American: Hello? (Irritated before I begin to speak- Great!)
Me: Hi! I am calling in regards to my account and this non-sense that I am in arrears.
American: Did you call this number directly or were you transferred? (snotty tone)
Me: Transferred! I am just trying to figure out what is going on with my account (explained the situation)
American: Can you verify your home phone number?
Me: State my phone number - "sigh"
American: Ma'am that is not the home phone we have listed on your account!
Me: Really?Well, I am not sure WHAT number you have listed but I assure you this is my HOME PHONE!
American: We have that listed as your business number!
Me: Hmmmpf! Please change that, it's my home number and can we discuss my account now?
American: You are behind in payments!
Me: Well, I wouldn't be if I was getting correct statements - explained 5 pg front and back bill
American: Ma'am you have a balance on that account. How could you think you wouldn't have a payment?
Me: Uh, you sent me a bill that said I didn't have a payment this month! Not to mention that I haven't been able to get online to check my account for the past two months! Furthermore, if you got a bill that said you didn't have a payment due, you wouldn't pay it either.
American: The reason you haven't been able to access your account is because you reported your card lost or stolen in August. When you report your card lost/stolen we close off all access to anything on that account!
Me: Oh yeah, I did have to get a new card in August (you may recall the gas pump eating my card).
American: You needed to go in and register your new card to get access to any online services.
Me: Oh Really? Why didn't anyone tell me that I needed to do that? I mean, I had no idea that I needed to do that. I assumed you all would just change the account info in all the records.
American: Ma'am it is your responsibility as the consumer to handle that. I mean, we just assume that our customers are responsible borrowers and handle their credit in a proper manner.
***AT THIS POINT MY BLOOD IS BOILING AND I NEED TO EXIT SITUATION ASAP***
Me: Oh okay, I didn't realize that I needed telepathic abilities to have an account with your company! (what I wished I had said) What I really said was, "How much do I need to pay to be current if I pay something on Friday?" and "How much and when is the next payment due after that?"
American: Answered my question
Me: HANGIN UP!
See, I have no stress? What really gets me in this situation is why in the name of all things holy are all these companies sending their costumer service positions overseas? I didn't buy or borrow this item in India, albeit, it could have been made there! It is totally and completely frustrating!
As soon as I was done with this situation, I had a meeting a school with Abigail's teacher. I was very fearful about going because I might just blow a gasket and they'd call the police on me! The meeting went fine and we got a lot of stuff ironed out.
The stress just goes on and on....I got the other two calls today and I just paid one of them and the other I will pay on Friday. I am to the point of just not caring. What else can you do? You either have the brains and the money combined in order to pay the bill or you don't. If you don't you can rest assured someone will be there to remind you.
I don't know what's going to happen with the rental house but I have had several friends suggest burning the place down. I think they are on to something! In the meantime, I am sitting here catching up on my blogs, listening to my kids whine about everything under the sun to avoid going to bed and my husband is off at a cabin hanging out with friends and preparing to go deer hunting in the morning! Lucky him!
Sincerely,
The Queen of Insanity
No comments:
Post a Comment