No more storage units for me! As of yesterday at 6 pm, I'm finished. I've worked my last day at All Safe Storage. No more being stuck at home from 9 am to 6 pm. No more having to deal with some very unique tenants. No more having people knock on my door at 10 pm, asking me to unlock their unit. No more free rent. No more having to spray the office with air freshener over and over again from smoke-smelling customers. No more having my landlord/boss joking in public (and having people believe) that I am his wife. No more having to live in a house that only has three working ceiling lights. No more wonderful neighbors who listen for Hattie on the monitor while I go running. No more threats of lawsuits. No more having to auction off foreclosed units. No more having to be mean and make people pay late fees. No more hearing the beep of the gate opening as tenants go back to the units. I get to enjoy relative silence from now on.
We went and got Hickory Kist fudge to celebrate. Yum.
Showing posts with label storage units. Show all posts
Showing posts with label storage units. Show all posts
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
I'll see you in court for the remainder of the balance!!!
About a month ago I received a phone call that went something like this:
"Hi, I, uh, rented a unit from you back in 2005. (I hear the wife yell in the background, "In 2006!!") I mean 2006 and I'm calling to get my refund since we now have a bank card."
I should explain that at the storage units, there is a $15 deposit that the tenant can get back when they move out as long as they leave it swept clean and with no damages. But due to the fact that the owner is never around to write personal checks for all of these refunds, we can only give refunds via Visa or Mastercard.
"Is your card Visa or Mastercard?" I asked
"Visa."
"And the number?"
"Well, when will the $15 be put back on the card?" he asked.
"Well, as soon as we get off the phone, I'll process the refund."
"So the money will be in my account immediately?"
"Uh, no...usually these transactions take a couple of days for the bank to process," I replied, thinking that most people should know this.
"But if the $15 is supposed to be there, then I don't want to write a bad check and have it bounce and sue you for the bad check."
I nearly busted up laughing. "Well, it probably wouldn't be wise to write a check from that account then, until you are sure that it has been processed."
"When is the soonest it will be done?"
"I'll run the card as soon as we get off the phone," I repeated, "but it usually takes a few days for it to be processed...I would guess it would at least be 4 or 5 days, but it could be sooner."
"Okay, bye," he said abruptly.
So I ran the card like usual. Ten minutes later he called back.
"Hi, I just spoke with my bank and they wanted me to check and see that it was you who processed the refund instead of the corporate office or something."
"Uh, no...it was me. And I just finished it about 5 minutes ago."
"So the money should be in there now?"
Can you imagine my frustration? "No, like I said before, it might be there soon, but it usually takes a few days. It all depends on how long it takes the banks to process it."
"Okay, bye," he said again.
All of that was on a Wednesday. On Friday, he called back.
"Uh, you guys never refunded me the money and now a check I wrote bounced because the money wasn't in there yet and I have a $25 bad check fee. And you said it would be in my account in 4 hours. (The wife in the background yells, "24 hours!!!")
I couldn't believe it. "I did run it two days ago, and I never said it would be in there in 24 hours." (Imagine me rolling my eyes). I'll call my bank and ask how long refunds usually take to process." Just so that I could prove him wrong.
So, of course, the bank says it takes anywhere from 3 to 30 days. I called him back.
"Sir, the bank says it takes between 3 and 30 days to process a refund."
"But you said it would be in there sooner and now I have a bad check for $40 and a bad check fee for $25. I'll see you in court for the remainder of the balance!!"
"Okay," I laughed, not really knowing what else to say.
How could he be serious??? Blaming us because he didn't have enough money in his account! Obviously, he expected this to happen from the beginning, or else he wouldn't have threatened to sue during our first conversation. It's proof that we live in a sue-happy society who can't solve problems like adults and who fight over a measly 15 bucks. And it's going to cost him more to take us to small claims court than it would to just pay the bad check fee! Also, how could he already have received notice of a bad check? Doesn't that usually take a week or so? Something is fishy, but I am still amazed. Like I said, it was about a month ago, and I haven't written about it before now because I wanted to see what he would do. So far, nothing. Paul wants him to sue us, just so that he can see how small claims works and so that he can tear this man apart!
"Hi, I, uh, rented a unit from you back in 2005. (I hear the wife yell in the background, "In 2006!!") I mean 2006 and I'm calling to get my refund since we now have a bank card."
I should explain that at the storage units, there is a $15 deposit that the tenant can get back when they move out as long as they leave it swept clean and with no damages. But due to the fact that the owner is never around to write personal checks for all of these refunds, we can only give refunds via Visa or Mastercard.
"Is your card Visa or Mastercard?" I asked
"Visa."
"And the number?"
"Well, when will the $15 be put back on the card?" he asked.
"Well, as soon as we get off the phone, I'll process the refund."
"So the money will be in my account immediately?"
"Uh, no...usually these transactions take a couple of days for the bank to process," I replied, thinking that most people should know this.
"But if the $15 is supposed to be there, then I don't want to write a bad check and have it bounce and sue you for the bad check."
I nearly busted up laughing. "Well, it probably wouldn't be wise to write a check from that account then, until you are sure that it has been processed."
"When is the soonest it will be done?"
"I'll run the card as soon as we get off the phone," I repeated, "but it usually takes a few days for it to be processed...I would guess it would at least be 4 or 5 days, but it could be sooner."
"Okay, bye," he said abruptly.
So I ran the card like usual. Ten minutes later he called back.
"Hi, I just spoke with my bank and they wanted me to check and see that it was you who processed the refund instead of the corporate office or something."
"Uh, no...it was me. And I just finished it about 5 minutes ago."
"So the money should be in there now?"
Can you imagine my frustration? "No, like I said before, it might be there soon, but it usually takes a few days. It all depends on how long it takes the banks to process it."
"Okay, bye," he said again.
All of that was on a Wednesday. On Friday, he called back.
"Uh, you guys never refunded me the money and now a check I wrote bounced because the money wasn't in there yet and I have a $25 bad check fee. And you said it would be in my account in 4 hours. (The wife in the background yells, "24 hours!!!")
I couldn't believe it. "I did run it two days ago, and I never said it would be in there in 24 hours." (Imagine me rolling my eyes). I'll call my bank and ask how long refunds usually take to process." Just so that I could prove him wrong.
So, of course, the bank says it takes anywhere from 3 to 30 days. I called him back.
"Sir, the bank says it takes between 3 and 30 days to process a refund."
"But you said it would be in there sooner and now I have a bad check for $40 and a bad check fee for $25. I'll see you in court for the remainder of the balance!!"
"Okay," I laughed, not really knowing what else to say.
How could he be serious??? Blaming us because he didn't have enough money in his account! Obviously, he expected this to happen from the beginning, or else he wouldn't have threatened to sue during our first conversation. It's proof that we live in a sue-happy society who can't solve problems like adults and who fight over a measly 15 bucks. And it's going to cost him more to take us to small claims court than it would to just pay the bad check fee! Also, how could he already have received notice of a bad check? Doesn't that usually take a week or so? Something is fishy, but I am still amazed. Like I said, it was about a month ago, and I haven't written about it before now because I wanted to see what he would do. So far, nothing. Paul wants him to sue us, just so that he can see how small claims works and so that he can tear this man apart!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Storage unit drama
I live and work at storage units...no, I don't live in a storage unit as some have questioned. In exchange for free rent and utilities, I'm required to manage the units half the week, splitting time with Moultons living upstairs. It's a great setup, with the office just down the hall so I can stay home with Hattie all day and not have to go to work. We love it, except for living in the industrial area of town...it's a good thing that the Moultons are upstairs or we'd be lonely. But I've learned a lot about people here, and the type of people who rent units.
Type 1: Pay early...We hardly recognize that they exist. We get a check from them twice a year and that's the end of our interactions with them. Or perhaps they always pay one month early. Either way, we don't hear from them much.
Type 2: Pay on time...Dependable...consistent...we love them.
Type 3: Occasionally late...This is the stay-at-home mom who accidentally forgot that it was the first of the month, or the delivery man who made it to Spanish Fork one day later than planned. They know about the late fee, and, without us having to remind them, include the extra 5 bucks in their check. I like them cuz I don't have to be mean and say, "You forgot the late fee."
Type 4: Perpetually late...Every month they end up paying $20 in late fees. This is sad when the unit only rents for $20 or $40, and they rent two units ($40 in late fees). They're always trying to talk their way out of late fees, or seem surprised that they are late, almost certain that they paid extra last month. After they've been late for the 4th month in a row, I just want to say, "Is it really worth storing all that stuff if you are just going to be late every month?" They go in and out of foreclosure, but always conjure up the money to pay in the end.
Type 5: Those who have All Safe Storage on speed dial...We hear from them weekly, with some story about how their car broke down, how they lost their job, and were hospitalized. They aren't calling to make a payment, just to inform us of their problems and that they'll "be in by the end of the week." Of course, they call the next week with part two of their story, something along the lines of being sued and having twin babies die, saying once again they'll be in by the end of the week. On the third week they call, and you ask them how they're doing since their babies died, and they reply, "What babies?" (I'm not meaning to poke fun at their troubles, but I have heard all of these excuses before in the same month) We know them on a first name basis. When I answer and hear, "Hi, this is Geraldine...(sigh)" I know I'd better gear up for a story.
Type 6: Those who go to their unit on a daily basis...To them I want to say, build a shed. There is one guy in particular whose unit is right outside our bedroom window. I'll often hear him drive up at 6:00 am, as soon as the gate is accessible, and he'll grab something and go. He'll be back at noon, and again at 7:00. There are even oil stains on the pavement in front of his unit from his car being parked there so much.
All in all we love it. On days like today, I have answered the phone once, and helped one customer. More on storage unit life is sure to come.
Type 1: Pay early...We hardly recognize that they exist. We get a check from them twice a year and that's the end of our interactions with them. Or perhaps they always pay one month early. Either way, we don't hear from them much.
Type 2: Pay on time...Dependable...consistent...we love them.
Type 3: Occasionally late...This is the stay-at-home mom who accidentally forgot that it was the first of the month, or the delivery man who made it to Spanish Fork one day later than planned. They know about the late fee, and, without us having to remind them, include the extra 5 bucks in their check. I like them cuz I don't have to be mean and say, "You forgot the late fee."
Type 4: Perpetually late...Every month they end up paying $20 in late fees. This is sad when the unit only rents for $20 or $40, and they rent two units ($40 in late fees). They're always trying to talk their way out of late fees, or seem surprised that they are late, almost certain that they paid extra last month. After they've been late for the 4th month in a row, I just want to say, "Is it really worth storing all that stuff if you are just going to be late every month?" They go in and out of foreclosure, but always conjure up the money to pay in the end.
Type 5: Those who have All Safe Storage on speed dial...We hear from them weekly, with some story about how their car broke down, how they lost their job, and were hospitalized. They aren't calling to make a payment, just to inform us of their problems and that they'll "be in by the end of the week." Of course, they call the next week with part two of their story, something along the lines of being sued and having twin babies die, saying once again they'll be in by the end of the week. On the third week they call, and you ask them how they're doing since their babies died, and they reply, "What babies?" (I'm not meaning to poke fun at their troubles, but I have heard all of these excuses before in the same month) We know them on a first name basis. When I answer and hear, "Hi, this is Geraldine...(sigh)" I know I'd better gear up for a story.
Type 6: Those who go to their unit on a daily basis...To them I want to say, build a shed. There is one guy in particular whose unit is right outside our bedroom window. I'll often hear him drive up at 6:00 am, as soon as the gate is accessible, and he'll grab something and go. He'll be back at noon, and again at 7:00. There are even oil stains on the pavement in front of his unit from his car being parked there so much.
All in all we love it. On days like today, I have answered the phone once, and helped one customer. More on storage unit life is sure to come.
The view from our bedroom window...I think you can see where the tire
marks end are where our "live-in tenant" rents.
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