| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/23/2009 7:02:37 PM | Okay I'm sure many people have been in this situation.
I rent, I work, the landlord has let to a couple of tenants who don't and just seem to spend 24/7 in their rooms developing their budding mental illnesses with paranoia and inaction. I mean what these guys give off is damn near physical, with thinking processes akin to sitting around staring at walls all day. You know those crazy old hermits caught halfway between religious fundamentalism and paranoid schizophrenia, this is them. One has been in an out of psychiatric care.
Okay their problem is clear, they just plain refuse to get up off their butts and then get snake-fascinated by the kooky results when the mind plays tricks on you for doing such a thing with an entire life time. To be honest I'd like to bail them up on a wall and just start slapping them around. They're freaky and annoying, their activity cycles, what little of them there are, centre around mild stalking and a dependency on anyone around them actually doing something, like taking out the rubbish for example might get one slamming doors and pacing up and down his room, they're so acutely aware of any activity around them you can get hear them responding as you go to the toilet, or go from web browsing to reading a book, they settle down a bit if you put on some music, the nutjobs are actually starting to make me paranoid, which if I didn't have a job and the associated social interaction might be a genuine threat. It's actually a relief to get away from these two and go to work. They're always there, they never go anywhere else and peek out of their rooms a couple of times a week, trying for all the world to act like primary industry workers or something when they do.
Okay, suggestions for getting these twerps to pull their heads out of their butts and get into life instead of just making it shitty for anyone unfortunate enough to have to put up with them. Let's open the boards. I've tried talking to one and all he does is counter every positive and workable suggestion (to the extent of offering to line up some work for one, who wasn't interested in a labour job like yeah man you're doing so much more right now and the pay was like 25/hr flat rate any shift and pretty much choose your own hours), the bloke starts going on about his ex wife and she doesn't like him anymore and I'm standing there saying feller I was homeless on the streets as a kid, I should be the one with baggage here what's your fricken excuse.
So what have you lot done which might've worked? | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/23/2009 8:05:39 PM | Van, who has the problem here? Surely not the new tenants. So what if they have been in and out of psychiatric institutions. Good on them for getting out!
Mental illness is REAL and can be just as debilitating as having a broken leg in plaster. Only thing is Mental illness is often for life, is socially stigmatised and leaves scars no one can see.
If they don't want to work, or indeed, can't work, it's none of your business. Leave it up to their case manager.
Kudos to you for changing your life in such a positive manner, but not everyone is strong enough to do this.
I have seen this from both sides. I have been a patient in a psychiatric institution with postnatal psychosis (which has left me with chronic clinical depression) - this IS NOT something you can simply "pull your socks up and get on with life", it is biochemical. With a lot of help, time and energy this experience did spur me on to eventually do my nursing and midwifery degrees - hence having worked with similar said people.
You and I have had the inner strength to carry on fighting, leap those hurdles and get on with life. Many don't and fall by the wayside.
So, open another door, instead of allowing yourself to be annoyed by these people, show them love and compassion. I don't mean make them your new instant best buds, just don't react and quietly send love and compassion. It'll work more wonders for you than them, guaranteed!
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/23/2009 8:19:28 PM | 1st Be greatful that you arent them with their life experiences and capacities.
2nd realise that you cant make others be what you want them to be.
3rd be greatful they arent any worse than they are.
4th Be compassionate in your responses with out taking any more responsibilty than you are preapared to take.
5th Spend time getting to know them so any judgements you make are based on fact and in the process they may become more aware of their own solutions.
6th Failing all else Buy your own island and only invite acceptable people to visit.
Having said all that must admit Im glad they are on your island and not mine.
Wishing more happiness to all and less to none | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/23/2009 8:26:41 PM | Working may just worsen their situation. Have you thought of that? If they are being paranoid within the house, don't you think that they would be paranoid at work also and even more so?
I lived in rooming houses(not sure if that is your situation but sounds like it) for quite a few years and it is not the best environment. Get yourself a bachelor pad where the walls are thicker.
While I was living in rooming houses, I have been around all kinds of people and most of the people have reasons for living there. Some of the guys never got out of the house for one reason or another but we all had problems and, as theirs get on your nerves, they are none of your concern.
Edit:
You might not want to get too close to those people as you disrespect their way of life from the get go. Letting them in may be a bad move and it could be difficult to get rid of them afterward. | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 1:13:37 AM | I have to admit that im a little gobsmacked with the replies to be honest. The general consensus seems to be that Vanaheim just has to put up with all this sh1t, because the other tenants are mentally ill...and good on them for having no life, no jobs, making no effort to support themselves but managing to be not quite mentally ill enough to be locked away....WTF!
Sorry, but I really have no useful advice except move...and quickly. I wouldn't be wasting my time befriending a pair of dole bludging whack jobs....who are smart enough to be just weird enough to not have to pull their weight but retain their liberty.
Run Forrest run............... | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 1:19:32 AM | | So, are you saying that we should kill the wack jobs or something??? | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 1:39:31 AM | It's a sectioned off old animal hospital, sort of turned into little self contained studio apartments, I call my apartment my writer's loft, it's got nice wood roof/walls in a sharp vee and a nice little kitchen and all the rest, affordable, I get along well with the landlord.
I was of course counting on these blokes moving on, tenants like these usually get chased by sherriffs and the like, the one who's actually been in care is manageable if you can keep positive influences around him to prop himself up with and wave off his negative tendencies, though he is a little exhaustive. The other is new and maybe just basically lazy in the head in a fit of self imolation as some folks get when they don't do what they know they ought to with themselves and start making up excuses to basically sit around all day and watch tv.
Naturally since the head up rectum crowd is multiplying I was looking at some interim strategies for keeping the real world perspectives present around here. Having a beer with the fellers discussing what job applications they're hopeful about is better than trying to avoid them hijacking you walking past to watch them crying in their beer over nothing more than boredom and meloncholy.
And I've been in some bedsits too, years ago and they are very bad environments. The worse one had regular violent assaults over nothing, rampant theft and a population of roughly 35% each career small time hoodlums and a community mental health integration program (their entire pensions were being siphoned by the staff and the poor fellers were left to get their food from soup kitchens and the like, very sad).
I never actually had a problem with the genuinely mentally ill, was quite supportive, but then there is the classic dole bludger and wannabe mugger syndrome who whilst on various medications for illicit drug dependencies aren't diagnosed mentally ill or manage to arrive at a marginal diagnosis with determined effort in the belief it's actually a good scam for getting Centrelink off your back about looking for work.
But this place isn't like that. And I'm well experienced in that kind of environment and most, like ones of destitution and various stages of homelessness from an early stage. These blokes are just suffering from an acute case of failing to govern themselves and being governed by nothing else to compensate, since as a democracy we generally don't roll like that (if you live like a twit you get to be a twit, that's it, the twit police don't show up or anything).
I'll see how it pans out over a few weeks. | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 1:46:58 AM |
So, are you saying that we should kill the wack jobs or something???
No...infact you said that not me....I simply suggested moving out...go figure! | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 1:48:34 AM | "Okay their problem is clear", is it Dr Van....?..... not to me it isn't ..from your OP... it's just a tirade of intolerance.... people have to live somewhere...
nice to see you seemlessly move from aeronautics engineer... to Dr Phil.....
I'd say your best bet would be to buy the building so you become landlord... kick your said "drongos" out..and then you can put a sign out front....
rooms for rent..... except for.... yadda, yadda ,yadda, and yadda..... choice... | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 1:58:17 AM | I agree ..........................if it doesn't suit MOVE ........................or get a Mortgage.......... I have one (mortgage) but I know what I'm paying for is what I get!  | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 2:12:59 AM | | Unfortunately not all of us can be self sufficient. With mental illness it can sometimes be impossible to think clearly so how are they to do a job and with some mental illnesses it can change the persons brain making it even harder to recover and some drugs can do the same thing. Some times there is a learning difficulty which can lead to anti-social activity that can make it very hard to integrate with society so it may not be as simple as these people getting off there arse. I don't believe that any person really wants to lead a meaningless life and that there is a very good reason why it has happened. | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 2:34:53 AM | Tazer in one hand Job app in other and get em to choose a hand. oops wrong thread
Just had a great idea: Buy house next to missfee and have useless tenants move in there. You stay where you are and your problem is solved, because you will have a mortage. | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 2:39:22 AM | Sometimes we can't understand people 'till we've gone a mile in their shoes. So, OP, you probably are tolerant of people who have had similar experiences to your own AND are working through life in the way you do. But its hard to be merciful if you cant imagine life any other way.
These guys are an excellent opportunity for you to learn. Either ignore them altogether and hope like hell they move soon or listen to their story and learn how it might be to be them. | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 3:14:48 AM | Why get involved with these whack jobs ??????
Couldn't you just ignore them and stop meddling in their lives , these people are adults and they are responsible for the own lives , if they stuff up , then it's their problem not yours.
Unless they are causing noise or any other anti social behavior problems then you can't do anything about them , if they were causing problems for the you and the other tenants then you can get the landlord or other people involved.
I have lived in quite a few guest houses and has seen quite a lot of whack jobs in those places and the best thing to do is to don't become involved with them and don't try to run their lives for them.
You can be friendly enough to say hello and for some casual talk , but never drink with them or become a bleeding heart to them by trying to to change their lives because they will take you for all you have got , they will end up biting you for money , citgarettes , drinks and food.
From what you have said , these whack jobs could be speed freaks , so don't trust them.
And if these whack jobs irk you too much , then move some place else.
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 3:49:04 AM | My last tennant was a ... GIRL.... ewwwwwwww..... ... and my bestest friend....
it could have been worse, Van... the new tennants could have all been women in the same frames of mind ..... arrrgghhh!!!!....
you'd be locking your doors..... | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 5:04:42 AM | "So what have you lot done which might've worked?"
What would be the result that indicated a given strategy had worked? | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 10:19:15 AM |
I have to admit that im a little gobsmacked with the replies to be honest. The general consensus seems to be that Vanaheim just has to put up with all this sh1t, because the other tenants are mentally ill...and good on them for having no life, no jobs, making no effort to support themselves but managing to be not quite mentally ill enough to be locked away....WTF!
Sorry, but I really have no useful advice except move...and quickly. I wouldn't be wasting my time befriending a pair of dole bludging whack jobs....who are smart enough to be just weird enough to not have to pull their weight but retain their liberty.
Run Forrest run...............
You didn't just suggest that he moves. You are saying that those people are no good pieces of sh!t just like the OP is saying. You are saying that you don't understand when people are telling him to be more compassionate about it and that they are wrong.
The comment goes to all who think that those wack jobs shouldn't be breathing the same air as you.
Let's kill them all and be rid of them for good. | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 11:00:09 AM | Oh and Hilly1971 just because my post was posted just below yours doesn't mean the comment was directed directly to you.
The OP is being very insulting to those people and, just because I didn't mention my disapproval in my first post, doesn't mean I don't disapprove of his manners.
These people don't seem to be doing him any harm as it is.
they're so acutely aware of any activity around them you can get hear them responding as you go to the toilet, or go from web browsing to reading a book, they settle down a bit if you put on some music, the nutjobs are actually starting to make me paranoid
I would fuking say they are getting you paranoid. Now you are watching them watching you for fuk's sake. How hard is it really to let them be?
If you can't let them be then just move. These people aren't causing you no harm and they have their reasons to be as they are. They need a place to live to. | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 2:09:38 PM | Presuming this is an issue of living on the dole (US welfare, don't know Canadian name) why not call it what it is. If I'm wrong then ignore this.
Some would say let them do what they want while collecting free money.
Others would say that money isn't free it's coming out of my paycheck and my food on the table in the form of higher and higher taxes.
The former are perceived to be more passionate towards their neighbors.
The latter, beyond perception, would actually try and help by making the parties in question self sufficient, active members of the community, possibly happier and (mentally and physically) healthier. They would also quickly loose their 'burden on society' status in the action of carrying their own weight (which could be the cause of their mental state in the first place).
The former (generalizing of course) would be happy letting them live the rest of their lives as hermits on the dole and be considered being nice to people. The latter at first view would only be concerned about their hard works' earnings going to those that should be providing for themselves. However in actuality they want to make a difference for the good of all, primarily the inflicted.
I applaud the OP for being one of the latter.
As far as a solution you may already be doing all you can from showing by example.
Use them for motivation in going to work as you state.
Tout the benifits of being independent from the mountain tops.
Let your spirit of human decency shine like a beacon in the night
(until you can find a quiet place in the country). | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 3:02:32 PM | if you cant beat em , join em...or atleast play with them untill they learn to not care about what you do..
you can walk around using "pirate talk" constantly exclaiming to you invisible parrot that there is 'aaaarrrrrhhhg, mutiny afoot.
always refere to yourself as a plural..
make a wizards hat out of news papper & practise spells loudly, then ask if you could borrow some owls beaks for a broth.
buy a pink tutu and try and make your own cover of "flash dance" around the house.
the fun would be endless, seriously | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 3:05:29 PM | Divide and conquer.. devise a cunning plan to turn them against eachother.. create situations where they suspect the other of doing them wrong, soon enough their paranoia will escalate to the point of one of them moving out or both being thrown out.
Nothing nasty, just something that would make an hilarious story down at the pub or on these forums or maybe the latest installment of Bum Fights. | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 5:21:28 PM | Yeah, yeah that's it; make their lives even more miserable because you can't stand a closing door
All these people seem to be doing to you is nothing. You don't like them, get over it. | |
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 5:48:32 PM | You didn't just suggest that he moves.
Yes I did......see...
Sorry, but I really have no useful advice except move .
and that they are wrong.
I gave my opinion....if I stated somewhere that others were "wrong"...please point it out to me. I said I was gobsmacked by responses but did not say others were wrong, I dont believe my post even mentioned the word "wrong"....
Yours did though...it also mentioned killing them all...which mine did not.
Ahh...roadtrippers are such fun sometimes...birds of a feather me thinks.
Done here.....
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| Useless tenants
Posted: 9/24/2009 6:40:39 PM |
The latter, beyond perception, would actually try and help by making the parties in question self sufficient, active members of the community, possibly happier and (mentally and physically) healthier. They would also quickly loose their 'burden on society' status in the action of carrying their own weight (which could be the cause of their mental state in the first place).
The former (generalizing of course) would be happy letting them live the rest of their lives as hermits on the dole and be considered being nice to people. The latter at first view would only be concerned about their hard works' earnings going to those that should be providing for themselves. However in actuality they want to make a difference for the good of all, primarily the inflicted.
I applaud the OP for being one of the latter.
As far as a solution you may already be doing all you can from showing by example.
Thanks mate, got it in one. This is pretty much what I figured. At least until I can afford that writers retreat in the mountains
Cheers. | |
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I wouldn't move if where you are suits you...but hey, maybe they would move if you became annoying/stressful to live near. 
