It seems all too coincidental that right as all this is happening, I am starting class. Tonight I went to my first summer class this semester.
Title of the class - "Negotiation and Dispute Resolution"
I'm taking it as an elective & I have a feeling I'm going to really enjoy the course. The professor is from Ethiopia and exudes an aura about him that is very peaceful, inspiring, and thought provoking. It sort of reminds me of Eckhart Tolle's books to look deeper into the causes of problems to help reach successful negotiations and mediation.
I told him about the situation with the tenant. It all seems so timely how I am taking THIS class at THIS time.
He told me that sometimes we cannot avoid conflict, but his suggestion to me would be to calmly communicate to the tenant that I am not trying to take advantage of her but rather do what is fair.
I am skeptical the deposit will cover all the damages. There may be a difference but even if the deposit fully covers the damages or I write off some of the damages, I anticipate that I will get an email from the tenant when she receives the letter that her deposit will not be returned.
And I don't want to create a bad relationship or bad karma. What the tenants did was disrespectful but I have to move forward now & these tenants run in the same communities that I do... military and we will likely frequent the same stores now that they have moved closer to our neighborhood.
Hopefully all will work out. I'm still waiting on the estimate for replacing the siding with paint on it. The contractors today were very skeptical they could get the paint off without damaging the siding, it would need to be replaced. There are four sections with paint (I found another behind the back door today).
Then the wood trim.... and I'm not even pursuing the floors or the broken curtain rods or cleaning of the property because they did not do it properly.
So I just find all the coincidences intriguing & have to think that we are always given the tools we need to handle any challenge that comes our way. The coincidence that this class occurs at the most needed time reminds me of why I have faith.
This is why I have faith
July 1st, 2009 at 01:03 am
July 1st, 2009 at 01:55 am 1246413321
July 1st, 2009 at 03:24 am 1246418682
July 1st, 2009 at 02:53 pm 1246460037
If I never had to worry about seeing the tenant again, I wouldn't be concerned nearly as much. But this is a military family so there is a high likelihood I will run into these people again in other areas of my life.
So whatever happens, regardless if this is just a business or not, I also have to think about future interactions with the tenant in our personal life. The PM has to deal with it even more so because the PM and tenant share a close personal friend. She tries not to mix her business & personal relationships, but this situation is probably even more so sticky for the PM. At least I don't share friends with the tenant, I just have to deal with being in the same communities as her. And the military community is a small one.
July 1st, 2009 at 11:20 pm 1246490410
Ambitious: I missed the fact that you all run in the same circles. That does make it a bit difficult and I see why you are concerned about handling it in an above-board manner. Good luck!