My apartment is a death trap.

I'm truly lucky to be alive. John and I are looking to move like, yesterday.

Just the other night we were doing laundry in the basement and started chatting with some neighbors. We learned that the entire building is full of lead paint and that when the landlord de-leaded the hallways he didn't have the proper ventilation, vacuum, etc. So, when they were done, the residents could see the residue on the rug in the hallway. Anyway, they didn't even touch the lead paint in the apartments. I know I'm an adult and that a little lead paint on the windowsills won't necessarily kill me but we were NEVER made aware of the existence of lead paint in the building before we signed the lease. We were a young, newlywed couple when we got that place, what if we had kids and never knew about the lead paint!?

Additionally, a building inspector found a leak in the chimney seal. We have 7 oil burners in the basement of the building which, I believe, are all vented through the chimney. This presents the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Wouldn't it have been nice if everyone just went to sleep one night and no one awoke in the morning?

The dryers are in the middle of the basement and the vents on the back attach to this forest of giant white tubes dangling between the dirt ground and the first floor. Apparently, they have never been cleaned and are probably full of lint just waiting for a spark to ignite them. The outside of the tubing is absolutely revolting. It's covered in dirt and cobwebs. I know basements aren't supposed to be pretty, but this is ridiculous.

The maintenance guy that the landlord uses is in love with caulk. There is a stockpile of caulk in the basment storage room and he caulks EVERYTHING. (It's a miracle in itself just to get a visit from this guy because the landlord never returns anyone's phone calls about problems in the apartments) One of the basement stairs broke - he put the step back and CAULKED it in place. No nails. He used caulk to affix a ceramic tile to our neighbor's floor. He caulked a crack in our fiberglass tub (which didn't fix it).

A while back, John and I had been made aware of an available apartment in East Brookfield, upstairs from two families with whom we attend church. The landlord there is a building inspector for the city and he personally renovated the entire building (re-wired, new windows, leveled floors, new wood floors, etc.) The apartment is gorgeous and, although we had originally turned it down to stay in the death trap, we still might be able to get it. He is just finishing work on the apartment and no one else is interested at the moment because he's only advertising by word-of-mouth. I reeeeaaaaallllyyy hope we get this place!

We're off to see Hostel tonight with our friends Jenn and Todd! I hope it's repulsive and foul and abominable and distasteful and detestable and vile.

~M