Housemate Hell Courtesy The State

If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. Never is this truer than on Craigslist. I was looking for an apartment to move into and found something that looked good. However, I was on my first paycheck, so I sent an email asking if she would take less and she agreed, in exchange for other things, like house and pet sitting. Then, I let her know BEFORE I moved in, that my first paycheck was less than I thought it would be because of the way it cut into my pay period. I told her how much it was. She said that was okay, and that since I hadn't established an account in this town (where there is one bank, and it's not one I'm already with) that it could take up to 10 days or so to even get it out, so she said that was okay, and that to start, she would take this, and allow me use of food in the house until I had the money from the check and restocked the fridge. While I was there, I ate the following: 2 eggs, 4 tortillas, some salsa, a couple oranges, and some milk and a few slices of cheese. That was it.

We had a contract. She checked my references and knew my name was Cameo Garrett, but I told her my email name was different. When I asked her about why she used my email name on our contract she didn't say. I told her my last name was different, and she had asked me several times what it was. She didn't want to change it so I figured it was no big deal. Until I came back from my out of town trip to find she was locking me out and had removed all of my belongings and put them in a hotel room.

Her husband works for the state. I'm not going to name names quite yet. All I know is that what happened is bizarre. I tried to give her rent when I had it (within the time period she originally agreed to) and she refused to take it.

Something is wrong with her, I think, but I don't know whether this is some weird set-up or she simply has a slight problem. The reason I question is because when I first talked to her about pet sitting, she told me she had a Maltese dog. I asked what kind that was and she gave me a full description. I didn't talk to anyone else about dogs. The next day, she picked me up and there was a dog in the car. It didn't look like a Maltese. So I asked and she said it was "a mutt". I said, "Oh, so is your other dog the Maltese?" and she said no, she's never had a Maltese. Okaaaayyy...So I thought it was weird, but no big deal. THEN, after I had signed the contract with her, she told me she had once worked in the computer industry and had a great opportunity she should have taken, for advancement, and how it was right on the cusp of the big internet boom. I then interjected I had also worked for a computer company once. The next day, I realized I hadn't asked what her position had been. So I asked and she told me she'd never worked for a computer company or in internet and that her only experience was in doing graphic design work for flyers for triathalons (???:?!!!!).

She is only 50-something. At first I thought maybe she had a memory problem but I've brought it up to others who think it sounds more like schitzophrenia or multiple personality disorder, because she actually believes what she's saying and then the next day it's completely different and she believes this to be the truth as well. I figured, "It's weird, but she's going to be in Seattle most of the time," and I figured it was her personal problem. Until she greeted me at the door to tell me I was locked out, right after I had told the state I was having a case transfered to Whatcom county and that they would be responsible for the costs of having to transfer it and pay for their witnesses's travel costs.

She illegally locked me out and then tonight she gave me an eviction notice, which claims it is for failure to pay rent. I had offered her rent, and she refused to take it, and I had a witness stand by to see for himself. I also asked him to stand by because she told me AGAIN that when I came back from Wenatchee this next trip, I would be locked out again. So I asked her to repeat either that I would, or would NOT be locked out again, in front of my friend. So she backtracked and said she would not lock me out.

The first time she locked me out, she thought there would be no proof against her. She had gone through my bags and taken away my copy of the rental contract. However, she DIDN'T know that the security people at the gate had asked me (while she was away) for a copy of the contract and they MADE a copy to keep for their records. I had told them I didn't know if she had wanted them to have a copy but they said it was required. They told me SHE hadn't given them a copy, and that she ALSO hadn't added me to the list, which she knew she had to do, and which she told ME she was going to do.

As it turned out, the fact that security got a copy of the contract paved the way for me to prove I had been illegally locked out. Without a copy of that contract, which she removed from my bag, I would have no evidence that I had a right to be there.

Is this not strange though? It seems like a set up to me. She ALSO told me (she's Canadian) that her husband had advised her on what to do and he was in agreement with her. He had advised her to simply lock me out and leave me in a hotel, paid for for only one night. They took my contract out, and she probably took the empty bottle of T-1s to try to claim I'd done something wrong if needed...I don't know...because since she took my contract and didn't think her gated security community patrol had a copy, she thought they could do whatever they wanted with me.

I was told by a lawyer that I have a right to collect for damages because of this.

I am very seriously considering this. It was extremely traumatic and disruptive and prevented me from attending to work and my other affairs.

I honestly wonder what was going on. Several people knew I was looking for housing at Craigslist. I don't know. There have been other strange things happening here, but nothing coming all the way out of the woodwork yet. I have some suspicions about other things, but I'll have to see how they play out first.

She knew who I was, and she went through every single one of my bags. All of them.