ATTACHMENT #1: E-MAIL FROM BOB ANDREW, FATHER, TO SON COLIN ANDREW FEB 14, 20007
From: Bob Andrew
Date: Wed, Feb 14, 2007 8:08 pm
To: Colin Andrew
Subject: Value Proposition for Your Tenancy
I think we need to lay out
a simple, written, value proposition to Aldo and his mom to preserve your option
for continued use of the basement apartment for two more years, if needed.
The premise is that you & I put $7,000 worth of materials from Home Depot and at least 500 hours of labor into completely stripping and renovating a large portion of their basement into an “Efficiency” Bedroom / living room plus bathroom, and creating a common laundry area. Also that Aldo and his mom did not install the kitchen area in the basement, as discussed, so you are limited to microwave.
Since we are not qualified tradesmen, I would value our labor conservatively at $25/hour, meaning we put a close to $20,000 of labor plus materials into their home. Given the Efficiency lacks a kitchen and shares a laundry area, from a rental market value viewpoint it is closer in value to the situation of a boarder with a private bath but no kitchen privileges.
In that part of DC, I couldn’t find many studio listings, but 1-bedrooms are going for about $800/month, so a kitchen-less, basement efficiency is probably worth about half that, or ~ $5,000/year.
On that basis, you could probably make a claim to deserve four years of free rent. However, I suggest that you stick with your idea of "no-cost" tenancy through mid-summer, give you time to get a full-time career job. At that point-should your chosen job be in the DC area-you would want to seek a two-year, fixed $$/ month, rental contract that would pay them a modest amount: helps with a contract to have money involved. You will need to decide how much that fair monthly $$ amount is.
For now, with all you have on your plate, all you need to get agreed is your right to stay there through mid-summer. By then, a contract needs to be in place that spells out all your rights and responsibilities,
Including the shared common area. Particularly if their whole family is in central America, and upstairs is rented, it also will need to spell out mundane matters such as who takes out the trash, how repairs are handled (call a pro, pay the bill and deduct from your rent: or do it yourself and deduct materials plus labor, etc).
Let Meagan and I know want
you think of this approach. We don't have to solve all of the details now, just
focus on preserving your current rights until I can get up there for your court
date and can meet with Juana (sp?) in person. If you concur, I would like to (a)
send this -with any edits Meagan suggests - to Aldo, and (b) have Meagan call
Juana tomorrow night.
Regards, Dad