At my boarding house, the landlord is very strict strict like she’s running a military camp, not a boarding house. At exactly 22:00 hours, she drives all the way from Foxdale to Kaunda Square just to come and lock the door and gate. If you are not back by then, just know you’ve been promoted to “overnight security guard outside.” In the morning, she returns again at 05:00 to open the gate. There is even a caretaker at the house, but somehow she trusts her car more than the caretaker.
Another issue is electricity. When she buys power, she says per day we are only allowed to use 10 units. If we go beyond that, everyone pays K50. We are 10 people, so at this point it feels like we are contributing to a small power station. You even start thinking twice before switching on a light like, “Is this bulb worth K50?”
She also doesn’t allow alcohol or pork in her fridge. If she finds them there, she throws them away and makes sure you clean the fridge like you’re preparing it for inspection by health inspectors. Honestly, even the fridge is living a disciplined life.
On top of that, every morning she makes sure the water tank is full, but if the water finishes before the day ends, that’s it you wait until tomorrow. So bathing becomes a strategic decision, like planning a national budget.
Now my question is, is this how boarding house landlords normally operate, or is this one just running her own version of a prison with visiting hours? Because this is my first boarding house, and I’m not sure if I signed a rental agreement or enlisted in something. It’s just that boarding houses are hard to find, but once I find another one, I’ll move.
