Worried about our young people's utter lack of initiative

[ThisDandyWriter]

I work for an English letting agent and every year I'm utterly shocked at our young people (ie students) utter lack of initiative/entitlement and lack of self resilience. A few examples of the sort of things that we encounter
My smoke alarm is bleeping, why is that?
The light in our bedroom has gone out, can you send someone out to change the bulb
What does a fuse board look like?
My washing machine is smelly, I think it needs replaced
This house has got a massive damp problem as water (ie condensation) is running down the windows in the mornings

We had to stop offering an 'emergency' line (which is not compulsory) because our staff were getting calls at 2am about seeing mice, light bulbs blowing, smoke alarms beeping, boiler not working (in Aug and has an electric shower).

Today a tenant has emailed to say that she's locked herself out and we need to open the office to get her a spare key.

When I was at Uni, Google wasn't a thing, so if there was an issue, I'd call my dad and try and sort it - I very rarely contacted the agency or landlord.

Today, we have all the information at a drop of a hat, but they can't be arsed to Google or try and sort something themselves and the first stop is to email (or get their mum or dad to email - don't get me started on that). The lack of initiative is genuinely worrying.

So please, if you have kids at uni - spend a bit of time with them explaining the basics!!!!

And encourage them to actually read the information they are sent - the amount of questions we are asked which is covered by information sent out (about important things like handing in your keys, how to claim back your deposit) is ridiculous!

Thus proving OPs point.

Lack of initiative is one thing but expecting people not to voice their concerns or solve a problem which is the LL or letting agency's responsibility is another.

It's not the fact they reported mice, it's using the emergency line at 2am to call the report!

Do you not offer a keyholder service as a part of the fees they pay to you? If not, why are you holding the spare keys for business hours purposes only?

Firstly, how do you know they haven’t tried things before calling you?

Secondly, to some of your points I would rather call and get a landlord to do their job, given their main defence for existing is “we offer a service”. I’ll not paying. 2k a month to live in a pokey hovel because I want to, I have no other option.

So no, if my fire alarm is beeping regardless of the battery, or if there are mice, or if the landlords washing machine is shit, I am calling the landlord to get them to sort it because I’m not about to lose my deposit because my replacement washing machine wasn’t PAT tested and “did something” to the electrics, the fire alarm I bought wasn’t up to standard and “invalidated the insurance”, or I used humane traps because I’m not a fucking monster and that’s not enough effort to get rid of them, so it caused the infestation to go “unchecked” (even though it reduced the mouse population greatly). I also have the emails stating this by the way, before you pull the “that never happened” card.

Maybe do your job instead of whining about actually doing it. People are paying stupid amounts of money to live in mouldy, unventilated shit holes and you are berating them for using the service you offer and your are their first experience of starting out on their own.

I don’t think it’s obvious what is a landlord issue and what isn’t

my son rented out his flat in London while he lived in a commune for a few months and he got regular calls about changing light bulbs and similar.

he actually preferred the guy who did that over the guy who never called and then when he moved out there were a few things to fix.

(both are friends)

The price students pay for even the most basic accommodation now it’s a wonder they’re not expecting you to come round and give them a foot rub, frankly.

They are keeping you in a job though.
Not many students have ladders to use to change lightbulbs and would you really want them messing with the electrics/boiler?

Like I say, I don't disagree with the overall point. But you absolutely don't know what they've tried to do before.

My point is that changing a bulb, battery in an alarm etc is NOT the Ll's responsibility.

And also incredulity that someone has to ask what a beeping smoke alarm means.

And why they wouldn't use their initiative and Google the problem before emailing the agency.

And why they didn't read the lease before signing which confirms that battery/bulsb are their issue.

Or read the trouble shooting guide that we both email to them and PIN ON THE KITCHEN DOOR.

A quick google says that they pay around 50% of their monthly budget now on rent. Compared to less than 20% back in 1980. You'd think that would get you marble and stainless steel, but you get condensation, broken boilers and mice.

The state of rental housing is parlous. The state of student housing is worse. And paying that much, OP moaning about them calling for assistance and criticising young people, when older people caused this issue, seems churlish. They should get concierge service for the money they pay!

I’m not sure why calling your dad shows less initiative than calling the agent or landlord.

i agree, lots of young people dont have basic life skills, highly educated grads included

I mean if someone emails to say that the light has gone in their bedroom then of course the first question is whether they have tried to change the bulb.

And pretty much 99.99% (actually 100% probably) they haven't.

If someone has reported the boiler doesn't work, the first question is whether they have have gas to the flat - because very often, their gas credit has run out.

But normally a boiler not working is something that an engineer has to go out to (same day). It just doesn't warrant a 2am call.

Because I didn't have Google to ask.

My Dad was essentially my Google.

THEN I would have gone to the agency.

But for today's young people, it doesn't occur to a lot of them to consult Google/AI first and try and solve the problem themselves.

What will they do when they own a home,?

Useless ineffective parents raise useless ineffective young people with mind rot from device addiction and diets full of upfs and energy drinks.

Literal diagnosis of the issue.

LMAO that you were unable to fix things yourself so called daddy, yet criticise the tenants calling the landlord's designated agent!

Not necessarily, it's just as possible a helicopter parent has produced children that can't think for themselves.

So it's the problem of parents lack of support really? If I'd had any of those issues as a young person my first point of call would've been a family member. For some reason today's YP don't generally feel able to approach their parents with these issues or they do and their parents CBA so are directing them to the landlord.

yeah, the 2am calls are a bit ridiculous and most of us know kids who have been largely shielded from having any form of responsibility or having to manage when things are less than perfect.

But the thing I’ve realised, having got two kids into their 20s who have both lived independently is that there’s a lot of real world stuff you just don’t see that much anymore. Energy efficient light bulbs can last for years so changing them is not a regular task. Lithium battery smoke detectors are common, so ditto. A modern house might not have condensation issues. There’s also things that because we do everything online now, kids might not see you fill in a form or get insurance quotes or report problems. So kids don’t see or hear us doing life stuff now, and because we don’t have to do it all the time, it might not dawn on us to tell them.

There’s been a few instances where I have wondered how my kids got to where they are without knowing something, because I have tried to make them competent and they generally are.

So in response to what you've just said - my comment still stands then no?

You might find it hard to believe why people don't know what certain things mean but that's neither here nor there. They pay for a service and if they're unsure, they WILL be calling the people they've purchased the service from 9/10.

The mice, boiler and condensation/mould however are your problems to deal with.

Surely it is up to letting agencies to make sure the property is maintained properly? Maybe these young people need a better agency can have a maintenance person that can go in and change batteries, etc, i understand you don't want a 24/7 bussiness but these young people are away from home for the first time.

Ask their Dad 😉

What’s the standard of your accommodation? Are things done on the cheap? I bet the rents are sky high.
You said you would have called your Dad, is that showing initiative then?

sounds like you want their money but none of the responsibility of being their landlord

Don't make massive sweeping generalisations about a whole group of people based on their age. I’m sure you wouldn’t like it.

To be honest I've never used a ladder to change a lightbulb - don't people just stand on chairs any more?