It seems you can go coasting along nice and smooth like and then all of a sudden, without warning, it’s: BAM!%*@#
You run straight into mentality clash. And that’s what I’ve run into here in HLC (Holy Land Central) after a looooooong hiatus of smooth sailing along the coastal waters of cultural adjustment.
My landlord should have put in an additional air conditioning unit last month, according to our handy-dandy contract. I phoned him two weeks ago and he promised to send someone over. Nada.
Called again yesterday and was told by him not to nag. I swear that’s the terminology he used. I looked it up in the dictionary but not until I got home because I didn’t know what the word meant at first. If I had, I’d have been too furious to also tell him the solar panel water heater isn’t working.
Know what his response to that was? “So heat it electrically.”
I’m definitely a nag sometimes. Aren’t we all? But this is the same landlord who brought over a Circa 1600’s oven sans electrical cord (“Oh it doesn’t work? Oh well sorry”) and who never got around to fixing a gaping rust hole in the bathtub.
We fixed the tub, got a new oven and took both charges out of the rent. At the time we hadn’t yet paid him. Now he has 12 pre-dated checks.
You know what his response to my telling him that he needs to live up to his obligations was? “You can always move out”.
Okay. I come from California where tenant rights are very very real. But this is just a bit much…Hello? Where does this person live? Thanks for allowing me to rant, my compadres.
Stefanella's Drive Thru 
His behavior is obscene. Is there a TA authority or department that oversees/disciplines such drek? I know, finding the law to protect you can derail you into a never-never land of encountering endless egregious lawbreakers… Don’t put up w this landlord’s stuff. You have moxie — show him you have rights, and that a contract is legally binding. Easy for me to say from oer yonder the pond, living in my own place where I am the landlord. And an honorable one. UGH YUK POO. Can you stop payment on the checks? Keep up posted, please. xoxo
If you have a friend who’s a lawyer, ask him/her to draft a friendly little letter to your landlord (on letterhead paper), letting him know that you fully expect him to live up to his contractual obligations. Stopping payment on a check or two might also be a good idea.
Weasels, aren’t they?
Some helpful advise can be found here – http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/israelanglohomes/
Good luck!
My dear “swollen”, you are once again a source of enlightenment. It seems the situation is only escalating. But apparently there’s a “consult an attorney” resource available at the municipality I’ll tap into. Hallelujua! HLC joins the ranks! slf
Lawyer is definitely the way to go.
Darling Steph, am I the only native born Israeli reading your blog? Or perhaps the only one to comment? ‘cause darling, often I feel I have to enlighten you – where do you think YOU are?
Nowhere but the Middle East!
And while your landlord is a most TYPICAL example of an Israeli landlord (I’m sure your Israeli friends will confirm this notion), your questioning his place (“where does he think he is?”) seems a bit out of place. (By no means do I mean to lessen your just frustration). Good luck with your endeavors.
Hi Hadas honey. “Where does this person live?” refers more to his mental state. While I understand that he is semi-typical of this region, most Israelis have commented “ben zona” when they hear the tale (“bastard” for the non-Hebraish among you). Apparently he’s at the far end of the pathetic landlords spectrum..but guess who’s in the bedroom this very minute installing an a/c unit? slf
You go girrl!