Codeine makes me nauseous...

Yep, I'm on codeine people, because I have bronchitis.  It started out as a pretty severe cold because... oh that's right, because I don't have heat.

Well, let's get this straight.  I have some heat. It's been determined that my apartment's electricity is ENTIRELY separate from my landlord's above me.  BUT my heat pump has been broken for who-knows-how-long.  Long enough that the technician from Michael & Sons to ask if I'd had AIR CONDITIONING this summer... ugh.

My landlord continues to deny the fact that I didn't have heat.  Her logic makes no sense, because if I didn't have heat (and didn't complain of the lack of such, then why did she have the heater looked at and then subsequently fixed??? I'm as confused by this as you are.

Her arguments get better.  She says my problem with high electric bills were that I was running the heat all day and all night... ummm as far as I know, you're supposed to have it on ALL the time, just change the temperature up or down depending on if I'm home or not, but to turn it completely off and then back on COSTS more (at least according to Pepco- my electric company).   She goes on to tell me that in order to heat my apartment properly I should turn OFF my heater when I'm not there and when I am there to only turn it on for about 2 hours at night when it's really cold.  When it's on for those 2 hours a night, I should set it at 80 degrees or above. :-O HOLY CRAP. because doing that won't shoot my bill thru the roof AGAIN. I think she's as crazy as you do... 

But because I have had improper heat for so long in addition to the ridiculously cold and windy winter DC has had this year, I now have a from of bronchitis I can neither remember or pronounce, let's just leave it at Bronchitis.  I am on a puffer-- well, I call it a puffer bc I have to take two puffs twice daily.  It's an inhaler in case that's not apparent.  I have also been prescribed Codeine.  Now, this was prescribed in order for me to sleep.  I have been coughing so much lately that I haven't been sleeping much.  This is bad.  This means my body can't heal (as everyone remembers mom/grandma telling them all their lives).   

So I slept this weekend.  But I also discovered that Codeine makes me nauseous. 

Ok. I started this update Monday night.  I didn't finish it before I went to bed and haven't had the chance to get back to it until now.

I called the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs and scheduled a home inspection because my landlord has been so uncooperative.... 

You know, I didn't have a problem with her until she turned down my fabulous proposal to discount my rent for March due to the fact that I haven't had heat FOR SURE the first two weeks of February and most likely since before I even moved in.  She turned me down.  She's also avoided a number of my emails, disregarded my NEED for a space heater, and informed me that I have always had heat (as you've read above).  It took her THREE MONTHS, that's right three months, to fix my smoke detector (it's wired to my apartment and even tho I've changed the battery has continued to beep).  I emailed her multiple times and told her it was still beeping each time I spoke to her. Like WTF lady?!? Seriously that's annoying and technically a fire hazard. 

Anyways, I scheduled the inspector for Tuesday.  She came.  Ms. Booth didn't even have to take her coat off before she noted that I don't have adequate heat! And my landlord has "fixed" the problem! I bet they got ripped off by some sketchy electrician, but NOT MY PROBLEM.   Here's what else she is citing my landlord for:

- lack of a fire extinguisher

- lack of screens on all of my windows

- my dryer vents into the apartment (according to DC Code, this is a fire hazard) . I asked about it because it leaves water streaks on the walls closest to the dryer and I know that that kind of constant moisture is perfect for mold and mildew to grow and this can cause severe bronchial issues.  Note that I am currently trying to get over Bronchitis...

- Ms. Booth also thinks that the windows in my bedroom are not big enough for egress in case of fire/emergency.  

-  Last but not least, is the fact that Ms. Booth doesn't think that my landlords are even certified/licensed to RENT. 

I'm not sure what kind of fines my landlord is going to be looking at but I do know that just for the HEAT she's looking at up to $1000!!! Just for the heat people.  Oh, I can't wait to find out what happens... I, of course, get a copy of everything my landlord receives from the DC government.

Something else that is not sitting well with me is that my landlord emailed me yesterday asking me to make my rent check out to someone else.  This new person is not who my lease says to make my rent out to every month.  Now, if that's not suspicious, I'm not sure what is.  The only reason my landlord would have to get rid of me is lack of payment and that would present them with that exact opportunity-- I make the check out to someone else and they claim I didn't pay my rent.  A check made out to a different person is not rent... Not happening.  Nope.  

She can treat me like I'm dumb, like I'm a little kid.  But, I'm sorry, I'm not a little kid and I'm definitely not stupid.  So, lady, I tried.  I even offered you a way out.  She's not willing to accept or even work with me.  

Now? Ha!  Now  I play hardball...

Last but not least, I'm looking for a new place to live just in case..