I rented this place thinking that I will stay in it for a longer term because the location is convenient for me. Initially, I was planning to stay until May then I was thinking to stay from Aug to May of the following year (I take the summer off).
However, many things made me feel uncomfortable to stay.
At first, her husband refused to give me the room key unless I sign with them a lease. It is true that I discussed with her my plan to stay for a longer time at DC at her place if we feel comfortable together. However, since I paid this month, the key should have been given to me without a hassle! I refused to sign the lease and insisted that I paid for this month. I arrived in the morning and I was not given the key unless later afternoon!
There are two ladies who are renting the second-floor rooms for around five years.
I felt the two ladies at the house are not welcoming new guest with them. Both are old friends and they have been renting their rooms for around five years. Therefore, they feel any new person as an intruder.
The host does not provide any cleaning objects, kitchenware, or cookware. Therefore, I can see an additional reason for the two other renting ladies discomfort! They feel their things are utilized, while the host should provide fully furnished space for the coming person.
Second, the kitchen is very old and the appliances are almost broken. There is no kettle or toaster! Very old and not functional microwave so as the fridge.
However, with all of this, I continued to think that I will try to work it out to stay.
Things changed when I found Juanita deceiving me to make payment for the following month to stay longer. She gave me the wrong email to pay with PayPal. Luckily, the payment did not go through and I asked her to verify her email. She kept refusing. Until one day I told her if I will not make the payment, I will pay somewhere else and I asked for an invoice to pay by PayPal.
She sent me a very strange invoice. My name was spelled wrong and she did not define the PayPal address, but rather she wrote a physical address. But I saw her email address and realized she was sending me the wrong email all the time! However, I did not understand why she would act that strange for me to make for her a payment!
In good faith, I sent her the payment through PayPal and I sent her an email to say that there was an error in the email address she was giving to me.
She responded that she gave me the right email and what I claim is not true. I went through all messages and found the wrong email address. I copied and pasted the message to her to show her what she sent. At its point, I was thinking she was truly confused.
However, she responded that she did not send this message!
This was an insult as it means she is calling me a liar! I demanded an apology for this confusion to move over. She insisted that what I say is untrue.
At its moment, I felt what if the wrong email address worked and I made the payment to the wrong person!!
This is such a deceiving attitude that should worry any person!
I asked her to refund the payment I made as I don't wish to continue with her after her insult and deceit. She refused! I repeated my request several times without success!
I then went on to my bank asking them to refund the money because I don't want to stay at her place and my bank reversed the transaction!
I felt very worried in my last few days at her room that I felt unsafe because I did not understand why she would behave like this!
I truly recommend that she furnishes the kitchen (cookware, kitchenware, dishes..etc) and supply cleaning objects (mop, broom, toilet brush, sink brush..etc) to be able to maintain the space clean.
Also, it is ideal to either rent the whole space as short-term or long-term. But to have two people staying for five years and newcomers makes it very unwelcoming while the host does not live in the house herself!
I understand renting the third room like this (short-term) makes the rent much more than if it will be rented in long-term, but then it is unfair for the short-term renter to pay the higher rent without value compared to the two other ladies who pay much less and the house is almost theirs!