Since I was at K.u.c.h.a.i A.v.e.n.u.e, I decided to go to the management office to pay the maintenance and sinking fund. I usually pay for 6 months at one go so that I don't have to go there every month to do so. Anyway, was informed that the maintenance fee has increased as there were insufficient funds to maintain the place. At the AGM, majority of the residents agreed with the price increase.

For the record:

Previous Charges
RM0.13 per square feet x 935
= RM121.55 Maintenance
= RM  12.16 Sinking Fund (10% of Maintenance)
= RM133.71 Total Monthly

New Charges Effective May-2012
RM0.17 per square feet x 935
= RM158.95 Maintenance
= RM  15.90 Sinking Fund (10% of Maintenance)
= RM174.85 Total Monthly

That's a 31% increment!!! WoW!!! Lucky thing the rental rate is really good there. Rented it out for RM1,350 monthly, more than enough to cover my monthly installment & maintenance fees.

While waiting for my receipt, I turned around and saw a familiar face. Blurted out his full name automatically (K.w.a.n B.a.n H.o.e) and he too blurted out my name in reflex!!! Hahaha. I bumped into my secondary school mate. He lives there now. We exchanged a few words, he took my number and gave me a missed call on my mobile. Hehe... what a small world! :)

Got several calls from the management of KA2 this morning stating that they needed permission to enter my unit to fix the box up outside my yard. Since the unit is rented out, I informed my tenant about it. The unit was rented out to an Indonesian Chinese couple in their 30s, Kenneth the husband and Felicia the wife.

In the afternoon, I got another call, this time from the maintenance guy of KA2 named Lucas. He said he went and checked out the yard but then he also found out that there were leakage near the balcony too and that the water marks are spreading. If left unfixed, it will eventually ruin the tiles and skirting!!! It sounded so serious that I had to call Felicia to say that I'll be going over to check it out during lunch time. Had to inform her cos' the building is of high security. Access card is needed to enter the lift lobby, the lift as well as the lobby of my unit; 10th floor.

So during lunch, I quickly fetched my parents there too to inspect the damages along with Lucas.

Found out that there were indeed leakage near the balcony. Water marks are slowly spreading too. I then quickly asked Felicia; who is 37 weeks pregnant btw if there are other damages. Might as well tell us one shot since we're all there. That was when she brought us to the master bedroom toilet where the entire ceiling was BLACK in colour with water marks all over!!! I was kinda fuming inside cos' if left unfixed the ceiling could collapsed!!! So I told her that she has to inform me of damages so that they can be quickly looked into before they pose danger to them living there!!!

That was when she told me that her mom advised her not to do any construction or renovation works during her pregnancy. She had wanted to inform me earlier but then she found that she was pregnant. Being a woman myself, I understand the taboos of pregnancy so I assured her that works will only be done after her confinement (since she's already pretty close to her delivery date). Upon hearing that, she suddenly lighted up (all along when we were there, she had this worried look on). Initially I thought she was worried that I'll get them to pay for the damages, haha!

Subsequently, she also told us that the water pressure is very low for both the master bedroom toilet and the kitchen! And oh, they accidentally broke the sink piping in the toilet too for which she said they will fix after her confinement. The management guy; Lucas was quick in saying that the water pressure issue is to be settled with the piping contractors.

Nevertheless, I asked Lucas how much he would charge if he were to fix the damages and he said, other unit owners used their contractors and the cost was about RM2,500! But then he said that it's too expensive. For him, about RM1,000 does the job (for the balcony leakage alone)!!! But what he doesn't know was the fact that my father used to be in construction business before he retired and has the ways and means of doing it via his contacts. Nevertheless, sensing lukewarm response, he told us he'll wait at the management office while we continue inspecting the place.

After he left, my father told me that RM1,000 is ridiculously exhorbitant!!! My father can get his contacts to fix them under RM300!!! What an idiot!!! Lucky thing I brought my parents along!!! After Lucas left, my father asked for a plier and within 2min, water was flowing FREELY and STRONGLY in the kitchen!!! We were all so amazed!!! Turned out that there is this round circular filter attached to the opening of the tap head and that filter was filled with sands. Just remove the filter, clean it and walla, water flows ok. Nothing to do with pressure nor the piping contractor!!! My father then proceeded to fix the tap in the toilet and within minutes, done!!! :)

While my father was fixing the taps, I asked my tenant if all is ok with them living there and that was when she told me that the house is very lucky! They were married for 3 years and had been trying to have kids. Even went to the extent of seeing specialists and traditional Chinese sinseh but nothing happened. At the advise of her mom, she decided to move and within several months of moving into my unit, she was PREGNANT!!! How auspicious indeed!!! :))

Am so happy cos':

1. I brought my father along. Else I would've been cheated by the stupid guy!!!
2. My tenant thinks my house is lucky! If they are happy, I am happy too!!! :))
3. My tenant is very clean. The kitchen and yard cabinets were in excellent condition too!!!
4. My father said that the damages were minimal, his contacts can fix them within 2 hours!
5. Best of all, everything can be done for under RM300!!! :))

When my tenant walked us to the lobby, she touched her pregnant stomach and then touched my flat stomach wishing me good luck in trying to conceive!!! Hehehe... so nice of her. Hopefully, my turn is soon too!!! :))

Another long overdue post.

Once the place was done up (renovation took less than a month), my father got hold of an agent to help us rent out the place. Basic unit fetches RM1,000 to RM1,200. Since we renovated the place, we asked for RM1,300.

Family 1
The first family came to view the unit with my parents while I was away at work:
- Couple in late thirties
- With a young son; few years old
- Happy with the place
- But....
1. Wants additional grille installed in all rooms
2. Wants all LIGHTS removed, she has her own
3. Wants a cheaper rate

Family 2
The next family came to view the unit at night. As I was working in KL back then where traffic was unpredictable, I had to call to push the viewing 20min later. When we reached, the family called our agent to say that they have rented another unit!!! Felt a pang of disappointment!!! :((

Family 3
Again came after work at night. This time I made sure I leave office punctually!!!
- Indonesian Chinese couple in early 30s
- Hb works in IT industry
- No kids yet
- Happy with the place
- But...
1. Wants additional unit of air-cond
Note that aside from the free unit in the master bedroom, we have already added another unit in the living room! With this additional request, this brings us to a total of 3 air-conds!!!

I discussed the matter with my parents (since they have several houses that are being rented out and are well experienced in handling situations like these). In the end, we said that we will add 1 air-cond in the 2nd room but... we'll have to raise the monthly rent to RM1,350. They immediately agreed!!!

So on 22-October-2010, the Tenant Agreement was signed and stamped!!! Yippieeeeeeeeeeee, am now a landlord / landlady!!! Feels great!!! :)

Long overdue post.

Initially, Hb and I intended to renovate the place and move in together. But then within 3 years, once the property was ready, the price increased by over 35% in value!!! The market rental rate too was pretty high at RM1,200 for a basic unit. At that rental rate, it is more than enough to cover my monthly installment and maintenance so the decision to rent it out was an easy one. This was ahem back in 2010.

The place comes with the following:
- Full high wall bathroom tiles (instead of 1/2 or 3/4)
- Wooden skirting around the entire house
- Nice, fancy switches
- Free air-cond switches in all 3 bedrooms
- Free aircond x 1 unit
- Free water heater x 2 units
- Free shower screens in both bathrooms
- Free grille for front door
 
But then we felt that the yard was too bare and hence to boost it's attractiveness to potential tenants (since thousands of units are available for rental at the same time), we decided to:
- Renovate the yard and turn it into a wet kitchen
- Install kitchen cabinets in both the wet & dry kitchen
- Add in the aluminium frames & windows at the bare open yard
- Add in the built in stove

Obviously, we also had to buy lights & fans for the entire place. Oh, the lady in photo below is my mummy... hehehe, while my father and I walked around taking photos:

Workmanship & Materials:
RM    500.00 Hack Yard Walls & Plaster Wall
RM    800.00 Workmanship; Yard
RM 2,500.00 Kitchen Cabinets; Dry & Wet
RM 1,285.00 Lights & Airconds Installation


Additional Materials:
RM    840.00 Tiles & Sink
RM    100.00 Additional 35pcs Tiles for Yard
RM    148.00 Cement, Sand and Wood
RM    540.00 Aluminium Window Frames
RM    285.00 Gas Stove
RM    466.00 Lights & Fans

Misc:
RM      70.00 Garbage Disposal

Total Spent: RM7,578.00

Next up; showing the place to potential tenants. :)