A Farewell To Builders.

I *hope* that we've seen the last of the builders who have spent the past four weeks buggering about repairing/repainting our windows. It was driving us both mad. I hated not having curtains up - which meant I woke up when the sun came up - or not being able to get into my bed because I'd had to move everything else away from the windows. Jane hated, well, all of it, as she had to put up with the majority of it as I was at work.

The thing she hated most of all, however, was the omni-present landlady who is quite, quite mad. Now, tell me if you think this is odd. She came into the house while we were both out and while she was "inspecting the work", managed to break a glass that had been left on the floor, then rang the builders to shout at them ON OUR PHONE. So, at our expense, she's rung to shout at the builders, who now have our phone number should they want to ring back and shout at her.

Genius.

At no point in the four weeks of disruption has she even mentioned giving us a bit of a discount on the rent, even though we've essentially been unable to fully use the flat for a month. I've tried talking to her about it, but she just ignores what I'm saying and then complains about how much of a disruption the builders have made to her life!

I feel more sorry for the guy who lives downstairs from us though, as in his contract it states that for up to two weeks a year he has to let her gain access to his flat to use the bathroom and the kitchen. Since January I'm fairly sure she's been here for 5 or 6 weeks, and at no point in that time has she offered him any money towards his bills - even though she's been using his kitchen.

The problem, it seems to me, is that she claims this used to be her family home but doesn't seem to realise that it now isn't. So she waltzes into our flat when she feels like it - despite our contract being the normal one where it says the landlord should inform you a day before etc - and now seems to feel justified in using our phone should she need to. I think I might put a bolt on the door, so we can stop her wandering in when we're here. Just need to work out a way of stopping her from coming in when we're out.

If anyone has any ideas, please tell me!