Zompist Bboard Again

For some reason I don't understand myself, I'm suddenly feeling a really strong desire for brown gravy. (That is, actual brown gravy. Not some kind of euphemism.)

Happy Birthday, WeepingElf!

Happy birthday! Many happy returns!

Thank you, Raphael and Ares Land (and in advance, all further congratulators)!

Happy birthday Weeping Elf!

Happy birthday WeepingElf!

Happy birthday, Weeping Elf!

They tried fixing the leak yesterday afternoon and it appeared to work but just now it started leaking again. Honestly not sure what to do. If I keep pestering them about the problem, they will just evict me for annoying them. Given that it will remain below freezing here for the next few months, that will kill me.

malloc wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 10:55 am They tried fixing the leak yesterday afternoon and it appeared to work but just now it started leaking again. Honestly not sure what to do. If I keep pestering them about the problem, they will just evict me for annoying them. Given that it will remain below freezing here for the next few months, that will kill me.

You're catastrophizing here. Just tell them that it started leaking again, please!

You have to remember, they already want me gone because I missed that rent payment last year. Having to fix the same apartment twice in one week will further sour relations with them.

malloc wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 11:47 am You have to remember, they already want me gone because I missed that rent payment last year. Having to fix the same apartment twice in one week will further sour relations with them.

They cannot evict you for "bothering them", and I'm sure they don't care about the missed payment assuming you've paid up since then. You are assuming the worst again, not realistic things.

linguistcat wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 12:48 pm

malloc wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 11:47 am You have to remember, they already want me gone because I missed that rent payment last year. Having to fix the same apartment twice in one week will further sour relations with them.

They cannot evict you for "bothering them", and I'm sure they don't care about the missed payment assuming you've paid up since then. You are assuming the worst again, not realistic things.

It's obvious Malloc has anxiety and is prone to fearing the worst in bad situations. There's no reason to get hostile

Anyway, Linguistcat is correct. Unless you are there illegally, without a contract, they can only throw you out for reasons stated on the lease. Even then, eviction requires both of you to go to court and it's a lengthy process your landlord would like to avoid if possible.

linguistcat wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 12:48 pmThey cannot evict you for "bothering them", and I'm sure they don't care about the missed payment assuming you've paid up since then. You are assuming the worst again, not realistic things.

They can evict me for any reason they want as far as the law is concerned. Annoying them with repeated maintenance requests would certainly suffice. Remember that they already tried to evict me before and only relented when I paid the rent. They have me down as a problem tenant and would love to get rid of me.

Meanwhile my lawyer failed to get my speeding ticket reduced to a lesser office. That means I will have to attend a court hearing (missing work and jeopardizing my job) for the crime specified on the ticket. The one silver lining is that I have several weeks to plan my defense. Admittedly it seems an open and shut case with no obvious room for counterarguments.

malloc wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 12:59 pm

linguistcat wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 12:48 pmThey cannot evict you for "bothering them", and I'm sure they don't care about the missed payment assuming you've paid up since then. You are assuming the worst again, not realistic things.

They can evict me for any reason they want as far as the law is concerned. Annoying them with repeated maintenance requests would certainly suffice. Remember that they already tried to evict me before and only relented when I paid the rent. They have me down as a problem tenant and would love to get rid of me.

Meanwhile my lawyer failed to get my speeding ticket reduced to a lesser office. That means I will have to attend a court hearing (missing work and jeopardizing my job) for the crime specified on the ticket. The one silver lining is that I have several weeks to plan my defense. Admittedly it seems an open and shut case with no obvious room for counterarguments.

Forgive me if this is invasive, what state and county do you live in? These things can vary a bit from state-to-state, but you don't have to tell me where you live.

The reason they tried to evict you before is because you missed rent. That is a far cry from just being annoying and the most basic reason any landlord can throw you out. They also do not go out of their way to get rid of people as long as they get their money. The only way they could possibly be keeping tabs on you personally is if they also live in the building.

Don't they allow PTO for attending court? Even if your boss sucks, what are local laws on that? Anyway, dealing with the ticket shouldn't be a disaster. EDIT: Many states won't allow PTO, but most workplaces around the country are fine with unpaid leave. It's court, for fuck's sake.

Starbeam wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 1:04 pmForgive me if this is invasive, what state and county do you live in? These things can vary a bit from state-to-state, but you don't have to tell me where you live.

St Charles county in Missouri.

Don't they allow PTO for attending court? Even if your boss sucks, what are local laws on that? Anyway, dealing with the ticket shouldn't be a disaster. EDIT: Many states won't allow PTO, but most workplaces around the country are fine with unpaid leave. It's court, for fuck's sake.

No, they'll just use the fact that I'm facing criminal charges as an excuse to fire me.

malloc wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 12:59 pm Remember that they already tried to evict me before and only relented when I paid the rent.

Jeez, malloc. They didn't "try to evict you." You failed to pay the rent, which led to an entirely soulless and automatic attempt to collect the rent. You catastrophized at the time that you were going to die. You did not die. We told you to pay the rent, you paid the rent, and the problem went away.

You are not the only person in the world who has missed a rent payment or had a leak caused by a neighbor. These are everyday occurrences for a property management company and no one is putting you on a naughty list.

As ever, document what is happening and leave it to them. Remember it's their building that's subject to water damage, not yours... if they don't fix it they're ruining their own property. (One reason to take pictures is to demonstrate that you warned them, and when.)

Leaks can be tricky to fix, especially as plumbers are optimists ("this thing I did will fix the problem!"). Believe me, I know because it's happened to me, more than once.

malloc wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 1:13 pm

Starbeam wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 1:04 pmForgive me if this is invasive, what state and county do you live in? These things can vary a bit from state-to-state, but you don't have to tell me where you live.

St Charles county in Missouri.

Thanks. I'm aware of that place, I'll look up its local laws

No, they'll just use the fact that I'm facing criminal charges as an excuse to fire me.

Your criminal charges are a misdemeanor at worst. What even are your bosses like?

Starbeam wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 1:17 pmYour criminal charges are a misdemeanor at worst. What even are your bosses like?

My entire workplace is full of ultra-conservative MAGAs. For those living in other countries, imagine if everyone else in your workplace voted for AfD, RN, or Reform. Imagine they regularly wore shirts with swastikas to work or ranted about how Alfred Dreyfus had it coming. How much clemency would you honestly expect from people like that?

zompist wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 1:17 pmJeez, malloc. They didn't "try to evict you." You failed to pay the rent, which led to an entirely soulless and automatic attempt to collect the rent. You catastrophized at the time that you were going to die. You did not die. We told you to pay the rent, you paid the rent, and the problem went away.

The note they posted on my door said they had made up their mind to evict me and had already contacted the police. They definitely tried to evict me unless they were lying in the notice.

malloc wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 1:29 pm

Starbeam wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 1:17 pmYour criminal charges are a misdemeanor at worst. What even are your bosses like?

My entire workplace is full of ultra-conservative MAGAs. For those living in other countries, imagine if everyone else in your workplace voted for AfD, RN, or Reform. Imagine they regularly wore shirts with swastikas to work or ranted about how Alfred Dreyfus had it coming. How much clemency would you honestly expect from people like that?

When people speak of 'criminal charges' they practically always exclude routine traffic violations. Your job is not going to fire you over a speeding ticket.

malloc wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 1:29 pm

zompist wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 1:17 pmJeez, malloc. They didn't "try to evict you." You failed to pay the rent, which led to an entirely soulless and automatic attempt to collect the rent. You catastrophized at the time that you were going to die. You did not die. We told you to pay the rent, you paid the rent, and the problem went away.

The note they posted on my door said they had made up their mind to evict me and had already contacted the police. They definitely tried to evict me unless they were lying in the notice.

They wanted to scare you into paying them money! Eviction is not a simple, quick process in reality, and landlords would much rather just have their money than actually go through the whole process of eviction.

Starbeam wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 12:58 pm

linguistcat wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 12:48 pm

malloc wrote: ↑Fri Dec 05, 2025 11:47 am You have to remember, they already want me gone because I missed that rent payment last year. Having to fix the same apartment twice in one week will further sour relations with them.

They cannot evict you for "bothering them", and I'm sure they don't care about the missed payment assuming you've paid up since then. You are assuming the worst again, not realistic things.

It's obvious Malloc has anxiety and is prone to fearing the worst in bad situations. There's no reason to get hostile.

I also have anxiety (and depression!), and I also live in a very red state where people think a lot of very conservative things. I also know I won't get fired for going to court for a speeding ticket or get evicted for "bothering" the landlord, and that often they just want their money. (Not to mention if they try to evict you without cause, or too quickly, that would get them in legal trouble.) The biggest difference between malloc and I, besides me being trans and so having MORE reasons to be worried by the current administration, is that instead of lying down waiting to die, I figure if I'm going to die I'll die trying to do something about it. That and I'm medicated.