A random Maesi picture because it looks cuter than a dozen of empty water bottles!
Being cut off
While in the past, I had 2 several incidents where I was left without electricity, the no water incident we're currently dealing with, is new to me as well. When having no money, some people end up being cut off from the power or water supply. I've been there twice and the first time was worse than the second time because then you already know a little trick here and there to manage it. I just means you will end up in bed early, OR go out until late. Charge your phone and laptop at a friend's house OR at work when possible and the rest of the time at home, you use candles and hope your food won't go to waste without the fridge and freezer. I was lucky to be able to save some food by bringing it to a friend and neighbour when the power was cut off, but some things are useless when you can't use the stove. It meant eating a lot of sandwiches with cheese, so I remember.
High fines
The shitty thing is that being cut off from these supplies due to unpaid bills means you will find a fine of several hundreds euros for being cut off and even higher for being put back on the supply. So when you're able to pay the bill in the first place, it's hard to come up with the funds for the fines. It's a vicious circle. Nobody wants to be in this position, but many know someone or have actually been that someone who experienced it. I remember feeling ashamed for the people around me and stressed about how to solve it constantly.
Never again!
When we left to build back our lives, we were already past this situation with the power. We lived in a tiny studio with power and water, it was because of other reasons that we left. You could say we were close to hitting rock bottom even though we had a roof over the head. Circumstances and a determined crazy ex pushed me to make the decision to seek better chances of building back our lives without the interference of bad people. I'm so happy we did because even though it was very slow getting back up on our feet the first two years, determination was what caused us to see a rapid growth the past two years. We kept grinding, and I promised ourselves we'd NEVER get in that position ever again where we'd be left without power or worse, end up homeless again. No matter what, the bills are always paid first, even if it means it's a tight month, we'll manage.
Apparently, it can happen to anyone
Let's first make clear that I was never the judgemental type saying "this won't happen to me", but I say this because many people told us at the time that these things would never happen to them. It should go without saying that nobody plans on finding bad fortune with a person they love, the father of their children, and nobody who'd foresee the horror from the future would continue such a relationship. So for that reason alone, I can assure you that it can happen to anyone.
Despair of losing a job, having to sell your belongings, a car or worse, a house can cause people to become desperate (logically) and many relationships will break, unless being a good team and ready to face the battle together. Some people turn to alcohol meaning one partner will cause the relationship to collapse and you see another side of this person that never came to surface before. It can happen, trust me.
The pandemic was a great example of this btw, when people are put in a position they couldn't have foreseen or prepare for, like we all experienced, it means you can suddenly lose your job, even if you are on the same job for 25 years and have a mortgage you paid every single month. I feel sad for those experiencing these things in the pandemic, but I thought many times "now you know it can actually happen to anyone".
And here we are
I wish I wasn't right there though, I prefer to say if you're a good tenant and pay every bill in time, without being a day late ever for many years now, this won't happen to you. Sadly, it's not true. Currently we are left without water, this is day 3. Not because of unpaid bills, we paid our landlord every time he sent a bill, and yesterday I was given his login to the account and have seen with my own eyes that every bill has always been paid and nothing strange is to be seen there.
Back and forward from landlord to president of this building I was asking to call the water company as the contract is on his name. An hour before we discovered not having water, a lot of water came down from above, probably just through the pipes, and we first assumed they hit a pipe somewhere.
Old pipes
When I asked the president he sent me a message about the company cutting the supply to old pipes and that the owner had a long time to fix it. Say what? You've got to be kidding me was my first thought. Our landlord is usually really responsive, although some things which are left with his brother (especially when he's not around in the area), when he's the one dealing with things, he gets it done fast. He seems to be well insured as well so that helps.
But as his brother was the one doing the renovation here, and many things turned out to be good on the eye but not so great behind the wall or later turning out to be properly installed, I thought this must be something his brother didn't manage properly or forgot to tell him about it maybe. When I read the pipe story I was fearing it would take a long time and decided to not just yet pay the rent.
Normally I do this the first or second of the month and the money is in his bank a week early, this time I thought maybe we need a bit of leverage and I will wait a few more days, just in case I need to rent something else for a few days. I didn't even realize this guy has plenty of connections in real estate and probably more apartments as well plus he also has one of his own close to our home.
Back and forward
Yesterday morning there was good news quite soon, things were fixed, we only needed to open the water tap. This is something we can't reach, and need the president for. Luckily he was home and went there to do it for us, quickly sending us the picture of us still not being put back on the supply so it was not fixed. I sent it to the owner and he started calling again.
After hours they said they'd come yesterday or today in the morning (here that means before 2 PM) and I said well let's hope today because I could really use a shower, I really hate not being able to wash my hair for days and laundry is piling up. He said he'd send someone for the keys to his apartment so we can take a shower, great!
Ill child
The timing of this stuff is impeccable because since yesterday the little girl has been ill with fever and a very sore throat. She's been at home since yesterday, but thankfully doesn't really notice much other than having us to flush the toilet with a bottle of water and help her with brushing the teeth a bit other than usual.
Dishes are a pain but manageable
I had dishes to wash and every day I've heated a pan of water, mixing that with cold water and soap in one bowl, another bowl with only water to rinse stuff and to avoid having dirty water immediately, I've been cleaning everything with a baby wipe right after use before it goes in the "dishes". This is much more efficient when cleaning it with the water and soap as my boyfriend really can't keep up filling up water bottles down the beach. He also brought 100l of drink water but he says it's such a shame to use that for these purposes, and I kind of agree but hey, when in need, one needs to be creative.
When left without resources, the creative mind makes over hours
Looking back from our time without money and even when homeless, these were the times I got super creative to find solutions I'd otherwise never thought about. And it's exactly those hard years that cause me not to freak out big time when something shit like having no water happens. I feel stressed at first, yes. But after a day, you see that it's not that big of a deal as long as you're able to get the water (read: have a car) as without a car it would have been a small disaster and much more stressful.
I also figured you know what, the laundry is piling up which sucks, but if I really have to, I go to a laundry service to do the most important laundry and pay for it. It's not really great, but at least I can pay for it so I have a solution available.
Waiting initiated - OMG look at how small they were back then!
Now we wait
Today the water company will come within the next few hours. I'm curious if they fix whatever is the reason or that we will be left without supply longer. I'm dying to find out if the reason is the old pipes because my landlord didn't seem to think so. I'm not going to judge him for that until I've been told the reason because clearly it was something else if they put it back on today.
The kind lady helping us to get this apartment last year has just brought the keys to his apartment and I will now wait until I know if we really need it or not because I don't feel like using the resources there if things are fixed in the next hours. But if we do, I'm very happy to not having to rent something ourselves and battle about the rent. As he's trying to help us in any way possible, I can now safely transfer the rent because he already showed he puts himself in our position and arranges the keys to the other apartment.
I can only hope we don't have to end up sleeping there because it becomes too much hassle over here in the next day(s) and we are back on the supply today.
Finger crossed!