Thinking to circumvent the usual yearly masquerade with the typical Bali landlord, I contacted the fellow several months ago to determine for certain whether or not he intended to rent the house again and for the same price. In typical fashion, he was not altogether sure. This was not unexpected, thus the attempt at early contact and arrangement, which would give me plenty of time to seek a new place and make moving arrangements if necessary.
Of course, we proceeded through the usual negotiations. He needed to raise the price, first off. He would hardly be a Bali landlord if he didn't. I told him that I was not willing to pay more than I had paid the year before, and therefore would move. At this, he changed his mind. Okay, yes, he would ask the same price, delay upkeep and repair, since I would be staying there anyway, but must ask two years rent instead of one. I told him that I did not have two years of rent available all at once. He said Okay, but I must charge 5 million more for one year (which, of course, would give him the opportunity to collect money rather than put it out on upkeep and repairs, which he did not intend to pursue anyway). I said no. One year, same rent. He decided that he would need to cogitate further.
Through the months thereafter, I did not hear from him again. Nor did he answer several messages. No, he thought it best all around to wait until two weeks before the expiration of my contract to declare that he was standing by his demand for either two years all at once or one year for more. And no repairs.
So here I am, facing the deadline I had hoped to avoid. Here I am as well facing all the shit of foreign residence renewal, registration renewal, the imigrasi circus, finding a new place to live and so on, all at once.
So, I'll be hitting the streets of Renon this afternoon in search of a Kost (a small apartment).
That's step one.
One step at a time.
Of course, we proceeded through the usual negotiations. He needed to raise the price, first off. He would hardly be a Bali landlord if he didn't. I told him that I was not willing to pay more than I had paid the year before, and therefore would move. At this, he changed his mind. Okay, yes, he would ask the same price, delay upkeep and repair, since I would be staying there anyway, but must ask two years rent instead of one. I told him that I did not have two years of rent available all at once. He said Okay, but I must charge 5 million more for one year (which, of course, would give him the opportunity to collect money rather than put it out on upkeep and repairs, which he did not intend to pursue anyway). I said no. One year, same rent. He decided that he would need to cogitate further.
Through the months thereafter, I did not hear from him again. Nor did he answer several messages. No, he thought it best all around to wait until two weeks before the expiration of my contract to declare that he was standing by his demand for either two years all at once or one year for more. And no repairs.
So here I am, facing the deadline I had hoped to avoid. Here I am as well facing all the shit of foreign residence renewal, registration renewal, the imigrasi circus, finding a new place to live and so on, all at once.
So, I'll be hitting the streets of Renon this afternoon in search of a Kost (a small apartment).
That's step one.
One step at a time.
No comments:
Post a Comment