Lodger didn't move in on date agreed - tricky Q - can anyone help?

ali-t

Just get rid! I have also had a few lodgers over the years and have now learned that if I have any niggles about them or don't feel 100% positive about them they are not moving in.

The current one has been a nightmare for breaking things and just being generally skanky but if I had taken heed of the flippant comment she made about her current housemate saying she uses too much electricity I wouldn't have been saddled with someone who permanantly has a fan heater on even when her windows are open and who only uses the intensive 2.5 hour wash on the machine and only dries her washing in the dryer even when it is roasting outside. Hindsight is wonderful. Anway rant over and escape while you can.

bundly

Oh dear what a nightmare, poor you!

You are right of course. Just look for the warning signs, the Red Flag behaviour, and combine that with Gut Feeling.

Do you think I should return his deposit, even though he has caused me loss of income?

Oh, I forgot to say, it also costs me £15pw to advertise a room in the local paper (the only place that everyone looks for a room). So that is an additional expense I will incur as a result of this man's messing me about.

taxsaver

Bundly, I feel that you have every right to hold on to the £200 that you have in hand. As you rightly state, he has cost you many weeks in lost rent already, plus time, effort, aggravation and further advertising costs.

It seems that you have already e-mailed him about his breach of contract anyway, so if the person that you've just shown round proceeds then go with him and Mr 'Welcher' can chase you for the money if he wishes.

pinkshoes

If he's needing to sell furniture just to pay his deposit, then he sounds unreliable.

"Dear <lodger's name>,

As per the email on <date>, you have agreed to rent a room from 1st May 2011 at £75/week, along with paying a deposit of £300. As you have only paid £200 of the deposit, and have now changed your moving in date and refusing to pay any more deposit, I hereby give you your notice to end the lodger agreement, and expect the room to be vacated on the 16th May 2011. The room is being charged at £75/week from the 1st May 2011, so I will deduct this from your deposit.

Regards"

dehydrato

To my mind, you were the one who accepted to wait until he could move in on the 1st May so therefore you have to take that "dead" time as a financial hit, along with the advertising, you choose to do that, not him.

He has chosen to mess you around and not pay you for the 16 days where your room should be occupied so I would return to him £28.57 (£200 deposit less 16 days rent at £10.71).

bundly

pinkshoes wrote: »

If he's needing to sell furniture just to pay his deposit, then he sounds unreliable.

He's selling his furniture because he is moving from an unfurnished one bedroom flat to a furnished room in a shared house. There is no way I can accommodate his king size bed, freezer, three piece suite, fridge etc etc.

THANK YOU so much for writing me a draft message to send him! That is very kind!

G_M

You held the room for him for several weeks, thereby losing potential rent and (perhaps) turning away other lodgers. By failing to take up the accomodation on the agreed date he forfeits the deposit you are holding.

Keep it. Write and explain why, and wish him good luck in the future.

bundly

Thanks GM

Since he agreed to take the room and gave me the deposit I have had about seven calls for the room, and turned them all away, except the most recent, who I invited round yesterday to view.

So, in fact, had I not taken the deposit, the room could have been let as early as the end of March, as in my experience most people looking for a room in a house are usually ready to move in within a week, no more than two.

ffacoffipawb

bundly wrote: »

World English Dictionary

welsh or welch

1. to fail to pay a gambling debt
2. to fail to fulfil an obligation

[C19: of unknown origin]

That is my only reply. Other than this, I don't feed trolls.

I have used this forum since 2003. You joined 6 years later - who's the troll?

Racist comment reported to MSE Admin.

And I guess he didn't want to share with a racist.

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Darlyd

Why can't you just write him a cheque for the full amount he has given you, along with a letter (send recorded) to say basicly no Thank You ? Not fair keeping his money, Could be genuine, Or maybe not. I wouldn't take that risk, I would move on. You said yourself you have had lot's of interest.