This has been our mantra since we moved into our rental home 2 years ago. Before we had been living in a small moldy apartment on the 2nd floor of an old building in a Flemish town near Brussels and when our contract expired we wanted only three things: no mold, a garden and being closer to the city centre. After (at least we thought so) careful consideration we found a house that ticked all the right boxes.
And how I see it after living here for two years?
We live in a house
And how I see it after living here for two years?
We live in a house
-that is old and only superficially renovated with the cheapest materials possible=looks cold and unloved,
-that has an old electric system=certain appliances can not be used at the same time safely,
-that has no dishwasher=and it is not possible to install one,
-that has an oddly shaped garden=it is more about maintenance than fun,
-that is not protected at all=we had a break-in during the Christmas holidays when we were away and the destroyed door is still not changed=the owner of the house is totally negligent,
-we have mold= we had to invest in a dehumidifier to keep the bedrooms dry and mold-free,
-which is owned buy a person who had cared for stray cats in the garden=even if she is not living here any more, there are always at least 5 strange cats in the garden (fed by some kind neighbours).
And I have a son and a husband who are both highly allergic to cat fur, mold and dust in general…
God, it is even worse to see these written down.
To be honest, we hate this house and it costs us a fortune because it is situated in one of the most popular districts of Brussels and it has a garden and a private garage. And we have to stay here until March 2012 or we can leave but we have to pay indemnity.
I made a lot of effort to make this house more comfortable and I wanted to make it work. We made a pretty guest room, we rearranged the living room three times, we tried to add personal touches to it, we switched bedrooms with the boys and we try to maintain the garden. But I feel that until there are serious problems with the basic living necessities like health, safety or comfort, my efforts are aimless.
I am not sure if I can make anything work as I stated in the title. And I feel really lost right now…
P.s. I know that many of you would probably say that as a tenant I have certain rights and I have to turn to the owner with my complaints. I tried it several times. But my French is not good enough and she is really hard to communicate with anyway because whenever I complain she always tells me she understands, but now she has serious medical/personal/work-related problems.
Well I'd first say seek an advocate who can speak French for you. Honestly, nothing is worth your health, and although the owner may have her own problems, you are not obligated to suffer alongside. I know that those issues you mention already violate both German and American basic renter's rights and I see that as something to pursue (and get you out of the lease). Seek an advocate!
VálaszTörlésSecond...well, I could say that warmer weather is around the corner, so you'll be able to open your windows and help with the mold situation, but it also brings more garden maintenance... =( I really think you should funnel all your energy into getting renter's help and tell yourself that the next place will be better and worth it all (it's so true!).
I once lived in a place that gave my roommate migraines and we got out of there. My husband and I left our last place because of noise and garden maintenance issues -the hassle of another move was totally worth it. We may have ugly floors and doors here, but we have great space and great everything else.
Thanks, Juliette! Yes, I agree, I need to do something!
VálaszTörlésI used to live in Brussels for about 8 years but I've recently left. It's true that the rental contracts are very often borderline abusive and written in favour of the landlord. Does either you or your husband work for the EU institutions - if yes, use their internal rental advice service to get help since it's for free or ask your friends - somebody should speak French well enough to help you write a letter to your landlord or talk to her in person, no? You can also try to contact Test Achats (the Belgian consumer organisation) which can help, but you'll probably have to become a member but that's at least less expensive than hiring a lawyer in Belgium.
VálaszTörlésAs for the humidity indoors it's hard to avoid in BXL but finding an apartment or house without mold should be possible.
Also for the next contract have it checked before you sign it. You can for instance negotiate away the damages clause for breaking the lease early if you agree to find a replacement tenant for the landlord (that he or she accepts), I've done this a couple of times.
Best of luck!
I can totally relate to the "joys" of rentals as we're on the 4th place in Ireland in 4 years! They sound great at the time but you quickly realize the downsides once you've moved in! I hope you can manage to make it better and healthier! Once you can get the windows open it can help clear the air a bit xo
VálaszTörlésThanks for your clever thoughts, ladies! I will let you know what will happen next!
VálaszTörlés