Problem with lodger, what to do?!!

spinningsheep

Right, I will try and keep this as brief as I can, bear with me!

I rent a 4 bed house, its my name on the tenancy, mine alone, but with my landlady's blessing I sub let 3 rooms to friends. Now, one I have lived with for over 2 years, one was a "friend of a friend" and he's fine, no problems, the 3rd is a friend of ALL of us, but she is becoming a little problematic and I am reaching the end of my rope, I just want to make sure you guys dont think im being unreasonable! We each pay £300 into a bills account which ALL the household expenses from bills and rent right down to bread and milk are bought from. So the lodgers pay £300 ALL IN. She moved in with us in Dec, as she had recently split from her husband and she hated living alone in the house she was renting, so she moved in and ended her tenancy early. Now, the stress of the marrige break up and leaving her daughter etc meant that she was off work with depression etc, so far so good, full pay etc. She then went down to half pay, and things started to get a bit flaky where she couldn't pay for her bills, but was still paying rent. In Jan, she bought a motorbike on finance, but she hasn't passed her test yet! so she is paying £85 a month for a bike that is sat in the drive unused! Last month she was £60 short on her part of the rent/bills and I said as a favour she could catch up this month, but she announced last night that she has only been paid £300 as she is now down to SSP! Now she says dont worry as she will pay what she owes, but I cannot help but worry as the whole house is my name, if she doesnt pay, it wont IMMEDIATELY affect her. So, I plan on asking her to explain exactly what she intends to do, asI cant afford to let her fall short again, but I will find it really hard to ask her to leave, but I cant see any other option at the moment, I feel bad but I cant let this go on, do you think I am doing right?

BettyDebt

I do think you just have to be up front and have an honest coversation. Stating you are in no position to cover any of her costs and feel for her situation but things cant continue. You'd like a break down of payment dates and what she proposes if she cannot find the money.

Then politely say that if things dont improve then she can of course stay on the sofa for 2 weeks while she finds somewhere else to live but you unfortunately will have to find a new lodger. Its hard being honest but if dont discuss this soon it will become a huge issue and you will be out of pocket more. It also isnt fair on the others that contribute fully.

Good luck!

Planner

I would suggest that if you have your landladys consent to sub-let the rooms then they are in fact tenants (with the full range of rights that that intails) rather than lodgers.

Just something to consider before you plan your next actions.

ricll

Planner wrote: »

I would suggest that if you have your landladys consent to sub-let the rooms then they are in fact tenants (with the full range of rights that that intails) rather than lodgers.

Just something to consider before you plan your next actions.

they are actually subtenants, not tenants, and therefore don't have the same rights as the latter. Unless they are paying rent directly to the landlord, which doesn't seem to be the case.

spinningsheep

yes you're correct, the rent is paid to me in cash and that is then paid into a seperate household account, the rent is on a standing order from that account to the landlady, the ONLY tenant on the tenancy is me. We just had a talk when she came in from getting her car fixed (£50 i might add) and she assures me that she will pay in full on time by a week today so the 3rd. If that comes and goes then I will be forced to ask her to seek alternative arrangements, but I will feel really bad. If I put myself in her shoes i would certainly not expect to live rent free, especially when paying the loan for a bike you cant ride is taking priority over your rent and living.

Planner

spinningsheep wrote: »

If that comes and goes then I will be forced to ask her to seek alternative arrangements, but I will feel really bad.

This is where the tenant/lodger distinction becomes particularly important. In practice she has the majority of rights that you have in terms of security of tenure.

Do you have any type of written agreement with her and if so is it for a particular period? (Sorry this isnt necessarily your original question but it will be important should you ask her to move on).

Have you suggested she speaks to the Council to see if she is entitled to Housing BEnifit (LHA) etc?

spinningsheep

hi, no, no written agreements at all, I did'nt want that, as it was never a permenant arrangement, but I imagined she would be here longer than 3 months! She is basically contributing to the bills, no formal agreement in place at all.