There are 18 flats (apartments) in the building we live in. At least 14 of those are inhabited by pensioners (retirees). We are the youngest people in the building. That's not generally a problem and it's been OK for the most part. There are a few that are outright meddling, but most of them are polite and friendly (at least, to our faces). The building has an "association" that consists of several of the residents, one of which is the chairperson. This "association" handles the general maintenance issues of the building like getting people in to clean the windows, mow the lawn, etc. They also have written a set of rules for living here. Things like not parking outside of the garage, no pets, or no remodeling without their consent.. Apparently, they also have something against people who are renters (as opposed to owning the flat).
They haven't been blatantly after us, but for the entire year and a half that we have lived here, they have been picking at us. Just little hints every so often.
"How long are you planning to stay here?"
"Would you like to park your car in my garage? I'm not using it. Can you afford £30 per month?"
ound an overflow in the brickwork, although the overflow itself has not been seen to be dripping." It asked that we arrange for an inspection because the clients are "concerned that the structural integrity of the building will be compromised if this situation is left unattended to." We're talking about a small, dark patch on the side of the building.
Yes, in November the pipe was indeed dripping. Something that one of the pensioners saw fit to notify us about by coming to our door at 8:45 one Saturday morning late last year. He said the exterior wall was getting wet. This is a country where it rains A LOT. I'm pretty sure the entire exterior surface is wet most of the time. Nevertheless, at that time we contacted the letting agent and they said they would make an appointment with a plumber. It never happened (big surprise), but after a while, it stopped dripping, so I didn't bother chasing them anymore about it.
Then we get this letter. Pick, pick, picking at us! I contacted the letting agent right away and in no uncertain terms, demanded they send the plumber with due speed. He came a week later. That was this past Thursday. He checked the boiler and the surrounding area. There is no leak, no damp, and no threat to the structural integrity of the building. We are vindicated on this score, so they're just going to have to find something else to pick at us about.
Of the pensioners in this building, there are a couple of nice ones that we get along with. The couple that lives below us is nice enough. We thought they were our allies in the face of the building association. K discovered the other day that this doesn't seem to be the case. The lady is obviously spying on us, too. She came to the door earlier this week to ask K when the plumber was coming. When she told her he was coming on Thursday, she said, "Oh, that's good. I will be home then." K was a bit confused, "Why do you need to be home? I'm going to be here." The reply, "Oh, because Margaret likes to know what's going on." Margaret is the chairperson of the association. "Margaret likes to know what's goin on!!" She was surprised at K's strong reaction and started back-pedaling and trying to change the subject.
Most of the old men in the building are OK. It seems like it's just the old ladies that are doing the pick-pecking at us. Just leave us alone, you old farts! Isn't there something to knit or crochet, instead?! Sorry, that sounds very ageist and anti- old people. We actually liked living here until they started their little crusade.
Don't hate us because we're younger than you.
Then again, could it have something to do with Satan?
K has been forbidden from taking any food or drinks from these people.
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