It’s the first of April again. You know what that means – it’s April Fools’ Day! Time to pull out all the stops and unleash the pranks on your family and friends.
Origins of April Fools Day
April Fools’ Day has a long history dating all the way back to the 1500s. While its origins remain uncertain – some historians attribute it to France switching to the Gregorian calendar from the Julian calendar – it is well-loved and celebrated by many cultures worldwide.
As the leading property portal in Singapore, we had to share six things you never want to hear from your landlord.
“Sorry, I came over with my extra set of keys and checked what’s in your fridge.”
Imagine if you were the sole tenant of your apartment and came home to crumbs in the fridge and dirty dishes in the sink. Your mind would immediately jump to, “Oh no, there was an intruder! Did I lock my doors last night? Are any of my valuables missing?”
You immediately text your landlord, informing him of the security breach. He replies, “Oh yeah, I was in the area and decided to check the locks on your door. By the way, I ate some of your cake; I hope you don’t mind. You should also clean out your fridge; your milk expired last week.”
What? He had an extra set of keys all this time? And he helped himself to the food in your fridge? Can you believe he had the gall to eat the last slice of cake you were saving for yourself?
“Yeah, since we’re on the same Netflix account, I saw what you were watching and…”
Maybe you decide to have a night in to curl up on the couch and binge the latest season of that Netflix show. You turn on your Netflix and realise it’s been watched halfway through.
That’s strange. I’m not sharing my account with anyone, and no one else knows my password.
The following week your landlord swings by to check out the leaky tap in your bathroom and casually quips, “Hey, what did you think of the latest show? I saw it on your list of shows to watch. Omg, I can’t believe she dumped him for that annoying friend.”
He must’ve seen the look on your face because he laughs and says, “Oh, sorry, I guess you’re not into spoilers.” Yeah, that’s the least of your concerns at that point.
“Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you about your neighbours…”
You found the apartment of your dreams. It’s within your budget, has a fantastic view, is near your workplace and has a wide selection of great food within the vicinity. After a long day of unpacking, you slump into bed, looking forward to venturing deep into dreamland.
All of a sudden, someone starts belting out a rendition of Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You. Badly, as a matter of fact. It’s horrendously off-key and painfully drawn out and goes on for the better part of an hour. You hope it’s a one-time thing, but amateur hour happens week after week.
After dropping a quick text to your landlord, you receive this reply. “Oh yeah, that happens all the time. Your neighbours have weekly karaoke nights! You should join them, haha (: ”
Suddenly, living with your parents doesn’t seem that bad after all.
“Since you’re only paying for the room, my brother’s coming in for the other room next week…”
You’re chatting with your landlord about the border reopening and swapping plans about the best food haunts to hit up when he drops this bomb.
“By the way, my brother is moving in with you next week. He decided to come to Singapore for work and didn’t want to rent his own place. Oh, and he’s bringing his entire family. You’re gonna love them, his sons play the drums, and I heard they’re getting really good because they practice. Like, a lot. You mentioned you love music, right? Yay!”
How could you say no family? But the thing is, they’re not yours.
“I know it’s late but I’m just in the neighbourhood and I thought I stop by to check…”
It’s 10 pm. You just got home after a long day at work. You’re all showered and dressed in your pyjamas when the doorbell rings. Strange, it’s late, and you don’t have any scheduled parcel deliveries.
You open the door, only to come face to face with an anxious-looking woman. It’s your landlord, inspecting your property again, for the third time in a week.
“Hey! It’s me again. You said you had a problem with your flush? I thought I’d swing by to check it out. It won’t take long; I’ll just take a quick peek and be out of your hair in no time.”
You check your messages – there are no text exchanges from either of you. She stays for an hour and carefully inspects every single room.
“Hey, I found a blown lightbulb after you moved out. So, regarding your deposit…”
The end of your lease draws near, and you heave a sigh of relief. Your days of putting up with surprise visits, weekly karaoke sessions and extra housemates are drawing to an end.
After moving out, you feel like a weight is lifted off your shoulders, and you’re finally free. Your phone pings, it’s a text message from your agent.
“The landlord decided to keep half your deposit, the lightbulb was blown and you didn’t change it. Also, you didn’t wipe the windows in one of the rooms.” (True story, this happened to me.)
Don’t get too happy – the nightmare isn’t over yet.
No laughing matter
While all these scenarios might seem harmless, it’s not entirely uncommon for tenants to run into such situations while renting. They could easily be mistaken as April Fools’ jokes, except it happens all year round.
To avoid getting tangled in an unpleasant situation, make sure you read every letter of your tenancy agreement before signing a year or two of your life away to the apartment.
Avoid unofficial rental agreements and have everything detailed in black and white, such as your relatives offering you a place to stay and charging you a surprise rent after.
Documenting existing damages to the property is also incredibly important lest your landlord decides to try and eat your deposit at the end of your lease. There have been instances where landlords demand that their property be returned in pristine condition, even though it’s an old unit that has gone through decades of wear and tear.
Now that that’s addressed, we’re going to get back to those delicious leftovers you saved for dinner and watch Friends reruns on your couch.
Just kidding. Happy April Fools!
Did you have any funny experiences while renting? Let us know in the comments section below or on our Facebook post.
If you found this article helpful, check out 5 reasons to avoid unofficial rental agreements and 7 things to do before vacating your rental premise.
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The post April Fools’ Day – 6 things you never want to hear from your landlord appeared first on 99.co.
