Vent re: glass man and unannounced maintenance visits

I've had a standing request with my apartment complex for about a year now that they replace one of the windows in my apartment. The seals on the window were broken so that condensation built up between panes of glass

So, today, finally, the "glass man" comes to replace the window. Only thing is, no one told me he was coming. "Oh yeah, I was here on Friday measuring the window and I came to replace it today." Huh? What happened to the 24 hour notice I have repeatedly asked them to give me before someone enters my apartment?

Anyway, the "glass man" broke the window, installed a new one, and left my apartment with glass bits all over the carpet. What if I wasn't here to vacuum up his mess? My kitties could have easily hurt themselves. I am so fuming mad about this.

To boot, he did a crappy job on the window -- it doesn't fit properly and there areas where it looks like what's protecting me from the elements is silicon or glue, not glass. I insisted the maintenance supervisor come over and look at it and he agreed it needs to be redone.

So, I'm mad on many counts here but most of all because I feel like my cats could have seriously injured themselves if I wasn't here when this contractor came by.

Colleen-
Not only is it just good manners for your complex to give you 24 hours notice before entering your apartment, it's required by law!
I would contact your local BBB, Chamber of Commerce, and whatever government office deals with housing-related issues and file a complaint.
Also, write a letter to your complex's management detailing the problem and see if you get any sort of response. If not, send a copy of that letter to the above agencies as well.

Originally Posted by SnowLeop

Anyway, the "glass man" broke the window, installed a new one, and left my apartment with glass bits all over the carpet. What if I wasn't here to vacuum up his mess? My kitties could have easily hurt themselves. I am so fuming mad about this.

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Oh no Collen... ...sometimes the people don´t do it their own work... ...
I hope your kittys doesn´t has consecuences of this... ...

my best wishes to they...

We lost an entire fishtank of fish because the workmen couldn't close doors behind them and our cat got into the tank!!! Even though we told them again and again to make sure the cat didn't get in the room!

Originally Posted by OllyExtra05

Colleen-
Not only is it just good manners for your complex to give you 24 hours notice before entering your apartment, it's required by law!
I would contact your local BBB, Chamber of Commerce, and whatever government office deals with housing-related issues and file a complaint.
Also, write a letter to your complex's management detailing the problem and see if you get any sort of response. If not, send a copy of that letter to the above agencies as well.

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I will definitely investigate this. I'm not sure if it is a law here in Georgia because I've complained repeatedly about this to my apartment complex and they don't seem too fazed about it but they certainly know I'm mad because I called and talked to almost everyone on the staff today. When I told one of the staff members that it was noted specifically in my file that I wanted them to give me 24 hours before entering my apartment she said, "Well, we don't always have time to pull up someone's personal file when the contracter comes in and wants the key to the apartment." I was dumfounded by this response so I didn't have the opportunity to say, "Um, why not?"

I guess their reasoning is that I made this maintenance request (it's about a year old but, to be fair, the new apartment complex management has only been standing on it for about three months). However, if it takes them three months to fill a maintenance request does that mean I'm supposed to expect them whenever?

Anyway, thanks you, CoolCat and OllyExtra, for your sympathy and advice. You guys are the best.

Colleen,

That makes me angry too and I am not even there!! But I know if they had done that to me I would've been seriously ticked. AND, with the contractor just entering your apartment...how did he know you have cats. If he had left the door open or something your babies could've gotten out. I hope you are able to raise a stink and get at the minimum a genuine apology. I agree with Olly..I would investigate that 24 hour policy further because if I remember correctly I think its the law here as well to give 24 hour notice.

One easy way to check the 24 hour rule is to reference your lease...it may say something about gaining entrance to the apt. on there. While you're at it, take a good look at your lease and see if there's anything else on there they've violated!

Even if it DOESN'T say anything about 24 hours on the lease or if it says something to the effect of "landlord may enter premises at his discretion"--still check with your local authorities to see if the 24 hour rule is a law in Georgia.
If they've printed something on your lease that is ILLEGAL, it makes the entire contract null and void!!! If that's the case...consider getting a lawyer to lean on them a little to straighten things out and prevent future issues.

I have on file with my complex that because of my cats, unless it is an emergency such as fire, no one may enter unless I am home.
The laws are very strict about permission & 24 hr notice in my area.
When we get a new mgr. or assistant mgr. I always make sure they are clear about this.
I have not had a problem with them.
I do have problems with poor maintenance work in the tradition of hire the lowest bidder, but that is another issue.

I looked on-line and found that Georgia does not have a notice requirement to enter my apartment.

http://www.nolo.com/article.cfm/Obje...4/138/160/ART/

Also, I'm pretty sure there is nothing regarding this in my lease because I specifically asked about this when I signed my lease and didn't see a clause in there regarding this. The property agent said, "Well, I can't see an occasion where we wouldn't give you notice..." I feel so stupid now. I should have had her formalize something in writing.

So, another contractor is coming tomorrow to fix the botched window job and I left a large noted taped to the window telling them that they needed to clean thoroughly after they leave because my cats could eat or cut their paws on any stray shard or bit of glass.

Oh yeah, and they're also doing a routine maintenance check on the apartment tomorrow (at least I got notice for that one).

I'm pretty sure my cats will not leave the apartment even if some idiot maintenance person leaves the door open. They never try to get outside and have cried bloody murder when I tried to walk them outside on leashes. They'll probably be quivering under the bed all day tomorrow.

I know it's going to be a traumatic day for them tomorrow and an extremely anxious one for me. I'm going to be worrying about them all day at work.

Thank you OllyExtra, CoolCat, Beryl, Jane, and xocats for your compassionate responses. It's nice to know there are other concerned cat "parents" out there who don't read my response to this incident as completely neurotic. Thank goodness for this board. You guys are the best!

Maybe before you leave for work you could take them and put them in a small bedroom or bathroom with water, food, litter box. Close the door and put a BIG SIGN on the outside of it that says "DO NOT OPEN". Chances are they won't be going anywhere in your apt. other than to the window (at least they shouldn't be!) and this way you know the kits won't be able to get out or get into any glass or other stuff they might leave lying around.
Good luck...we had guys dragging new furniture into our house today so the kits had to hang out in their "cat room" for about an hour. That way, we didn't have to worry about one of the guys letting them out--not that they would have tried, but you just never know!

Originally Posted by OllyExtra05

Maybe before you leave for work you could take them and put them in a small bedroom or bathroom with water, food, litter box. Close the door and put a BIG SIGN on the outside of it that says "DO NOT OPEN". Chances are they won't be going anywhere in your apt. other than to the window (at least they shouldn't be!) and this way you know the kits won't be able to get out or get into any glass or other stuff they might leave lying around.
Good luck...we had guys dragging new furniture into our house today so the kits had to hang out in their "cat room" for about an hour. That way, we didn't have to worry about one of the guys letting them out--not that they would have tried, but you just never know!

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I think that's a good idea. Penelope will have a fit being cooped up all day in the bedroom but her safety comes first!

I was so mad when I read this I had to call my husband over to read it too! We're the building managers here at our apartment building, and here in Ontario we're required by law to give 24 hours notice. Even if we weren't, we still would because it's just the decent thing to do. Trouble is landlords, supers etc forget that the apartment is that person's home, and we should respect that fact even though they don't actually own the place. I could rant on and on about contractors, landlords, and the things tenants have done for that matter, but I won't
Arghh! My advice for tomorrrow is to lock up the kitties in your bedroom (where the contractor has absolutely no excuse to go, unlike the bathroom) and not expect miracles of cleanliness regarding the glass.
Good luck!

IMHO, that's BS!

Originally Posted by menagerie mama

IMHO, that's BS!

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Thank you so much for validating what I thought was bad manners, too. The staff members were very defensive, yesterday, and made me feel like I was the one who was neurotic and paranoid about my space and the health of my cats.

I'm not surprised that Canada has more civilized rules of conduct for landlord/ tenant relationships than Georgia does. I'm sure I could find many examples where the law is more sensible and just there than it is here. Makes me wonder whether I need to move much further north.

I did lock up the kitties in the bedroom today with a big sign that said "DO NOT ENTER," so hopefully, I will go home and find that they are still in there and ok.

Again, thanks for your support. It means a lot to me.

Originally Posted by pushylady

I was so mad when I read this I had to call my husband over to read it too! We're the building managers here at our apartment building, and here in Ontario we're required by law to give 24 hours notice. Even if we weren't, we still would because it's just the decent thing to do. Trouble is landlords, supers etc forget that the apartment is that person's home, and we should respect that fact even though they don't actually own the place. I could rant on and on about contractors, landlords, and the things tenants have done for that matter, but I won't

Arghh! My advice for tomorrrow is to lock up the kitties in your bedroom (where the contractor has absolutely no excuse to go, unlike the bathroom) and not expect miracles of cleanliness regarding the glass.
Good luck!

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Shannon and Erin,

Thank you guys so much for your support.