Greg was pretty ticked off. After two weeks of complaining to management, the tall tree outside his apartment complex still had garbage hanging from its branches. It looked like some sort of foul Christmas Tree for hobos. He couldn’t use the parking spot he pays $94 a month for because the building staff had removed all the “Tenant Only” parking signs and not put up the new ones. People who didn’t live in the building were parking in his spot. Only after sending a string of admonishing emails to the building manager, his bosses, and the board of directors did Greg finally get The Tree Of Garbage cleaned up. Here’s the chain of emails:

From: Greg
To: Several different building managers, customer service, and the board of directors

Here we go again.
I come at 7pm and can’t get in my spot because someone is in it. Parking won’t tow because you took down the TENANT ONLY PARKING signs. I pay $94 a month for my spots and I can’t use them. You can’t even handle something a simple as parking, no wonder the building is in such a sad state.

From: Building Manager
To: Greg
CC: all the important people from the previous conversation

Good Morning,
Regarding parking issues I will really appreciate if you ask me or RM for help. You don’t need send emails everyone. Please can me meet in my office today afternoon or tomorrow any time between 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. I think that we really need to talk, it is going to help you and the building management company too.
Thank you in advance

From: Greg
To: All

A meeting for parking???? You’re kidding, just get one of the kids from the elementary school down the street to explain it to you. This is why nothing gets done here, you spend all the money in meetings rather than actually doing something productive. Simple thing, put back the signs you took down so people will know this is tenant only parking (just like everywhere else in the city). Inform people living here about the parking rules. If you need my help, hire me, I already pay you to do this, if you need help hire me. There’s your meeting

From: Building Manager
To: Greg, All

I’m asking you for general meeting with you – not about parking. Only help from you that I need is – please address your issues if you have to me or Shirley. You don’t need send emails on another e-mail address. Thank you.

From: Greg
To: All

It’s a simple thing. I report a problem to the staff, such as parking mess around the building, and since you and or your staff cannot deal with this without weeks if not months of research, I inform the owners of the property as they are the ones who may have to explain their or their staffs actions to media or court. I’m not asking you to change the brakes on my car. I’m simply asking you to do the job I’m paying you to do.

After no reply, Greg sent the following email the next day, which included four pictures of the Tree of Garbage.

From: Greg
To: All

Over two weeks and still nothing done about the garbage in the tree out back of the building. Even after the email of last Monday, the building management company won’t do anything about it. Some of this looks very easy to take down. You’re still living up to it’s reputation for taking forever to get even the simplest thing done. I guess needing a message from Jesus and authorization from God is really true here. The other day (July 09) in response to the building manager’s email I went to the office to speak to him. But he wasn’t there at the time he said he would be there.

I was shown the parking signs but unless they are put up, they don’t mean anything. I don’t think people who are stealing other peoples parking spaces are going to go to the office to check for signs.

After this email, the garbage was removed from the tree and the parking signs were placed around the parking lot.

From: Greg
To: All

I spoke with the building manager just before noon today. He asked me not to send emails to all the people I’ve been sending them to. He said his bosses and the management company don’t think it is necessary for me to so. I told that is he and/or his staff did their job in a timely manner, I wouldn’t have to do so.

He also commented about my comment about the management company needing a message from Jesus and authorization from God to get things done. He said that his bosses were Jewish and did not like the comment, and questioned my religious faith. I don’t know what this has to do with running a building or any other business for that matter, but my great uncle helped liberate the Westerbork concentration camp during WWII and another family member supported Israel during the 6 Day War…

…Many times in the past I have had to submit multiple work orders, even ended up at the Land Lord & Tenants Act to resolve repair issues. When speaking about the quality of a repair and the months it took to get fixed, an earlier manager told me that if I didn’t like it, move.

In the future I will tell the building staff to do the job we tenants are paying them for, then I will again let everyone know whats going on.

Here’s the results of Greg’s campaign, a clean tree, free of underwear ornaments:
Sometimes you need a little public shaming and escalating to get the job done. An acid pen comes in handy, too.

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