I’m on trip. Listed below are some previous letters that I’m making new once more, slightly than leaving them to wilt within the archives. After which later right this moment, updates season begins!
1. My former tenant’s “supervisor” is requesting cash for her time spent on a lease dispute
I’ve been in battle with a former tenant (Sara) for just a few weeks, for numerous causes that I’m not going to listing right here however are a part of the standard conflicts tenants and landlords can have on the finish of a tenancy (cleanliness, state of the backyard, and so on.). The same old authorized course of is going down to ensure that me to have the ability to deduct prices I incurred, from her deposit. We’re going via a simplified course of as a result of the declare is low (lower than $1000) and no solicitors are concerned.
Sara works for a well known world firm and I’ve simply acquired an e mail from somebody claiming to be her supervisor, asking me to pay the equal of 1 week of Sara’s wage for the time she needed to take off work to cope with the battle. The e-mail handle appears to be authentic, utilizing the corporate’s area title and I can discover the title of the particular person on LinkedIn as working there however they don’t appear to carry a senior place. The e-mail will not be clear as to whom the compensation ought to be paid and doesn’t element how the compensation was computed (one week appears a really very long time to ship just a few emails — the method has taken me one hour to this point).
Now, I’ve no downside answering to this individual that I have no idea who they’re and that they should observe a authorized course of in the event that they wish to declare something from me. Nevertheless, I do know that such an enormous world firm would by no means begin a litigation like this (no solicitor concerned, even in-house, unclear declare) so I think Sara to have organized it. And so right here is my query: shall I contact the corporate to tell them of this declare made of their title?
My first concept was to attend to see if I obtain a second e mail, as on the finish of the day Sara could be very younger and I don’t need her to lose her job over this. Now I’m not too positive. As a supervisor, I’d wish to know this. Aside from this e mail, I’ve by no means been in contact with Sara’s employer, I simply noticed wage statements earlier than she moved in.
Wow, yeah, I think you’re proper that this isn’t a real request from Sara’s firm however as an alternative got here from a coworker at her request, for all the explanations you acknowledged. And if I had been Sara’s employer, I’d positive as hell wish to know that she was doing this. (Though it’s potential that it’s truly Sara’s supervisor going rogue — it’s potential she has a supervisor and not using a significantly senior-sounding title and that particular person is out of their gourd, slightly than it being one thing Sara herself organized. Who is aware of.)
In any case, you could possibly actually alert her employer if you wish to, and there’s nothing incorrect with doing that. But it surely’s prone to make issues extra contentious with Sara and it doesn’t actually get you any nearer to any of the outcomes you need (which presumably are simply to deal with the tip of her lease with as little trouble as potential). Finally I’d get readability on what you need right here (simply to settle the lease scenario as rapidly and simply as potential? to take a stand on precept that this e mail is tousled and there ought to be penalties?) and proceed accordingly.
– 2018
Learn an replace to this letter right here.
2. My workplace window appears proper into the house of an enthusiastic nudist
My colleagues and I made a decision to succeed in out to you with an issue that’s just lately developed. Our workplace is on the seventh flooring of a downtown constructing. Two streets away is a just lately accomplished house complicated with a penthouse degree with two flats with flooring to ceiling home windows. One house retains the shades down. The opposite at all times has them absolutely up. The resident routinely walks round throughout workplace hours bare or in a bra and underwear. At the moment she walked out on her balcony undressed.
The house is strictly in our line of sight (significantly in my workplace), and it’s inconceivable to not discover. This may occasionally appear humorous or titillating to some, however we discover this very distracting and unwelcome. What’s the greatest plan of action? E mail the administration firm? Cease by the foyer and say one thing to the entrance desk particular person? Possibly she doesn’t understand simply how seen she is.
Effectively … it’s actually as much as her what she does in her personal house. In some jurisdictions the balcony piece of this may violate public decency legal guidelines, though it feels like which will have been a one-time incidence. If that is primarily about her being in underwear or bare in her own residence, that’s probably not one thing you may or ought to intrude with. It’s extra only a actuality of metropolis residing; individuals are crammed collectively and also you’re going to see issues.
However I actually perceive why it’s distracting once you’re at work! I’d as an alternative look into measures you may take by yourself facet, like curtains (gauzy ones would allow you to nonetheless have daylight however would most likely make her much less noticeable) or altering the angle of your desk.
On the very most, in case you can work out how you can get a observe on to her, you could possibly depart a observe saying that she could not understand she’s so seen to individuals throughout the best way — however you don’t actually have standing to insist she placed on extra garments in her own residence.
– 2019
3. I acquired despatched to a convention the place I didn’t belong
I used to be just lately despatched to an vital convention on behalf of my group, as some higher-ups had been unavailable. After I arrived, it grew to become instantly obvious that the convention was extra of an intimate assembly of some essential gamers in my business. I had been planning on spending a few days listening to talks and taking notes. As an alternative I discovered myself in discussions the place I actually had nothing to contribute.
The entire thing was embarrassing. It was apparent to everybody there that I shouldn’t have been despatched. I made a decision to brush the complete expertise off and attempt to be taught as a lot as I may. Nevertheless, within the subsequent assembly they mentioned future conferences and one of many members made a remark, prefaced with “no offense,” that for future conferences it ought to be made clear what degree of worker was required to attend, and if that degree worker was not obtainable, “they shouldn’t simply ship anybody.”
It was very embarrassing and upsetting to be singled out. I wasn’t below any illusions about how misplaced I used to be, however I do know that my attendance was confirmed forward of time with the convention leaders.
How do I give suggestions to my supervisor about this convention? I wish to make it clear that in future it wouldn’t be acceptable to ship an worker of my degree (my supervisor is new and wouldn’t have identified, this solely grew to become clear upon arrival) as I wouldn’t need anybody to expertise this, however I additionally don’t wish to seem ungrateful because it was speculated to be an exquisite alternative. I additionally don’t know whether or not to say this remark that rattled me. Ideas?
“It turned out the convention was actually for high-level gamers — individuals there have been sometimes CEOs and second-in-commands (or no matter — describe the roles of the individuals there). I figured I’d attempt to be taught as a lot as I may whereas I used to be there, however throughout a planning assembly they made it fairly clear that they didn’t need anybody to ship somebody at my degree once more. Clearly neither of us knew this earlier than I went, however I wished to fill you in for subsequent 12 months.”
I believe you may simply preserve it factual like that and there’s no have to get into the truth that you felt embarrassed and rattled, except your supervisor appears to actually wish to dissect what occurred. If she does, you will be simple concerning the the entire thing. However in any other case, I’d preserve it simply to the elements which can be related for subsequent time.
By the best way, because the convention leaders knew you had been attending, it’s potential that the one that made the comment about “not sending simply anybody” was an outlier and different individuals didn’t really feel that approach. But it surely additionally sounds such as you principally agreed with that evaluation, and it was simply the snotty phrasing that bothered you. I’d attempt to separate your feelings from it as a lot as potential and see it as simply an inartful expression of what you already knew. It makes complete sense that it was embarrassing to have that mentioned proper in entrance of you, although! (However I promise you that in just a few years, “the time I acquired despatched to a convention the place I used to be fully misplaced” shall be an amusing story you may inform different individuals.)
– 2019
4. Applicant made bizarre calls for for interview timeline
In a current interval of hiring I got here throughout loads of barely unusual (and a few greater than barely unusual) issues that candidates felt the necessity to embody of their resumes or cowl letters. None confused me greater than the under, which to me reads extra like a logic puzzle than an announcement of availability. For context, this was on the very backside of a four-page resume below the heading “Availability for Interview”:
“I’d be obtainable for an interview solely inside a interval of let’s say 4 days and ideally sooner, from the time of receiving the formal shortlisting e mail discover. This additionally signifies that I’d not be obtainable for the interview in case the e-mail discover is shipped to me sooner than 4 days previous to the interview date. The time durations embody additionally weekends.”
I simply have so many questions! It looks like the applicant desires as quick a time as potential to elapse between being shortlisted and being interviewed, however I’m at a loss as to why. And why is 4 days the magic quantity? Am I lacking one thing?
Even when it had been extra of an easy assertion, I’d discover such a factor slightly presumptuous on a resume. Possibly in a canopy letter in case your availability shall be unusually restricted within the weeks following making use of for a job, however in a resume prefer it’s a blanket requirement of yours whatever the timing of the appliance? It simply appears off, or possibly that’s overly inflexible of me?
Noooo, that is fairly bizarre. You aren’t being overly inflexible.
I additionally like that he himself could be very inflexible however then says “let’s say 4 days,” as if he’s simply considering up the quantity on the spot.
He’s weirdly demanding and out of contact with the norms of people, and you must reject him (however solely inside a interval of let’s say 4 days and ideally sooner).
– 2018