The Renters

 

          After I started my job in Daytona, Stacy and the kids lived in the house in Lakeland for a while. But eventually, I paid Stacy so she can relocate closer to where I worked.  My house was a brand new manufactured home and the mortgage was contingent on that I live in the house for 5 years before I can sell it. Also, for the first five years, the home depreciates faster than the principal so realistically; you can't sell it without taking a pretty big loss on it. Hence renting it out was the only option.

          The renters we found had 3 children and the spacious 4 bedroom 2 bath was perfect for them. They were also in a hurry to move out of the house they purchased only a year ago. They had found out about a registered pedophile living next door. So they are happy to see the big fenced in yard at my house where the children can play safely. The rent payments were pretty high but with the grand parents living right around the corner, they were willing to pay for the extra comfort. We even discussed the possibility of them buying the house from me.

          Stacy firmly believed that she deserved a share of the house and she constantly talked about how "unfair" it was that she did not get a part of the house to the neighbors. She claimed that "WE" had picked it out together, and "WE" had moved in together with the kids and it was "OUR" home. Apparently the neighbors on the side and across the street agreed with her.

          But I didn't see how that had anything to do with ownership. Stacy and I were never married and had only lived together in Florida for a couple of years. Stacy's name was neither on the mortgage nor the title of the house. She was fired from her job shortly before we moved in and had not had any income while we lived there.

          It is so ironic to me that Stacy considered the house to be so valuable when in fact it was just a money drain. She should be glad not to be bogged down with mortgage payments exceeding $1000 a month.  I would have gladly signed over the house to her along with the mortgage payments. (Not that she can get approved for a loan that size.) But alas, that was not the way she thinks.

          The circumstances with which the renters left are very tragic. I feel sorry for them to feel persecuted as they did from the neighbors for something they had nothing to do with. But I also feel sorry for myself for letting Stacy ruin this aspect of my life. I was proud to be a home owner even if it was just a mobile home and it hurt when it went into foreclosure.  Funny, at the time I had chosen to pay the lawyer $1000 per month, thinking that I am choosing my kids over my house. And all the good it did.

 

          Below are the emails exchanged between the renters and I. He describes the treatment he received from the neighbors. He refused to file a complaint or press charges to the police because he was afraid of retaliation with his parents living around the corner.  

 

 

-----Original Message-----

From: david_p@bellsouth.net [mailto:david_p@bellsouth.net]

Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2004 7:29 PM

To: xxxxxx '

Subject: Lakeland Electric Bill

 

xxxxxx,

            Attached are the scans of the Lakeland Electric bill for April. Please remit payment in the amount of $321.16 to Takako as you would the rent payment.

            What is the verdict on the bounced check for the second half of the month of May? Also have you mailed the rent payment for the month of June?

 

Please contact me,

David Prather

 

-----Original Message-----

From: xxxxxx

Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2004 6:44 AM

To: david_p@bellsouth.net

Subject: Re: FW: check e-mail

 

DAVID                                                                                                                              WE HAVE DECIDED TO MOVE NOTHING AGAINST YOU OR YOUR HOUSE BUT THE NEIGHBORS ARE RIDICULES.                                                                                WHEN YOU PAY AS MUCH RENT AS WE DO A PERSON SHOULD BE COMFORTABLE AT HOME.                                                                                                                     NOT LIKE A PRISONER IN YOUR HOME , WE ARE NO LONGER COMFORTABLE HERE. AND THIS GUY NEXT DOOR HAS NO IDEA WHO HE IS MESSING WITH SO BEFORE I BEET HIM TO DEATH IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR ALL CONCERNED IF WE MOVE .  WE ARE SORRY ABOUT THIS BUT IT GOES MUCH DEEPER THAN A DOG GETTING OUT OR AN UGLY SHED IN THE BACK YARD.                                                                          

 WE TRULY THINK YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TROUBLE WITH HIM NO MATTER WHO MOVES IN HERE.                                                                                                          AS FAR AS THE MONEY I OWE YOU I WILL PAY THE ELECTRIC BILL AND THE 550.00 FOR THE BOUNCED CHECK.                                                                                       WE PLAN TO BE OUT BY THE 1st MY CELL IS NOT WORKING ONLY THE RADIO PART IS. SO IF YOU WANT TO REPLY PLEASE DO SO BY email. AGAIN I'M SORRY ABOUT THE PROBLEMS AND GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR FUTURE TENANTS AND THE NEIGHBORS.                                                                                       xxxxxx

 

-----Original Message-----

From: david_p@bellsouth.net [mailto:david_p@bellsouth.net]

Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 2:29 PM

To: xxxxxx

Subject: RE: FW: check e-mail

 

xxxxxx,

            I am sorry things have been difficult there. I am disappointed that you are leaving but I do understand. As far as payment arrangements go I assume that you are going to apply your deposit to the June rent that will be fine with me as long as you pay me for the bounced check and the Electricity bill. Before you leave I would like the chance to talk to you about the specific problems you have had. Would it be possible for me to have a bit of your time this weekend on either Saturday or Sunday? I will be in town this weekend I will come by on Saturday evening. If a better time is appropriate for you then please reply or give me a call on my cell phone (386-405-1535).

 

If you have an questions or concerns please contact me,

David Prather

 

-----Original Message-----

From: david_p@bellsouth.net [mailto:david_p@bellsouth.net]

Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2004 9:48 PM

To: xxxxxx

Subject: RE: FW: check e-mail

 

xxxxxx,

            We have not received your money as of yet. I still do want to talk to you about things that have gone on. Have you filed any police reports about the harassment? I know you have decided to leave but I would like to fully understand everything that went on. What do you think could have prevented this from happening? Would a 6 foot privacy fence have helped? I just need to know what I can do to prevent this sort of thing from happening again in the future.

 

PLEASE REPLY AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE.

David Prather

 

 

-----Original Message-----

From: xxxxxx

Sent: Friday, July 02, 2004 10:52 AM

To: david_p@bellsouth.net

Subject: Re: FW: check e-mail

 

Mr. Prather,

 

  Our intention was to be out of here on the 1st but it looks like it will be Saturday night.  We will be sending you your money that we owe you but it will be 2 weeks, it cost us a lot to have to move again so soon.

 

 I really don't know if a privacy fence will help your problem here or not, maybe if you put it around the whole house. My kids would not even sleep in their bedrooms because they were scared. The man next door and the women or man (not sure what it is) are your problems,  they feel that your wife or girlfriend (what ever she was) should have this house and it is just killing them that you have it. They are going to do what ever they can to irritate you. I have expected to come home and find the house burned down. These people do not work so therefore they have time to irritate the shit out of people. The women/man across the street has stole my daughters dog. We cant even go outside with the kids in peace, they stand at their fence and gaulk, it is really unbelievable. We work a lot of hours and we like to relax when we get home. I do not like the way the man next door looks at my kids (like a pedophile) and he scares them. You can feel the hate coming off these people. TK told me this was a good neighborhood and that they were good people (lol), I really hope she did not know about these people and she should be careful over here because they hate her too its not just you.