Score one for the little guy!

I'm feeling much better - thanks for all the kind words! I want to tell you about my little victory...At my age, you'd think I'd be at least looking into owning a home, but alas, I don't know where want to settle down, and I have no money (I'm looking into Oprah's Debt Diet). So I rent. Anyone who has ever rented tells the same story. Every time a new lease comes up, so does the rental price. My case is no different. And it really stinks with this particular apartment, because I love it so. I've never loved any of my apartments the way I love this one. Even though it's got hardly any storage space, and its narcotic effects keep me from getting much done while I'm actually inside, I feel like it's my refuge, my first "home" without the folks. After you keep reading, you may think I live in a slum area, but it's in a really good part of town, and close to everything I need. Anywayz, so I get the notice the other day that it's time to renew, and guess what? Rent has gone up, AGAIN! That would bring me up to almost $100 more than the original price. I was upset because it well, stinks by itself, but on top of it all, my "landlords" have consistently ignored my multiple requests for repairs and stuff. For example: When the latch broke on my patio door, I was provided with a shiny new white-trash lock (a piece of wood) and was told they'd return with the needed parts later. Never happened. Then there was the leaky faucet. Then there was the time my toilet overflowed (with something other than clean water), and they never came to clean the carpet. And let me tell you - this one really interfered with my OCD cleaning problem. Then there was what I like to call "the piece of resistance" - the mosquito nest. Long story short - there's this big yuk of standing water right outside my front door where the friendly neighborhood mosquitos like to get it on. Last year I had to call the guv-n-ment myself to come out and spray - the landlords did nothing. So after getting the renewal notice, I got on the trusty Internet to see if anyone in the world had ever been successful in renegotiating their apartment leases before. Sadly, it appeared no one had. But I was undeterred. It never hurts to ask. So I mustered up all my righteous indignation and marched into the office and asked for the manager (something I apparently should have done sooner). It went a little something like this:

Me: I don't want to be confrontational here, but I have to let you know that I am very unhappy that my rent has gone up again. This is like my 3rd or 4th lease here and I...
Nice Lady: Oh, I know you *have* been with us for a while, and I'd be more than happy to let you keep the current rent. (Big smiles)
- I am Jack's deflated sense of righteous indignation-
Me: Well, since I have you here, I'd like to tell you about some of the things I need for you to take care of such as (insert list of grievances)
Nice Lady: I will take care of everything. (More big smiles, pretty teeth glinting in sunlight)

So I come home from work the very next day, and get this!, the carpet has been washed, the latch on the door is fixed, the faucet is no longer leaking, and while the pile of dirt they put over the water hole is completely unsatisfactory, at least they tried. AND I get to keep my rent rate. I am in love the nice lady.
Sometimes the little guy *does* win, and sometimes dreams really do come true.