Am I right to do this? (co-habiting)

kiss_me_now9

I rent a room in a 5 bed room student house. Originally, 4 Chinese people moved into the other rooms. They always have people around at every single time of day, for indefinite periods, but these people rarely stay over night. (A couple of the girls have boyfriends who stay for a couple of days, but nothing major - my BF stays a couple of days occasionally).

However, about 10 days ago, a new girl appeared in my kitchen and introduced herself as having moved in and she pointed in the direction of the front bedroom. Having not seen the girl who does live in the front bedroom for a few days, I assumed that they'd changed places and she'd taken over her contract on the sly - something I wasn't happy with the thought of but if she's going to pay rent and bills who cares, right? Anyway, it has become very apparent over the last week that she's not moved into the front room, but rather moved into the other downstairs room and is sharing it with the guy who originally lived there. I'm presuming they're going out as it's a double bed room, but it's really none of my business...

How do I know that she's definitely moved in? I asked her a couple of days ago about the front room and she replied no, I live in the back room, the girl in the front room is away for a fortnight which explains why I haven't seen her. She's also just yesterday had a delivery for an extra office chair, desk and drawer chest. It doesn't take a genius to work out that you don't buy these things if you're only staying for a week or so and that if the room already has one of each of these things already, you don't need another unless someone else moves in.

I plan to email my estate agents and tell them this - is that the right thing to do?

BitterAndTwisted

What is the basis of your tenancy: individual ones for the rooms you occupy or a joint-and-several one which legally ties you and all of the other tenants together?

kiss_me_now9

I'm not certain I have a sheet that names a lead tenant however we pay for our rooms separately and when I was looking at moving out I had to fill my place, but the estate agents were having to draw up a whole new contract for the house?

lynzpower

should this property be a licensed HMO? I wonder?

Is there a license?

kiss_me_now9

There are 5 bedrooms so yes, it is a licensed property.

I'm more worried about the fact that everyone tells me I'm just making trouble by reporting her, but if I don't what can happen legally?

BitterAndTwisted

Legally, probably not very much. I'd be more worried about higher bills, more wear-and-tear and greater potential damage being done as a consequence of more people living there and the lead-tenant being a foreign national who's responsible for returning my deposit to me.

princeofpounds

You MUST confirm if this is a joint tenancy or you just rent the room. It's critical to how to proceed.

kiss_me_now9

Sorry, just found my paperwork, it's a joint tenancy with 5 names on it.

lynzpower

kiss_me_now9 wrote: »

Sorry, just found my paperwork, it's a joint tenancy with 5 names on it.

Does it ean you are joint and severably liable ie if they don't pay thier rent you have to?