When Doing the Right Thing Should Be Easy
It’s a basic tenet for nearly every child growing up. Do the right thing when it’s time to do the right thing. Somehow, adults don’t seem to get it quite as easily.
A friend of mine is having an odd challenge. Simply said, she rents an apartment that has a water leak. When it rains, it leaks through the sliding glass door of the patio into both the kitchen and bedroom. She has regularly communicated with the management for many months, has photographic evidence, and has even had mold tests taken that show spores present. And that doesn’t include the amount of time that this is all taken plus any personal concerns she has for her health or the items that have been affected by the water.
And, in my opinion, she’s asked for reasonable things in dealing with this issue: fix the problem, and as it continues to get worse, reimburse her for half her rent for the months when it was a problem and not fixed.
The response: No fix and no money.
It’s pretty simple in regard to right and wrong. When it rains, the water leaks in, and the management's lack of action is the problem. And because it’s gone on so long, you’re now dealing with potential mold issues in the flooring and walls. This could’ve easily been taken care of by just fixing it.
Because of the lack of doing the right thing, my friend has had to talk to a lawyer, filed complaints with the local municipality/county health department, and begin a regular email/letter-writing campaign to local and regional management.
Why is doing the right thing so difficult? In this case, I’m guessing it’s corporate greed and profitability getting in the way. But at what cost? I’m guessing, in the end, my friend is going to win getting it fixed, and maybe even some financial reimbursement. But this all could’ve been taken care of in the very beginning by just simply doing the right thing.
