Tenants, knee and Vengeance

First of all, the tenants spoke to Roz the other day and have explained that their nephew who is currently living with them and helping with the rent, has decided that he wants to leave Guernsey. As such, they will shortly be unable to afford the rent. What they want to do, is give us one months notice.

They have signed a years lease which was arranged through an estate agent (who took a 10% finders fee). So if we were to allow them to give one months notice, we will have in effect paid the estate agent the commission for a years rent, for just 3 months. Of course I would insist that the deposit was not repaid, which would help a little, but we would still be losing out, not to mention the fact that we’d have to try to find new tenants…. Again!

Alternatively, I could insist that the tenants stay. They have after all signed a years lease. We also hold a letter from their employer which guarantees payment of a years rent. So presumably, if they were unable pay, we could chase the employer via petty debts for the remaining money.

I’ve spoken both to the employer and the tenant. The employer basically said that his employee has to stay and will speak to him about this. My tenant (the employee) has said that his employer will not help out in the least and that he simply cannot afford to pay the rent that I’m asking (which is very reasonably btw).

So, at the moment, I’ve left it that I’ve told the tenants that I’ll think about it… But what to do? Insist that he abides by the years lease and see how payment goes… pursuing the employer for payment of my tenant doesn’t cough up? Also bearing in mind that there would be a great deal of bad feeling from my tenant towards me (they after all, just live downstairs from us). Or, just accept a month notice, keep the deposit (losing out on a few hundred pounds to the estate agents) and start all over again…

Why did I ever decided to become a landlord again?

Elliot accidentally lost a beanbag into the field behind our garden today. I climbed over the wall to try to retrieve this (but was unable to – too many brambles and stinging nettles), then as I was climbing back over the concrete wall, smacked my left kneecap on the wall.

By god is it hurting at the moment.

It seems the longer I don’t use my leg, the more it hurts. I’m dreading the paid tomorrow morning when I wake up…

Films watched:
Lady Vengeance (aka Sympathy for Lady Vengeance)

The last part of the Park Chan-Wook Vengeance trilogy, comprising of Sympathy for Mr Vengeance, Oldboy and Lady Vengeance.

I simply loved Oldboy. It is without a doubt one of the most astounding films I have seen in years. Unfortunately, when I watched Sympathy for Mr Vengeance shortly after watching Oldboy, I was very disappointed. Therefore, whilst really looking forward to Lady Vengeance, I was also a little cautious that it may turn out to be the disappointment the Mr Vengeance was.

In a word… “wow”,

While not quite as good as Oldboy, Lady Vengeance is still an absolute masterpiece. A very different film, slightly more sluggish pacing and a more drawn out conclusion, but still on a similar level to Oldboy.

I have read that some found that this film wasn’t as shocking as Mr Vengeance and Oldboy. Whilst it is true that for most of the film, it isn’t as stomach churning as the first parts of the trilogy, the final segment of the story is just as powerful.

For the most part, this initially seems a much simpler tale of revenge than Oldboy, but as will the twists in Oldboy, Lady Vengeance holds a spectacular card up it’s sleeve. I wouldn’t spoil the film for anyone, just to say that it turns out a lot different than you might have expected and involved a lot more people than you might expect.

As a father, I’ve also got to add that I found the film particularly disturbing, but again, without spoiling anything, I can’t go into the specifics.

A wonderful. Wonderful film.

9/10