When I moved here it was January. I was shown an apartment 3 weeks after I arrived. The guy who shows housing here picked me up at work and brought me to the apartment. Here is what I learned that all new GN or Fed employees should know.
Lets start with the questions he asked me:
Q. do you have a dog?
A. yes
Q. does he bark?
A. yes, he's a dog.
Q. do you smoke weed?
A. what?
Great start and welcome to Iqaluit.
You have the right to refuse any apartment, you will be offered up to three then you're on your own. Good luck with that.
You have the right and the expectation that the unit be immaculately clean, top to bottom, inside and out.
You have the right to accept with conditions; eg fix the cupboards, the carpeting, the door, the light fixture.
You have the right to insist that the unit be "re" cleaned if it is not in move in perfect and I mean perfect condition. Know this when you move out if this guy is having a crappy day you will be made to pay or clean until the power tripper says it's okay. He made one employee clean the hinge on her washing machine lid...with a q tip! and another clean a small spot off the oven rack in what was otherwise a perfect unit! hmmm?
Why the rant?
Nobody in the GN or housing informed me that I could insist on having a picture perfect move in no hassle apartment.
I have 14 yo carpeting that they are hassling me about because I've requested new flooring.
The condition of my unit when I accepted?
1. dried urine on bathroom floor, toilet black.
2. filthy carpeting that is 5 years over the period of replacement according to the housing standard
3. damaged doors frames due to previous animals
4. washing machine was filthy and needed javex to make it useful
5. front windows broken
6. holes through the inside doors ie fists
7. blinds black with years of grime....I washed them in the tub
8. food in fridge
9. wood shavings on flooring
10. building supplies left behind
11. bathroom cabinet was black with grime.
If only someone had informed me. That man who showed me this unit was hasty and less than professional. Quite frankly he was well aware of the GN expectations and took advantage because I believe he is either racist or lazy or burnt out or just took out his bad day on me.
So the fight begins. They expect me to move my furniture so the guys can replace carpeting that they didn't even bother to steam clean.
But hey if someone did their job.....
The GN housing liason has requested a copy of my inspection from he who shall not be named. Two weeks still waiting. I will email it to her myself next week, maybe even with pictures.
10 comments:
Thank you Shelley,
I'm moving to Iqaluit in just over a week. Was not aware of the (very useful) info in your post. Thanks again...
http://towniebastard.blogspot.com/2009/01/watch-your-blogging.html
Judy
Thank you Judy for your link. The purpose of this is to inform those who may be considering a move here, exactly what they should expect since one cannot chose ones housing as we do in the south. I like my place for the view but do not like the way I've been treated. I have seen the housing my co workers got which was by far in better condition than this unit. The person who shows the units already has a reputation which many sum up with a single word. I do not work for housing.
S
Michele and I have had similier problems. Broken windows that were never fixed, unclean apartment, damaged walls and no lights in the fixtures. We had to do the cleaning ourselves. They tried to get us to pay for the light fixtures that didn't have bulbs in them when moved out. They were unsuccsesful.
Fortunately, I had a pretty good move in. However, most of the lights were burnt out (including oven and stove). While not a big deal, it was annoying. Also, none of my screens are in the windows and I don't know how to put them back. Not that it matters because I have maybe 3 cranks for all the many windows in my apartment. How cranks get lost, I have no idea.
And VERY weirdly, the word verification right now is profac which is a company here in Iqaluit that takes care of federal buildings...WEIRD!!!
I think this is one of these gray areas for blogging. If you worked for Housing, then venting in public would be crazy. Then again, I suspect you wouldn't have a problem with your housing.
People often don't know what their rights are when it comes to housing and it never hurts to let people know. If our blogs can help with people moving here and make that transition that much easier, then so be it.
I don't think Shelley has said anything here that would get her in trouble But as I said, it never hurts twice to think about what you want to put out there when talking about an aspect of your work.
As for our housing, I guess we were lucky. After a terrible first apartment (6 story right above the Storehouse) we've moved twice since then and found Housing to be very helpful and haven't had a problem with them. But that's just been our experience. They could probably do better for new people just moving to town...
Shelley, I had a similar experience when I moved up here. The house that I was assigned (I had NO choice) was previously condemned thanks to multiple issues (let's just say, the previous tenants didn't take very good care of the unit). There were many problems - it was unclean to the max, dog hair ALL over the place, none of the windows closed .. in all it was just a rotten place). And I was stuck there - for a year. Until I had it and requested a move. Yet again, same issues - moved into another GN unit that was left in quite a messy state - but other than that it was ok.
I think I know which housing employee you are talking about. I called their boss and complained after a very rude leaving the apartment inspection.
DOn't want to get into it more here, but I recognize the person in your story, to be sure.
Kennie- I can't believe they made you take a condemned building! And that you had to ask for a move! wow.
I spoke w a co worker today who was told about her floor and paint "don't worry about the furniture, the guys will move it around" grrr.
well according to them it was no longer condemned as they did the needed repairs (ie: they put new floor in the bathroom as it had collapsed into the septic tank). What was even worse was that the repairs (basic stuff too at this point) weren't even completed by the time I moved in as housing told the workers that I wouldn't be moving in until September .. uh hello? School starts in August .. where were you gonna make me live in the mean time? Housing needs to get it's act together in the North .. especially if they want to keep employees (southern and Inuk).
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