My Debt-Free Plan...HOOS and the Case of the Incredible Exploding Oven!! :-o

Head-Out-Of-Sand

Right - I've decided if I'm going to keep the lodgers as they are, I need to have a "house meeting" just to reiterate some ground rules...(actually non-annoying lodger's idea, he's obviously more of a sensible grown-up than me!)..it's booked in for 6pm tonight.

What I'm going to say is...

1) Dishes - I don't want dirty dishes lying around in my home, so new rule is that dishes MUST be cleaned within 24hrs of use. This is non-negotiable, as there is no earthly reason why anyone cannot manage this.

2) I'm going to mention that I've noticed a few things going missing/being used i.e. food and drink, and want to point out that although in some shared houses people may think it's ok, it really winds me up and is not OK here. New rule number 2 = if you did not buy it you may not use it. Simples.

3) Cleaning - I need people to help me out with keeping the house a nice place to live in, because I'm doing my best but cleaning one room leaves me in pain. If I can manage to do mine, surely no one else has a better excuse. Plus, it's in their tenancy agreements, so tough titties.

Will log back on later on to update...can't imagine there will be any fireworks, other than possibly from me if a certain person tries to argue that 2 weeks is a reasonable time to leave dishes...:mad:

In other news - got my bank charges claim all ready to go...will have access to a printer on Wednesday so will be sending it all off RD then. Fingers crossed!!

tasha-debt

How did the meeting go?

ExNicotineQueen

Head Out Of Sand – I sat here for the past half hour and read your diary from start to finish (when I should have been working lol). I totally empathise with your situation re lodgers, I am another shared householder (although not the LL), I too have trouble with my other housemates leaving the place dirty, can’t tidy up after themselves, noise problems etc so I totally know what you are going through. :grouphug:

I just don’t know how some people are brought up, honestly! :mad: And as for leaving the oven on and doors unlocked, oh yes, again, been there, done that! It’s just so not funny, I feel constantly on edge everytime I get home and anytime one of them decides to cook I have to go downstairs afterwards to double check that they turned the gas off on the cooker/oven off/windows closed etc.

You sound very similar to me, mid (does 27 still count as mid?:rotfl: ) twenties and I too want a cat when i get my own place. I don’t suppose you live anywhere near London do you?

I will subscribe to your thread and eagerly await your next instalment.

Head-Out-Of-Sand

It all went very smoothly I must say. No arguments from anyone it remains to be seen how long it'll last, but for now, the dishes have been done!

My arm is bad this week have contacted DWP to ask for an application pack for industrial injury benefit as apparently I am likely to be entitled to this. It's not means tested, just means that I have to have a medical examination. I suppose it's worth looking into whether I'm eligible for it. I could put it towards paying for a cleaner so I don't have to hurt my arm cleaning up!

Bit worried about work - the OH says I need to be put in a new job, but I've seen how people in the same position have been treated and it's not good. I know I'm going to have a fight on my hands when I go back and it makes me feel sick thinking about it. I guess it's a case of not giving them the opportunity to ignore their responsibilities and keeping a record of absolutely everything. It's just a bit scary having a report saying I'm no longer capable of doing my job but having no real idea of what else I'm going to do. I can only hope work don't go out of their way to try to disprove that they caused it (they quite clearly did, to me and numerous others, but I work for a huge organisation and they have access to excellent solicitors - mine will be chosen by the union so I don't know how good they are.) as this would make things harder for me to argue.

Mustn't dwell on it though - it could work out for the best & I could get a shiny new job to go to. Just really don't want to end up unemployed, unable to do comparable work and in debt. Not sure there's a great deal of jobs going for a one-handed typer who needs a break from the computer every 20 minutes not ideal.

Head-Out-Of-Sand

ExNicotineQueen wrote: »

Head Out Of Sand – I sat here for the past half hour and read your diary from start to finish (when I should have been working lol). I totally empathise with your situation re lodgers, I am another shared householder (although not the LL), I too have trouble with my other housemates leaving the place dirty, can’t tidy up after themselves, noise problems etc so I totally know what you are going through. :grouphug:

I just don’t know how some people are brought up, honestly! :mad: And as for leaving the oven on and doors unlocked, oh yes, again, been there, done that! It’s just so not funny, I feel constantly on edge everytime I get home and anytime one of them decides to cook I have to go downstairs afterwards to double check that they turned the gas off on the cooker/oven off/windows closed etc.

You sound very similar to me, mid (does 27 still count as mid?:rotfl: ) twenties and I too want a cat when i get my own place. I don’t suppose you live anywhere near London do you?

I will subscribe to your thread and eagerly await your next instalment.

Ha ha - I used to think I was just a loony-lodger magnet, but it seems I'm far from being in the minority!!! We should have some kind of bad-lodger register, although I'm sure there would be some problems along the data protection/slander lines!!

Nope I'm based oop north, but yes, I hope 27 still counts as mid twenties because my birthday's coming up soon and I'm not prepared to call myself "late twenties" yet!!!

How long do you think it will be until you are able to live alone with a feline companion?

ExNicotineQueen

How long do you think it will be until you are able to live alone with a feline companion?

My DFD is in line with yours so hopefully not too long after that when we can afford our own place.

Head-Out-Of-Sand

Good stuff, I know how you feel, can't wait to only have your own mess/noise/issues!!!

Head-Out-Of-Sand

WOOHOO!!! I've paid off my first £1000!! Well, £1080 to be precise yay!!! That's so exciting!!!!

So, that's two months worth of payments down, really pleased with how it's going! It's payday on Friday and I have £54 to last me...easy peasy! Got loads of food in, got some mystery shopping payments due, so may even be able to pay a bit extra off next week. Hurrah!!!

If I keep going this way, I will be in the clear by August 2010...If I get my bank charges back, it will be at least 2 months earlier...come oooon bank charges!!!

Head-Out-Of-Sand

DOH!!!

Just realised I need my passport renewed to book a holiday in September (all factored into the plan, won't affect my planned overpayments and is much needed - BF works around 50hrs a week average and I've argued him into a much needed holiday!) and just realised the fee for renewal is £70 odd!! Outrageous!!! How annoying is that, I knew it had gone up, but that seems very steep!!

Grrr. Ah well, the mystery shopping money will cover that, and I've already made my payments as planned this month. Still annoying though! AND I'll have to, you know, get myself looking vaguely presentable tomorrow morning and have ppt pictures taken. Aaaargh!!! :eek:

ExNicotineQueen

Well done hun! :T

Keep up the great work. That was really inspiring reading that on a Monday morning, thank you. :A

PPS - £70 for passport renewal? :eek: That's another one to add to the 'bunch of tea leafs' category alongside dentists :rotfl: