Today the propane people came out, and took the meter and detached the line from the tank to the line to the house.
Apparently my landlord has decided to have the service disconnected.
Needless to say, I was not informed that this would happen, and my landlord is currently traveling overseas. I dislike surprises, especially when I go to cook my dinner and there is no fire.
I left a message on his voice mail and I sent an email. tomorrow I need to figure out where aruond here I go to file formal complaint and get the renters thing on my side. I know its illegal for a landlord to cut of utilities, especially when not a single thing has been said.
And this is before I have received a notice if eviction.
I need help. Please.
Not just advice.
I have been working on compiling the data where I lay out how much work I do. Plus I have tried to find the median price for rent and utilities in my area.
I need someone who is good with maths and spelling and grammar to look over a minor 10 page document to check errors for me. I also need that person to have some sort of general grasp of the way the human mind works to make certain that my 'logical' presentation is understood by the average human being.
It zipped the file and attached here. Its a Word document (for windows XP SP3) So word2000
I need to be able to present a case that I do work for my rent and utilities (at the very least) and that there is no way in hell that I can be denied things like propane against the labor I do.
Not sure what county you're in, but contact these people regardless. They can surely refer you if they can't directly help.
"Central California Legal Services is a non-profit law firm. We provide free legal assistance to low income families and individuals in the following counties: Fresno, Kings, Mariposa, Merced, Tulare, and Tuolumne."
Your documents looked pretty thorough to me, on my pad at quick glance. I would suggest pictures, including aerial shots from Google Earth/Maps, and an acreage calculator, which can be found on line as well.
I'm not a lawyer, but what concerns me is the lack of an agreement/contract that states the conditions spelling out He agreed to pay you for the services you provided, or agreed to trade the work for rent & utilities. Otherwise it's His word against yours.
Nope, no notice of eviction, which my understanding would be served to me or have to be signed for.
The trailer is the property's. She broke an axle and came to rest were she is...
Bob and I had a gentleman's agreement. I was satisfied with that as it was because Bob was old and unable to do stuff, and I honestly believed he was a lot poorer than I would come to learn when I took to being his care-giver.
The son-in-law is a prick. Sent me a few nasty emails to simple questions, and now this with the propane.
My whole point is to make it clear that I actually do work for my rent and utilities. And then some.
If I can sue the prick and get money fine. If all I get is the satisfaction of mucking up his life and not a penny more - fine. Its about principles now.
I will be talking with the judges wife tomorrow, after I call the propane folk to make certain that he did or did not ask to discontinue service. If its a matter of an unpaid bill I will handle that in another way....
I have read the document and it looks very comprehensive, except for the odd spelling error, which in something like this helps.
I think you need to spell out the terms of your agreement, when it began, if it changed over time, etc. Did Mr. Stuart ever evidence your arrangement to anyone, say, a visiting nurse, elder services, the town office, the hospital personnel. Do you have any notes from him about your work?
I think the idea of contacting a legal aid organization is excellent. I would also call any state or county offices that deal with these issues.
By what authority does the son/son-in-law act? Legal aid can tell you who has authority to act while the estate is being probated. A probate court might have records that would pertain to your claim against the property/estate.
I write these thought as someone who practiced law for 25 years, but please note it was not in this area,
This is the Acreage Calculator I mentioned... Quite useful, IMO. Zoom (way) into your location, plot point the outline of the property, and it tells you the (rough) acreage and sq. feet.
Hmm lets see for nearly 17 years I have been introduced as 'the boy' 'The caretaker' 'the pool boy' Then later as 'my care giver' which included, the whole methodist church Visiting Nurse staff, and Two hospitals. one of which sent him home in my care twice, and had my name on record (I think) as they called me. Then there is the diabetes specialist who had me running blood sugar tests through the night - which fine since I was already getting up every 4 hours to turn Bob since his last hospital stay ended up with him being unable to turn himself.
Speaking of the Methodist Church, they all have known I resided on the property and took care of the property for at least 15 years. Nell, Bob's travel companion also knows me as being the property care-taker. House sitter when Bob was away on his trips. Well Bob went on a very trip, and according to the agreement he and I had I am to watch and tend his house for cash per week.
So there are a lot of people who know that I was Bob's caretaker (of the property) and Care Giver. According to the Judge's Wife, who I spoke to last week Bob had nothing but good to say about me. And she knew I was on the property to mow, blow and trim and other stuff.
The Judge's Wife (Next door neighbor to the south) knows who I am, while she thought I have been here for only a decade, she confesses that after a decade we are all amazed at how time swiftly passes. Unfortunately the Judge himself has recently passed - and he was a judge for real, sat on a bench and all of that interesting court stuff.
Bob and I had a gentleman's agreement for the labor. Granted I worked like a dog, and was lead to believe that he was on a tight pension it didn't perturb me that much. But then Bob was at least thankful and grateful an never would have dreamed to pull the shenanigans his son-in-law pulls or make all of those rude, dismissive comments.
Yes the agreement changed over time. But that was between Bob and myself. Origionally I paid $150.00 rent and for propane. That rapidly changed when I had to gut the interior of the trailer to replace the bathroom and kitchen (and all of the plumbing) and the labor for that work was taken out in trade for rent and propane for a few years. Then came the every two year peeling and painting of the house, which ended up paying for my 'rent' and propane there after. On top of the yard labor.
Other incidentals I either got paid cash or it went 'toward rent'. And now that I have sat down and actually looked at the labor I have done I see that there is a minor chance that I may have paid several times the value of this place in blood, sweat and tears.
Those years with Bob are not my grinding stone. It is the barely a year with Rodney that I am taking issue with.
As for the extra work done, such as building the retaining wall, emptying the shed, dog run - well I have several emails where they wanted reports and pictures of the work done. With notification that the Dumpster for the shed was coming and various other things. Lets see I dealt with the pump guys, the estate people and several others. Air conditioning/furnace people... All of this since Bob's passing.
Oh the estate people knew that I was the property caretaker/house sitter and informed me just how lucky the Son-in-law is to have me here to protect his ass...
..ets considering that a couple months previously a house was set on fire just down the road a piece, one that had been on the market, one that squatters decided to turn into a bon-fire.
Pam the real estate agent knows I'm here and house sitting and in charge of keeping the property tidy. And she got involved in March.
I also have emails directed at me informing me when the guy who will fix the pool is expected and when the tree guys are coming and other assorted thing which I have been told implies that I was expected to serve in (the new landlords) stead as the manager of his property.
Rod (the Son-law) said in March to both my roommate and myself that he was going to get a contract via his lawyer. Contract about the labor for rent/utilities aspect. I have waited patiently for that to come through. The general theme here is I have been treated like the help (or a slave) and was left with the impression that my labor was that of an employee, not merely a tenant.
The Judge's wife told me to send him (Rod) an invoice for all that I have done Since Bob got Sick since Rod did, in January of 2012 become the power of attorney for Bob.
So I may be lacking in the witnesses department here.... IDK....
Payment as in dollar amount may actually be the rub as I do not think Bob ever discussed financial arraignments with anyone. I went 16 years thinking he was on only a tight social security pension to discover as his maid, cook and care-giver that that wasn't all together true. One learns a lot about a person when one spends all day long tending to assorted things for them.
The original list I set at the minimum wage for California ($9.00 per hour) and someone else told me that I can easily ask for $12.00 an hour.
I say that sometimes the occasional spelling or grammatical error is good because it re-enforces your lack if guile and keeps the document from looking studied and lawyerly.
None of us can help in any way other than comment. But I strongly suggest that you contact a lawyer NOW.
In a sense I can understand what the judge's wife is saying, but I would not send that invoice, though I might prepare the information for later use. Sending it now may just inflame things.
Talk to a lawyer first. Do it ASAP.
Treat the gas shutoff as a misunderstanding. Contact the ga company and see what happened. Keep it low key.
At a glance, it seems that your arrangement has come to an end and that you will need to seek other employment and housing. What has transpired in the past is another issue.
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