Just the facts Please....

viewpoint says on May 12, 2005, 15:16:

I don't think I would worry about it unless it's true. On a short term rental at that rate she should be responsible for maintaining the washing machine. If you broke it the repair probably wouldn't cost more than CP$40.000 to CP$80.000 unless the transmission is broken and that's not your fault. If you were responsible for the missing blender it's not a big deal. It almost sounds like someone else might be trying to milk you. It won't cause you trouble on re-entry. If you signed an agreement when you rented the apartment (which I am sure that you did) she can cause you problems but you don't live there. An appliance service call is so cheap that she wouldn't have spent $15-$20 US dollars to make the average repair to a washing machine. If it's 20 years old the porblem is just deferred maintenance. If the attorney woman speaks english (or you speak spanish) I would just call her and confront her with the issues. She might want another $800 on your next trip. I wouldn't worry about the US Embassy as they wouldn't respond to a bullshit complaint like that unless someone (US Citizen) was getting murdered.

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daver says on May 12, 2005, 16:31:

"And a warning that if I do not send her money for re-immburesment, that she is reporting me to the American Consolite."

This right here is the key that someone is trying to milk you for your hard earned green-backs.

A lawyer would know better than to threaten you with "calling the consulate". Somebody´s trying to get a couple hundred thousand pesos from you... its up to you to figure out who.

Perhaps call the apartment owner directly, and ask her what´s going on.

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kevluvsmedellin says on May 12, 2005, 16:51:

and. I guess it is very petty, But like I said she is a lawyer, so she probably knows how to create problems for people(yes,that was a shot a lawyers).
And she does have a copy of my passport.(that is mt Biggest concern)..
I just do not know how far she can take it.
thanks for your time.......
And One more thing......I could have trashed the place the last night there.
But I respected another human and actually cleaned it before I left.
And now this stuff....Is it me or are people getting worse as I get older??.DO NOT ANSWER THAT....THAT WILL BE MY NEXT POST........"Oh What a World !!!"

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daver says on May 12, 2005, 16:57:

Did the lawyer (property owner) contact you directly? Or was it via "the chica" who helped you.

I cannot believe a lawyer (a well known one) would pass along silly messages via a third party with threats to report you to the American embassy for stealing her blender.

I think someone else is trying to get a few bucks off you. This is not unheard of in Colombia.

Dave

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miamimike says on May 12, 2005, 17:04:

Hey KevLuv-same thing happened to me... Well almost the same thing. Last time I was in Bogota for my Dental Work-I stayed at a friend of a friend's Condo--I actually repaired a few China Figurines for this person(at my expense)Last Nite I was there--I was on my Hands&Knees cleaning that place--left it spotless and even had my Ladyfriend inspected with the White Glove treatment the morning I left. She admitted it was "Spotless". When her friend returned a few days later--sure enough- the Americano "left it disorganized, dirty " ect. Glad I had the Witness.You have to wonder why they pull this on us??? No, you are not the only one one to have this game run by them.

My Avatar-- Sarah Palin Says " "You know the difference between a pit bull and a hockey mom?? Lipstick!" Now on a Short Verbal Tether by the Honorable John McCain

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Tinto (Moderator) says on May 12, 2005, 17:17:

A blender? Haha First, everyone says the U.S. embassy is hard to reach by telephone. Second, if they actually interceded on behalf of shakedown artists who pretend they lost a used blender, they should change the State Dept travel warning to: "If you get kidnapped, the United States government wil not pay ransom or negotiate with terrorists. We will, however, be more than happy to help citizens from any country recover the value of used trinkets from the cheapskate Americans who may have broken or stolen them."



If you have no desire to stay in the apt again, I would tell all involved to go pound sand. Better yet, apologize profusely, tell them you are sending cash, and then mail a T-shirt like the one Elmo gave to his nephew. ;-)

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daver says on May 12, 2005, 17:24:

"If you have no desire to stay in the apt again, I would tell all involved to go pound sand."

Another good one is to tell them "to go fuck their hat" but I am not sure if that translates too well. Does "pound sand" mean anything to a Colombian?

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juanalejo says on May 12, 2005, 19:10:

Check List?? Did you sign a check list when you moved in that included the blender? And for the washing machine, if it is included in the rent the owner is responsible for having it fixed unless it has evidently been destroyed. Any how there should had been a check list when you moved out, and everything not appropiate should had been in that list. If not she is out of luck. It is your word against hers. If there was no list to begin with she is also out of luck. Plus for you to get into trouble she has to go to court, the embassy does not get involved unless you have broken the law, so I would not even worry.

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kernow62 says on May 12, 2005, 21:01:

Tell her you will mail the cash in a envelope and when it never arrives blame the Colombian postal system, have her take it up with them. You can send an empty opened envelope if you want to waste a stamp.

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Lionheart says on May 12, 2005, 21:42:

the check is in the mail I thimk I heard that one before ....

oh, as reply to her complaints say:
... I assumed the Colombian postal service is just as honest as you ...

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dwmte says on May 13, 2005, 04:02:

kev... don't lose any sleep over loose threats from some 'wellknown' attorney. it's just a fart in the wind...it'll pass.

if you feel compelled to be rude, you might suggest she go suck rocks, however, that just reduces you to her level. and nothing is gained after all.

as you know, if you can't communicate with your embassy, she damn sure can't. much less over problems with electro domesticos. can you believe these people? this is the worst and flackiest part of colombia....just how sleezy the rich can be. it really makes one wonder.

one thing to remember in colombia. anyone who wants a copy of your passport, you get a copy of their possport and cedula. and when you have to deal with b.s. like this, simply report it to das. remember, das isn't on anybody's side. they're just bad news for anybody.

you might just formulate a letter to das and report her. then send her a copy.

or you can quite simply, mentally tell her to fuck off and go about your life. she's not gonna get anything out of her false hood.

dw

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lpdiver says on May 13, 2005, 04:10:

Personally I think the chica is trying to line her pockets. I would spend the fifty cents for a phone call directly to the attorney just to "get the facts, Ma'am."

Tony

"Keep your friends close, keep your emenies closer."

"cook some rice!"

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kat1 (Moderator) says on May 13, 2005, 06:23:

Is true what Juanalejo said if she didn’t have a check list bad luck to her, I own a flat in Cartagena and I rent it furniture, I make sure the people that rent the flat read and sing the check list or Inventario in Spanish before moving in, and to make sure that, when they leave the agency check everything before renting it to the next people. Don’t worry about that, She just wants money (remember she is a lawyer hehe) but let this be a lesson, next time make sure they have a check list and sign it.

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carter says on May 14, 2005, 10:26:

Tell her that you yourself are concerned about the problem and that you've contacted the US Embassy. They will be contacting her in time to address the problem.

In the mean time she needs to send them copies of the Blender and washing machines reciepts. Aswell as a list of all the problems and Photos of the items in the apartment before you lived there. Also tell her to send in the broken piece from the washer. Give her a list of other annoying jobs to do and a false name at the embassy to send them to. She will realise that the effort to collect this will be more expensive than the 30,000 to fix the washer.

Then send her a tshirt

Your not going to have any problems returning here.

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morphus says on May 14, 2005, 10:39:

i trashed a lot of apartments in Colombia and never had a problem. just leave early and don't look back. one time they were chasing me outside. i jumped into a taxi and got away.

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Sylvie says on May 14, 2005, 10:52:

Does she have proof that you broke the machine and took the blender. If not then let her report you to the embassy and let her pay a couple thousand dollars to take you to court. If she is a lawyer she'll see that its not worth it to pay all the court fees and she'll just leave you alone.

Also, as the landlord she should of checked the apartment before you left. Typically in Canada the landlord can come into the place to view any damages before you leave.

If she did the check after you left it is her own problem and she has no case.
In court she would have to prove that the blender was there before you were there. SHe'd probably need a picture of the blender in the apartment, which I doubt she has. She also would have no proof the the machine was working in the first place or that you were the one who broke it.

SHe has no case. If she took you to court she'd be wasting her time and money.

On top of that, if they call you to court in Colombia and you say that you dont have the money to travel, there is no way in hell that the court will pay for your travels.

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