Enforced break

[Blueberry]

Due to structural engineering problems in the building I'm presently living in, I have to move out for a few weeks ASAP. Just found out today. Quite a lot to do, including finding somewhere to live for "several" weeks, which might be 2-3 weeks or might be 6-8, who knows?  So I think I won't be on here unless I come on briefly for some support if things get really tough.

[Armee]

Oh Blueberry. 

[rainydiary]

Best wishes during this time.

[Not Alone]

Oh, Blueberry. So sorry that you need to deal with this.

[CactusFlower]

hugs blueberry, wishing for the best resolution for you.

[Kizzie]

Oh no, so sorry to hear that BB!   

[Bach]

Good luck and best wishes, Blueberry  I hope this time of instability is over quickly and with as little distress and disruption as possible.

[Blueberry]

Thanks everybody!  More on Journal.

Have written on my Journal, but I won't be responding to anybody's posts on their Journals etc or even reading them. There is so much to do in order to move out for what is more likely to be about 3 months. contrary to what LL wrote on Sat.

[Kizzie]

Good grief BB   

As someone who has moved my entire life (father and husband military), I can empathize with how disruptive this is.  That said, at least when we moved we stayed where we moved for a few years.  For you you will be moving back into your place in a matter of months.  Makes it that much more disruptive.  The only thing that I ever liked about moving is that you get rid of a lot of stuff you don't use/need/want. 

Hope you have found somewhere to live (shouldn't the building owner/admin be helping all of you with that?)

[Blueberry]

Yes, the bldg owner was probably just seeing what he could get away with, hoping neither of the tenants he needs out of the bldg for a few months would have any clue about their rights. But he didn't reckon with wily old Blueberry who - after the initial shock - got an appointment at Tenants' Rights   And they said that LL has to pay professional movers to do the whole move - from taking pictures off the wall to packing everything to setting every last little thing up again at the other end. And then the whole thing again when I move back to present place in a few months. And they know what they're doing - they are lawyers and have been doing this sort of stuff for years. They've also taken over the correspondence with LL, for which I have to pay a mere €10 per letter but it's well worth it!!

LL cannot simply throw me out if looking for a new, temporary apt doesn't pan out too well. There's a shortage of apts in this town esp. affordable housing. It's in LL's interests to help me find a temporary place but I also don't have to accept any old thing. In his first missive on this he suggested I move to the other town over the hill because it's cheaper. No way. My life is in this town, I have no car, my office is in my current bldg and my one and only computer and connected stuff is in the office - can't just up and move it to a new place. Cycling to the other town means uphill (and downhill) several times both ways. Lots of fun in winter esp. at night (ha, ha). But anyway, no, nothing doing LL. Fortunately tenants' rights are actually pretty good in this country. I have to continue paying rent on my present place but LL has to pay for the temp. place and it has to be 'similar' to my current one so he can't try and force me into a 1-room apt because cheaper for him. It's still going to be an upheaval, but easier than I first envisaged.

It's not the first time I'm so glad I pay my annual membership fee for the Tenants' Rights Assoc-n. Only paid-up mbrs get help. The fee is not much and it is well-worth it!

I'm still not reading others' posts much or responding. I won't be moving out of here as soon as LL was envisaging but a move will come. Nov? Dec? Jan? So I'm sorting stuff and getting rid of things. Every bit helps. Quite a lot to do atm. Got rid of some stuff today. It's always good if I can give stuff away or at least put it in the recycling because actual garbage disposal fees are very high here. That involves more sorting though and for largish amounts of recycling taking it to the recycling centre which isn't far from me, but not kerbside pick-up either.

[Hope67]

Dear Blueberry,
I am glad to read this update - because I must admit to having felt quite shocked by the predicament you'd been put into by you LL - I am so happy to know that you have got tenant rights, and an organisation that will support and help to obtain those rights.

I hope that the temporary place you end up choosing is one that will be comfortable and suit your requirements, and that you'll soon be back in your existing home, and that the process of sorting out your belongings is one that isn't too arduous.


Hope 

[Kizzie]

he didn't reckon with wily old Blueberry who - after the initial shock - got an appointment at Tenants' Rights   And they said that LL has to pay professional movers to do the whole move - from taking pictures off the wall to packing everything to setting every last little thing up again at the other end. And then the whole thing again when I move back to present place in a few months. And they know what they're doing - they are lawyers and have been doing this sort of stuff for years. They've also taken over the correspondence with LL, for which I have to pay a mere €10 per letter but it's well worth it!!

Oh bravo brave and tenacious BB!  Imagine if this had been a few years ago. I wonder if you would have even considered you have rights and then looked after yourself so well.  Very proud of you my friend, just sorry you have to do the whole moving and lawyering thing. 

[paul72]

Congratulations Blueberry... great job standing up for your rights!!! Sending best wishes that your move is easy and that you end up in just the right spot for you!

[Blueberry]

he didn't reckon with wily old Blueberry who - after the initial shock - got an appointment at Tenants' Rights   And they said that LL has to pay professional movers to do the whole move - from taking pictures off the wall to packing everything to setting every last little thing up again at the other end. And then the whole thing again when I move back to present place in a few months. And they know what they're doing - they are lawyers and have been doing this sort of stuff for years. They've also taken over the correspondence with LL, for which I have to pay a mere €10 per letter but it's well worth it!!

Oh bravo brave and tenacious BB!  Imagine if this had been a few years ago. I wonder if you would have even considered you have rights and then looked after yourself so well.  Very proud of you my friend, just sorry you have to do the whole moving and lawyering thing. 

Thanks! I actually have been a mbr of the Tenant's Rights for a good while - over 10 years so I probably would have got them involved back then too but it wouldn't have been as easy for me. It would have been with a lot of soul-searching and feeling guilty etc. There's a bit of that going on now, but much reduced.

It seems LL is trying to nudge me out of the building because I went to look at an apt today where LL would be paying up to 3 months rent for me - but he told them 6 months and they're hoping I'd stay permanently. Well I have things to think about. 

I'll be continuing on my Journal because I don't actually have to move out yesterday or even tomorrow, so though spending less time here than in the last months, I'm not completely off forum.