Just how normal IS this revolting teenage mess?

foreign_correspondent

Steph998 wrote: »

GreyPilgrim wrote: »

His 'own' student flat? )

he lives there rent free, F/M pays rent.

So I'm the Landlord. :cool:

I would change the 'living there rent free' set-up if it were me - part of being at uni is learning how to budget and cope, and I think he may feel more responsible if it was his own flat, or if at least he was behaving like it was, by paying rent, rather than a freebie given to him.

Does it not create a strange dynamoc between him and his flatmate of he is living rent free whilst his flatmate pays rent?

kiwifruit_2

Steph998 wrote: »

GreyPilgrim wrote: »

His 'own' student flat? )

GreyPilgrim wrote: »

Grey, I'm afraid there is a whole other thread devoted to this floating around somewhere on MSE. I don't want to bore anyone with it again...basically DS is OH step son, and they do not get on. We thought about Halls for uni, but far too expensive. We are in the fortunate position to have been able to buy a flat (investment too) and he lives there rent free, F/M pays rent.

So I'm the Landlord. :cool:

as you are the Landlord it is in your best interest that the property is kept to a standard - Im sure you dont want complaints from neighbours of vermon running around as a result of the rubbish bags leaking etc....so if it were me id do a few things:
1 - Id have my son paying rent as well as the flatmate. You may own the property but he is living there and if I were the flatmate Id feel abit bitter at paying rent to live in squalor.
2. Id give written notice that the property was to be 'cleaned' up in 7 days - all rubbish disposed of properly etc etc
3. Id charge both the son and the flatmate to clean the place weekly seeing as they cant/wont do it. Im presuming they arent made of money and money for a cleaner will be an expense not really wanted

On a serious note - the property is an investment for you. Even though he is your son and you are doing him a favour, his lack of respect for you is shown by his lack of responsibility at living cleanly.

sooz

start behaving like his LL then!

Charge him rent & then send a letter, giving them a deadline for a proper inspection.

Steph998

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

I would change the 'living there rent free' set-up if it were me - part of being at uni is learning how to budget and cope?

Thanks for your input....like I said...a whole other thread on the subject, so I don't really want to go into it again! Right or wrong, he pays all his own utilities, gas, elec, food, social etc etc. Just about manages on his non contract Pizza Hut job... he gets no Student Loan to speak of he simply has no money for rent at the moment. We want him to do well at Uni (chem engineering) so we don't mind letting him live there like this as I feel we basically threw him out in order for our marriage to survive. His student mate gets his rent paid by parents.

foreign_correspondent

My kid brother actually got evicted from halls at uni because his shared flat was so disgusting - I was horrified when I visited.

Thankfully, he learned his lesson and now has a lovely flat, which is always clean even if a little untidy at times!

I think you need to start charging him rent and insisting on a certain level of hygeine - squalor will attract vermin and create all sorts of other problems (ditched carpets etc) - tell him you can always move him out and let the flat to some other students who will both pay rent and keep it reasonably clean.

Kavanne

Ok so I own my own flat but when MiL came over this weekend she said she would come round once a month to clean if I paid her lol!

I think I will email her this story so she can count her blessings (Hi calli!)

Steph998

Thanks all...I sort of didn't want to get into the 'are we right or wrong to let him live in a flat rent free thing again'. We do....for our own reasons; why he had to move out, because we don't want to make money out of him, and he can't afford it. He does take responsibility for his living expenses.

So...do landlords come round and make you tidy up?

sandraroffey

harsh, but yes you must or he is going to take the mickey for ever!!!

what happens if he gets mice, rats or anything else and it spreads to other properties??

make him understand that inspections will be carried out on a four weekly basis until things improve hugely. anyone else would have kicked him into gear by now. when i rented a house out to students, they left the place in such a mess that i took them to court for the costs involved in getting evrything cleaned up. it was a huge amount more than there deposit. they also left without paying the last months rent.

dont let him get away with it, and charge him rent. this is not a free ride!!!!

foreign_correspondent

Steph998 wrote: »

Thanks all...I sort of didn't want to get into the 'are we right or wrong to let him live in a flat rent free thing again'. We do....for our own reasons; why he had to move out, because we don't want to make money out of him, and he can't afford it. He does take responsibility for his living expenses.

So...do landlords come round and make you tidy up?

Yes, my brother and his housemates were given written warnings to bring it up to a reasonable level of hygiene and when they failed to do so they were evicted, no bond returned, and quite rightly so.

Furpurse

Steph998 wrote: »

So...do landlords come round and make you tidy up?

We knew when the Landlord was due to pop round so just shoved everything into cupboards until he left