New house

Okay, dear readers, much has been going on! Let’s try to recap.

I got the death flu.

We moved.

And I haven’t had the internet.

Moving has been a miracle – nothing short of a dream. I’m honestly amazed.

Basically, our (nonheinous) flatmate went ahead and secured a new house. It was sitting vacant, but the LL offered half price rent for our notice period to help us through – what a star of a guy. He may be young, but he has way more money than our old LL, thankfully. Right now we’re all moved in, but are still paying rent on the old place… unless new tenants move in early. There are possibilities, but the LL is being incredibly delusional and trying to up the rent to $420 (despite the increasing damp problems and safety issues from the state house hoodlums). We still need to move a few things, CLEAN, and sort out T’s old car – he needs to take a few more parts off to send off to an Invercargill buyer, then he has someone keen to take the rest of the car off his hands. Meanwhile, I am hoping to square up heinous flatmate’s outstanding bills ($300 plus).

I am just so deliriously happy to live in a dryer, warmer and safer place.

This place is still overpriced even after a rent reduction, but it was through a private LL (very rare) so no letting fee. He didn’t even run a credit check – our flatmate REALLY lucked out this time! There’s no way he would have passed even a basic property manager’s screening. Frankly, it’s unbelievable he got this place (and I’m quite annoyed considering  it took FOUR MONTHS for me just to get our last place), but the LL liked him and didn’t want a repeat of his last tenant debacle (large family from the Islands, illegal overstayers, brought over tons of their extended family and crowded the house…till Immigration showed up). We’re paying pretty much the same rent, for a smaller but INSULATED room, an alarm, dishwasher, covered parking, and Smart Vent system.

Bad things: Still up to an hour’s commute, but there is more choice in buses here. Still my name on the Telecom account and bill, but not power or rent. Still have to deal with wrestling/fighting flatmates, but I’m slowly getting to where I want to be….

And with heinous flatmate gone – oh my gosh, the relief! No more rubbish and recycling sitting in the kitchen, no more toilet rolls disappearing and never being replaced, no more mud and dirt all over the floors, no more cutlery disappearing or breaking, no more piles of dirty dishes, no more cordless phone disappearing and going flat, no more crumbs and spills all over the kitchen, no more lids being left off margarine containers….the list goes on.