So much for the Nice Family living in our US home actually being as advertised. In the spring the Navy Captain informed us she had asked for early retirement, would be receiving her orders "soon," and was moving to one of two states. Thus, her orders allowed her to break the remaining two years on her lease.
Mostly lies, as we learned over the last few months.
At the same time she informed us that she had found another military family to move into our home, had showed them the house and the lease, had negotiated the rent and a move-in date, and was transferring our pool and tennis club membership to the "new tenant." All of this was because, as we learned, she did not have orders that allowed her to break the lease.
That's when we yelled, "STOP." And that's when everything spiraled out of control.
Finally, the lawyers have now finished lawyering. In exchange for not filing a very arguable fraud lawsuit against the not-so-nice Navy Captain, a settlement for the damages has been agreed upon.
Among the least offensive of the damages? The Navy Captain had the French wallpaper in the master bedroom removed (without our permission, and in violation of the lease) because she felt doing so "enhanced the value of our home." And, she replaced my functioning vintage kitchen faucet (also without our permission, and in violation of the lease) with an off-the-shelf clunker that, "works better."
Some of the damages will never be repaired. We have a well-defined clause in the lease regarding care of the yard and garden. This is Sir Thomas Lipton, a hybrid shrub that I cultivated over 10 years. Each spring the bush produced between 1.000 and 1.200 blooms, and the aroma was noticeable several houses away. The photo was taken in late spring last year.
Mostly lies, as we learned over the last few months.
At the same time she informed us that she had found another military family to move into our home, had showed them the house and the lease, had negotiated the rent and a move-in date, and was transferring our pool and tennis club membership to the "new tenant." All of this was because, as we learned, she did not have orders that allowed her to break the lease.
That's when we yelled, "STOP." And that's when everything spiraled out of control.
Finally, the lawyers have now finished lawyering. In exchange for not filing a very arguable fraud lawsuit against the not-so-nice Navy Captain, a settlement for the damages has been agreed upon.
Among the least offensive of the damages? The Navy Captain had the French wallpaper in the master bedroom removed (without our permission, and in violation of the lease) because she felt doing so "enhanced the value of our home." And, she replaced my functioning vintage kitchen faucet (also without our permission, and in violation of the lease) with an off-the-shelf clunker that, "works better."
Some of the damages will never be repaired. We have a well-defined clause in the lease regarding care of the yard and garden. This is Sir Thomas Lipton, a hybrid shrub that I cultivated over 10 years. Each spring the bush produced between 1.000 and 1.200 blooms, and the aroma was noticeable several houses away. The photo was taken in late spring last year.
This is Sir Thomas Lipton (and the yard) a year later.
This photo set sums up well the state of our home, inside and out. The Nice Family? Too good to be true.
Victoria- What a nightmare! I'm sorry about Sir Thomas Lipton and all the other crazy things that renter did to your home. It angers me that she had the gull to do all those things! I really hope whoever rents from you next will be a much better fit.
ReplyDeleteCrazy things, they did do indeed! So far, so good with the new tenants.
DeleteOh Victoria - I am so sorry to hear this. I am repeatedly dumbfounded by the amount of damage that my summer tenants can inflict on my property in just one week. Last weeks 'nice family' tore the doors (including the ceiling track) off of the laundry closet, put a football sized hole in the front hallway drywall and took every lightbulb in the house home with them. I get one nightmare family every season ...and the truly 'nice families' move to Vienna :)
ReplyDeleteThe renters took the lightbulbs? How do people even think to conduct themselves like that?
DeleteThen again, when a military officer says, "Just because you have photos of the house when you moved out, that doesn't mean the house looked anything like that when I moved in." all bets are off. I'm sure you have enough stories to write a book!