Xmas Rental Nightmare - Advice Please - Where To From Here ?

[GS_Dirtboy]

I would start swinging that sword you are carrying.

 

[Gringoboy]

It's a crowbar actually.

 

[Hybrid Ambassador]

I would start swinging that sword you are carrying.

Yes, I like the "daito and the shoutou" Katanas, btw, how you dress as an noble samurai, follow " Nikad" advise, she is very good in giving you the as to _how to_ fix things Pronto!...
Hoping that you find an affordable place soon for your family.

 

[jeff1234]

Calm down, talk to a lawyer. You probably have alot of control in this situation.
I'm not knowledgeable about Buenos Aires rental laws specifically.
But in most other places evictions are a long painful process for the landlord.
Changing your locks seems like a good idea. Take photos of your possessions.

 

[Juanito]

Damn it - I just realized I do owe you all a bit of an update here - you've all been kind enough to hop in with some great advice and feedback - both on here and in PMs...

This is kind of a weird one though - the husband is quite old (husband of the landlady) but a very genuine and decent old guy (also one of the most famous and respected old lawyers here apparently - very connected) and he seems genuinely apologetic and DOESN'T want to lose us etc - he is saying that its his wife's stupidity because when we signed on to take the apartment (apparently) she had completely forgotten the pre-existing arrangement she has with this famous doctor from Brazil who comes here every year with the family for a holiday and stays in this apartment...

Now - I actually tested a few things out when I went to see him yesterday with my Argentine wife (we're not legally married yet but we have been together for almost four years and we are going to make it legal pretty soon) - I got her to suggest that we would pay up to a year in advance if THAT would help and also because we know about inflation we would pay a bit more from now on (actually, I know you will all think this will sound insane but I was really doing it because I wanted to see what the MOTIVATION was all about -just to push us out and get rid of us or what...

Anyway - here is the weird bit - he doesn't actually want more money as such and isn't wanting us to go - according to him she feels really stupid/bad about this - HE doesn't want to ''lose us'' - he is saying he will come up with a solution for us - we won't have to move for more than a couple of weeks and it will probably be a case of moving into another apartment in the same building (he has some apartments I think the wife doesn't know about...) and that we can apparently ''trust'' these people who are coming here so don't have to move everything out of the apartment - just the basics we need for work/living - and THEN, once they have gone we move back in, we get a NEW CONTRACT which guarantees this shit doesn't happen again and its for the next 1.5 or 2 years etc... (but renewing every 6 months - or probably if I ask for it it will be for 2 years full stop...

NOW - on the one hand I do NOT like the way she has stuck it to me - whether its intentional or not - BUT, I do like the building and the apartment and the location and I am seeing that at the moment prices have gone up so much that in a place like recoleta at the moment there are now people paying the same as me for single bedroom SMALL apartments (I pay 6500 pesos with all included for a really nice large 2 bedroom apartment)...

Sorry for rambling on - its actually EASIER when the situation is a really SHIT one - but when its like this you don't really know what to do - IF we can put up with two weeks of shit and inconvenience it looks like we will actually be the ''winners'' for the next two years maybe - even though I do NOT like being forced out of the place we have been living in for the last 4 months or so and are now very much at home in...

Yes - I know - if I WANT to there are a number of things I could do to REALLY stick it to them and to REFUSE to move out for even one day - but then again thanks to the husband I got connected to the only cave here in BA that I know of where I can send money electronically and pick it up in dollars HERE in BA - which is really cool - and through him I am sure I am going to get some other very good connections and business prospects as well...

Arrrrrgh...

Bottom line guys - based on this update I am giving you all - how would YOU play it ? And yes, I have BEEN very tempted to start swinging my 350 year old (but still razor sharp lol) katana - but its been years since I was heavily into Iaido/Iai-jutsu/Batto-jutsu and if I damaged the edge taking out the landlady and the apartment it would cost a fortune to send back to Japan for a fresh polish (nah, just kidding...

Its NOT a great situation - but if I can tolerate the bullshit it looks like I might just benefit with at least 1.5 years or more of contract with probably no or minimal rent increase and in a place that otherwise we all like (myself and my partner and her daughter to whom I am sort of dad number two...)

John.

 

[Juanito]

PS Bugger - sorry for that being such a long message there...

 

[Juanito]

PPS As you can probably all ''read between the lines'' (don't want to drop names here of course) the guy - the husband - who would be about 80 or so now (but doesn't look it) is a very famous lawyer here and I think was one of their supreme court judges in the old days or something and is ''very connected'' (feedback from several people) and I get the feeling that whilst it seem he has taken a genuine liking to me and personally wants to ''hang onto us'' as tenants - well I get the feeling (and its been hinted) that he is one of those people here you definitely do NOT want to make an enemy out of... Of course - the apartment (the one we are in) is in her name - its ''her baby'' - between the two of them they own many apartments and properties and substantial lands in other places up north etc - however he has promised to talk to her and come up with a solution/compromise as soon as possible...

 

[ARbound]

Where to go from here?

As far away from Argentina as possible. It's been 5 months for me and I'm planning my escape like a rat fleeing a sinking ship.

 

[jackbower]

wow. the more i hear the more complicated it sounds. in the end its your call. just let us know how it all works out. the husband does sound like a genuinely nice guy though.

 

[garryl]

PS Bugger - sorry for that being such a long message there...

It doesn't seem to be complicated, work with this guy since he is not a ahole, that's it.