An eventful March

I didn't blog much in March as since the war started, a lot of things have happened.

First, with inflation in essential items due to oil price rocketed more than 60% in my country... many businesses are folding up and relocating to other countries. As I rent out to primary blue collared foreign factory workers for passive income, I'm losing another 2 tenants whose company is relocating too. Plus the fact I kept an empty room since Dec to March to host 2 bible school international students from India (a promise I made to their church Pastor's son whom I hosted last year), both who ended up not coming due to that they didn't get the scholarship this year.. my savings is almost depleted.

When I asked if the bible school still looking for accommodations for this year intake, the last few students were asking for quite impossible requirements. I ended up having to decline their offers as I don't think I am that rich to provide what they wanted. It made me feel bad for not providing for GOD's people for awhile, yet on the other side, I felt it wasn't realistic of them to expect so much to the point I felt I would be at a disadvantage if I agreed to their terms.

For example, the Malaysian students wanted air con which I don't have. It would be so wasteful to install air con just to cater to them for 6 months' rental period as they are only here for a 6 months diploma course. Or the other Indonesia student who demanded to have a whole room meant for 2 paxs but only willing to pay for one person's price. I can't helped but felt if these youngsters are being too self-entitled?

I also didn't attend church in person since Feb, as oil hike caused the medical van transportation fee to surge too. I find it wasteful to pay over SGD $200 just to attend church for 2 hours, you know what I mean? I rather watch the service online live from home to save on costs, as weekends are also the time when potential viewers are coming to see my rooms. I'm glad I eventually managed to get 2 new China tenants to cover the empty slots. But these 2 new tenants also came with their own issues.

One older guy couldn't pay much as he was terminated by previous landlord and didn't get back his deposit, so he couldn't pay the full one month rental + deposit when moving in on the 15th March. I felt sorry for him initially so I allowed him to move in with partial payment and he agreed to pay me at the start of the month. Then he kept doing things against my house rules and not willing to pay the balance when April came and saying his salary only be available in mid April... nor was he willing to sign the rental agreement, and twisting his words against me saying it is not a must to sign agreement etc, doing like what China Chinese are well known for... being a compulsive liar and troublemaker!

By now with him staying here for 2 weeks and still not able to make the rest of the payment, I got so pissed that I called up his HR to inform them that I would like them to find other lodging for him as I am going to give him immediate termination by removing him from the registration list of tenants in my house as well!

Imagine his shock that I know how to goggle his company and lodge complaint to his HR & direct boss. In the end his HR made him apologized to us and to give him another chance to stay. They made him promised to sign the 6 months agreement which is the minimum duration as accordingly to SG housing law. Because he already broken local housing law previously by renting a whole unit and subletting to others and was found out. Not only the previous landlord got into trouble, even his company was fined too. And if he can't find a proper housing to stay and get his name registered, his company will be fined a 2nd time!

So this old guy who was very rude to me in the beginning, which was quite normal as older men from China usually do not respect women well. Now he has to sheepish ask me not to inform his boss anything and let us settle our matters on our own. Which I then replied to him, saying I know that his work is his livelihood, and to me, as a homemaker providing for my sick Hubby, the rental is my livelihood too, so don't Fxxk around with me either. After that, any thing he did wrong at home which I saw, for example, he didn't switch off the fan when leaving the house for work... I went into the room to inspect and turn it off. Then I told my Hubby to remind him as I do not want to talk to him again in case I get angry. Whether I will continue to keep him after 6 months depends on his behavior.

At the same time, another new China tenant move in. Also similar case, claiming not enough money left to pay 1 month deposit + rental... also asked for deference to his salary day once he get paid. So I only gotten 1 month rental fee so far. But the moment he moved in, he became very bossy and demanding his way till my engineer from the same room decided to move out to another room to stay. I can tell you these days, people from China are very self entitled and cunning and keep lying to get their ways.

It has been coming a month handling all the teething problems and the new dynamic in the house. Ever since these 2 new guys came in, new problems in the house started. Someone not flushing the toilet bowl, or pissing all over the floor and never use the bidet to rinse either. Their common toilet smell!!! I had to hire one more day for housekeeping service as we are not sure who is the culprit. Not only that, the room with the old guy started to smell too, he is not hygiene at all, hanging wet towel in the room or hanging already worn soiled clothes in the room too. I have to keep reminding/nagging at everyone to be more responsible. But fortunately, I am at home most of the time so I can keep track of the cleanliness.

Anyway, looking back at the impact of the war where electricity price will be going up... and all essentials... I am in fact glad that I didn't agreed to take in the bible school youngsters who wanted air con. I have dodged bullets in a way or I won't know how to handle when the bills rocketed! At least for the new China tenants, I am already familiar with their tricks so I just need to be really assertive when come to exposing their nonsenses. And they can choose to obey or leave, no issues for me. Only that I do allow them to slowly adapt to the house rules so they can learn to live in harmony with everyone else. That will take quite a period of long suffering/patience of mine though. 😅

Anyway, it's almost 7pm+ now. Left less than an hour to my night online associate degree class from 8-11pm. I haven't had my dinner yet as I'm not that hungry. But I need to prepare my IT study stuff to link up to internet. Got to go... Ciao!