Re: Lodger...Wrong Choice? Help Please

zzzLazyDaisy

Get rid of the lodger. Then if you wish to take another lodger, lay down clear ground rules BEFORE they move in. One of my rules is - no bringing GF's or BF's back for overnight stays. If that isn't acceptable, they won't move in. Problem solved.

I do this because I once had a lodger who moved her BF in - after 10 days and no sign of going I said that if he intended to stay he would have to pay rent. He refused to make any contribution as he was paying board to his mum and most of his stuff was still at his mum's house, so technically he wasn't living at my house at all, just visiting.

I had heck of a game with the pair of them and ending up having to ask them both to leave.

You live and learn.

robin_banks

TBH you'd have no one wanting to stay with you then. I've lodged and been a lodger and I do think it's a pretty basic right to allow them to have thier partner over to stay but cetainly not to live thier.

lush_walrus

We have had lodgers in the past and as others have said set out the rules before they move in, one of them being not to use our things (like our computers, laptops etc) the other that it is only them to be here, no friends, no gfs or bfs etc.

We had people coming and going for years quite happily and found all of them kept to the rules, if they pulled they went to the other persons place. The difference between having a flat/house and living in someone elses home is that as a tennant only your belongings are in the property and therefore you risk only what is yours by bringing random people back, as a tennant you risk other peoples belongings. Therefore it is reasonable to not expect to be allowed to bring anyone into the property.

naturally_2

I would say overnight visitors are allowed, but not if they disturb you (on a regular basis, I wouldn't worry about the odd time), and in my initial chat with them I would say not if its a different girl every night of the week. I'd also have a contract that states any damage that their guests do is their responsibility to pay for, and I'd ask for references. Oh, and I'd say in the contract overnight visitors for no more than X days a week. If I thought they were the type to sow their seed aplenty, I wouldn't allow them to move in. If I thought they would have the odd one night stand that would be ok with me, as long as I thought they wouldn't bring any idiot mates or conquests home who would be loud and trash the place. I think you have to judge their personnality, really.

In this day and age I do think landlords who say they don't want any overnight visitors are the minority. I have rejected landlords who say no overnight visitors and found accomodation elsewhere (and I dont' sleep around, I just don't like that attitude)

melski09

you cant have a contract for someone whos renting a room in your house, tell him to go asap, sounds like hes taking the !!!! a bit, he is young tho so bound to try it on to see how much he can get away with.

Catblue

Sounds like your lodger has listened to you and promptly ignored everything that you said to him.

He will only get worse. Get rid.

PasturesNew

Maybe you should point out to this lad that he's better suited to a house share. Being a lodger is a completely different ballgame because it's the landlord's house so the LL will be more aware/annoyed by things than like-minded people would be in a shared house.

Perhaps the way forward is to point out to him the differences between a lodger and a house-share and how at 21 he probably needs a house share so he's more able to do his own thing among people just like him.

Amy78

well i am the landlady
when he visited he asked me if is girlfriend living abroad could come from time to time in week end i said yes
though in the meantime he changed girlfriend and brough her without telling me situation changed
when he brought her 6 evenings in a row i asked him, joking, if she had moved in she overhead me and took it very badly so she left at 10.30 that night
next day he was not talking to me so i told him she could come from time to time as agreed when he visited the flat though he said i did hurt her
i told him ok from time to time
which for him means that on 26 days she came and stayed over 16 times
is this normal or should i once again say something or should i just ask him to leave?
without counting i clean all common areas and he is in his 30's

poppysarah

Amy78 wrote: »

which for him means that on 26 days she came and stayed over 16 times

No. That's out of order in my opinion.

But it's up to you. If you're happy to have the two of them there all the time then that's fine. But how much more hot water will it mean etc

Catblue

Amy78 wrote: »

well i am the landlady
when he visited he asked me if is girlfriend living abroad could come from time to time in week end i said yes
though in the meantime he changed girlfriend and brough her without telling me situation changed
when he brought her 6 evenings in a row i asked him, joking, if she had moved in she overhead me and took it very badly so she left at 10.30 that night
next day he was not talking to me so i told him she could come from time to time as agreed when he visited the flat though he said i did hurt her
i told him ok from time to time
which for him means that on 26 days she came and stayed over 16 times
is this normal or should i once again say something or should i just ask him to leave?
without counting i clean all common areas and he is in his 30's

Ask him to leave. Tell him that you were very clear at the beginning that you were renting a room to one person only.