Gina Heslop
Evie had found the perfect apartment—cozy, bright, and in a peaceful neighborhood. It was close to her office and had a charming coffee shop nearby. When she first visited the place with her realtor, she learned that the owner, Mr. Fred, had owned the building for decades. However, it wasn’t Mr. Fred who managed the property. His daughter, Amanda, handled everything.
Evie met Amanda that same day. She was a strict, no-nonsense woman in her forties. She made it clear that if any issues came up, Evie should contact her directly. With that understanding, Evie signed the lease in Mr. Fred’s name and moved in.
For the first three months, everything went smoothly. But then, the washing machine started making strange noises. At first, it was just a soft rattle, but it quickly turned into a loud grinding sound. Concerned, Evie called Amanda. There was no answer, so she left a voicemail and sent a text. A week passed with no response.
Finally, Amanda replied, saying she would come by in an hour. Unfortunately, Evie was still at work, so she asked to reschedule. Amanda never responded. Luckily, Evie got home earlier than expected and was there when Amanda arrived. Without wasting any time, Amanda walked in and inspected the machine. Evie demonstrated the issue, but Amanda dismissed it, saying the noise was normal for an old machine. She advised Evie not to overload it and left.
Evie, exhausted, didn’t argue further—a mistake she would soon regret.
Two weeks later, while working from home, Evie finally tackled her laundry. Fifteen minutes into the cycle, she heard an odd gurgling sound. Water began seeping under the bathroom door. Rushing to the laundry area, she found the washing machine overflowing. She turned it off and used every towel she had to stop the water from spreading.
Then came a loud knock at her door. Her downstairs neighbor was furious—water was leaking into his apartment. He demanded to know who the landlord was. Evie apologized and immediately called Amanda. No response. She texted again: Emergency! The washing machine flooded. There’s water damage downstairs. Need help.
Still, no reply.
Evie gave her neighbor Amanda’s number, and he stormed off to call her himself. Hours later, when Evie returned home, she found Amanda waiting for her at the door.
“You’re out,” Amanda said coldly.
Evie was shocked. “What?”
“Your lease is terminated. The damage is too extensive,” Amanda stated, adding that the locks had already been changed.
“That’s not how this works. You can’t just evict me like this,” Evie protested. But Amanda ignored her and walked away.
Determined not to let this go, Evie took pictures of everything—her locked door, the damage, and her belongings still inside. That night, she stayed with her friend Jen, thinking of her next move.
The following morning, she looked up public property records and found Mr. Fred’s contact information. When he answered, his elderly voice was calm but firm.
“Mr. Fred? My name is Evie. I was a tenant in your building until yesterday when your daughter locked me out and removed my belongings without notice.”
There was silence on the other end. Then, in a surprised tone, he asked, “She did what?”
Evie explained everything—how Amanda had ignored her repair requests, how the washing machine had flooded, and how she had been thrown out without warning. She also pointed out that her lease was in his name, not Amanda’s.
“I’d like to resolve this fairly,” Evie said. “But I need to be reinstated and compensated for my damaged belongings.”
There was a long pause before Mr. Fred finally spoke. “Give me until tomorrow morning.”
The next day, he called back with a solution. He offered to reinstate Evie’s lease, cover the damages, and arrange professional repairs for her apartment.
“What about Amanda?” Evie asked.
“She won’t be managing my properties anymore,” he replied.
When Evie returned to the building, she saw Amanda dragging her belongings to the curb. They locked eyes, but neither spoke.
Mr. Fred greeted Evie at her door, handing her a new set of keys. “I’ll be handling everything from now on.”
As Evie stepped back into her apartment, relief washed over her. Justice had been served. Sometimes, things really do work out just as they should.
