the final straw

March 15, 1996   BY FIRST CLASS MAIL Luis Kuo 368 Georgewood Lane Palo Alto, CA 94306 Re: 1025 Hyde Street, Apartment Four Dear Mr. Kuo: Please let this letter serve as formal notice that Chris Dorment and I will be terminating our residency at 1025 Hyde Street upon expiration of the lease agreement in April. Prior to leaving the apartment, we would like to address several issues that we have brought to your attention several times in the past: The Shower: The ceiling above the shower has been collapsing since January 13, 1996. You were informed of the problem, and actually witnessed it yourself, two days later. My letter two weeks later summarized the deteriorating condition of the ceiling and the unsafe conditions that were, and still are, prevalent. To make matters worse, the soot and plaster falling from the ceiling clogged up the bathtub drain. I'm sure you can imagine how pleasant it is to take a shower in a foot of filthy standing water. Because you are irresponsible and do not return phone calls, we called a plumber and he was able to clear the drain for a fee of $65.00. Please call us to arrange reimbursing us for this service. Be Responsive, You Are A Grown Man: Why don't you return our phone calls? Chris has called almost every day for the past two months. You are never home, and your son says that he is taking down our messages. Even if your son does not give you the messages, you are fully aware of the situation with out bathroom, and you never contact us to arrange a solution. The Deposit and the Rent: We are not involved in the lawsuit in Santa Clara County, and even if we were, I would laugh heartily at that joke. You are so irresponsible on every level, that it certainly does not surprise me that you cannot handle the rudimentary finances of running a tenement. We will not pay you another dime of rent money if you do not address the issue of the shower, and present some reasonable explanation for why you have not responded previously. If we decide to pay rent, we fully expect to receive our deposit. Since we cannot trust you to give us the deposit, we may keep that portion from the rent we are already withholding. Please tell us how you wish to handle this, as well as the matter of the $65.00 reimbursement for the plumber. Our Feelings About You: We have tried for a long time to maintain a reasonable relationship with you. The few times that we have been able to contact you by telephone we have treated you with some level of respect. The letters that we have written have been polite and in good faith. Why can't you afford us the same? I think that I know the answer. You cannot be respectful, polite, dignified, reasonable, sensible, or responsible because you possess none of these qualities. You cannot fulfill your basic duties to your tenants or your creditors because those simple tasks are too much for you handle. We suffer because you are a child in a grown man's body. I am twenty-three years old, perhaps half your age, yet I behave more responsibly than you ever will. This letter serves two purposes. The first is to give your our formal notice that we will be leaving the apartment upom the expiration of our lease agreement. The second purpose of this letter is admittedly selfish. I want to tell you that you are a childish, thoughtless man who cannot handle the rudimentary tasks associated with running a seven-unit dump. Fix our shower. Without remorse,     Charles W. Coy

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