Harriette Cole: The bachelorette trip was ruined. How can I make it up to the bride?

DEAR HARRIETTE My sister-in-law invited me to join her for her bachelorette trip to the Virgin Islands While I didn t want to miss out on a trip to the Caribbean I was a little hesitant because I really don t know any of her friends Related Articles Harriette Cole My friend s boyfriend made mean jokes about me in residents Harriette Cole My mom snickered at my college choice and dismissed my hurt feelings Harriette Cole My friend s weight loss worries me Can I ask what s going on Harriette Cole I met this guy on an app and all of a sudden I m running into him at work Harriette Cole Is it a red flag that he follows his ex and likes her posts Eventually she ended up telling me I could bring a plus-one if I d like I took her up on her offer and invited a friend of mine who had been telling me how much she needed a getaway Though we re close I had never traveled with this friend either and I don t think I ever will again She put a damper on the entire trip She complained about work the food the heat her dog her co-workers the sand the excursions and even her creaky door back at home I felt horrible for bringing this dark cloud to what was supposed to be a fun-filled trip My sister-in-law reassured me that she still enjoyed herself but I feel awful How can I make it up to her Party Pooper DEAR PARTY POOPER What a drag It s good that you apologized on behalf of your ill-mannered friend There really is nothing more you can do Your sister-in-law knows your remorse is heartfelt Stop bringing it up and let the memory fade DEAR HARRIETTE I ve been living in my apartment for over a year and I really love it the location the space my neighbors and the fact that the rent is so cheap The only challenge is my landlord Every time I submit a maintenance request it takes weeks for anything to get fixed I ve had leaky faucets a broken heater in the middle of winter and now a dishwasher that hasn t worked for over a month When I follow up I either get vague responses or get ignored altogether I ve tried to be recipient and polite but it s starting to feel like my concerns don t matter I ve even offered to find my own repairperson and deduct it from rent but I was communicated that s not allowed I pay my rent on time every month and have never caused any issues so it s frustrating to feel like I m being brushed off I really don t want to jeopardize my lease renewal or come across as a concern tenant but this is starting to affect my comfort and peace of mind in a serious way How can I advocate for myself and push to get these repairs handled promptly without risking my good standing with my landlord or losing an apartment I otherwise love Landlord Concerns DEAR LANDLORD CONCERNS Now is the time to get the help of your city You can call and record your landlord Related Articles Dear Abby Why are a few of these old people so cranky Asking Eric Yoga was my refuge but my copycat co-worker is ruining it Harriette Cole My friend s boyfriend made mean jokes about me in community Miss Manners Their gift to me was grabbed out of a casket Dear Abby My husband says I m a sourpuss because I don t like his anniversary plan Have a list handy of all of your issues Make sure to articulate your concerns clearly and be able to prove that they have not been addressed Gather any texts or written messages that exist between you and your landlord to serve as proof of your suggests Sometimes tenants can put their rent in an escrow account meaning it doesn t go to the landlord right away but is withheld and stored in a safe place until repairs are made Consult a lawyer before taking that step however You do have rights Don t let your landlord intimidate you Get help Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams You can send questions to askharriette harriettecole com or c o Andrews McMeel Syndication Walnut St Kansas City MO