Maybe It’s Not All Me

We arrived on 4 January knowing that we had a one-week stay at the HTel, provided by ISA. After 10 January it was our dime. No worries, by 8 January with paperwork signed, money transferred, our boxes in-hand thanks to Fed Ex, we were all set to make the move. We were ready. Remember what I told you about Dutch people? I’m not making this stuff up.

The apartment was promised on 15 December. By 9 January it had not been cleaned; hey, it had not even been fully evacuated. During the “check-in” as they call it, we found piles of clothes, linens, towels, shoes, condoms, electric cords, and obsolete electronics (need a used VCR?)—all belonging to the previous tenant.

Yard sale anyone?

The apartment appeared tidy, but looks are deceiving. Closer inspection revealed mouse droppings, nasty refrigerator shelves, greasy storage shelves, and worst of all—what we found in the dishwasher. Either someone was conducting a science experiment or the dishwasher was loaded with food-caked dished and allowed to sit for more than three weeks. During the walk-through I remember the agent saying, “This is unacceptable, we will deduct some money from the previous tenant’s deposit!”

The agent told us, “All the dishes were in the dishwasher so I turned it on for you.” (As they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.) Instead of cleaning the dishes, the wash cycle dislodged the mold and mildew from the dishes and dispersed it throughout the dishwasher.

We took possession but decided to use the full week’s accommodations at the HTEL while Gwaz did her best scrubbing bubble routine. In the meantime I responded to an email from a different agent who inquired regarding our arrangements. I told her how dirty it was and that I thought there had been plenty of time to prepare the apartment yadda yadda…

Her response was: we will recommend that some money be deducted from the deposit of the previous tenant.

Maybe it’s not all me.