Nightmare flatmate has moved partner in

andy.m_2

*what* does putting an asterix pre and post a word signify?

Do you use more rent while the BF is in town?
Sure the bills may go up a few pence on gas/electric but are you spending more on food as a result?

You are manufacturing hardship in my opinion, sit it out and then have a party on may 1st, life is way too short to care, which is what your landlord probably thinks.

hoojaa

Hi ruggedtoast: I think the LL will care about a stranger living in the flat and having a key. Some LLs are extremely sensitive about anything that isn't specifically approved in the contract, how often guests stay, pets, blue-tack on walls, etc, and check regularly. Some not so much. But I think most would see a new flatmate in a similar way I do - a form of stealing. To some extent flats are per person, rather than per room. Rooms are often advertised at a higher rate for couples. This reflects the fact you are paying for use of the whole flat, not just the room you sleep in. The LL is being denied this income; in this situation the bf is getting the utility of the flat for free. No one agreed to this, and it's not fair.

MAYBE this LL is one of those that won't care. We'll have to see.

(I have taken the point I need to dig out this contract and will do so this weekend.)

Aside from that I think he'll just be looking to see what the easist and most secure option is. He wants money coming in, he wants reassurance that money will *keep* coming in (i.e. reliability), the flat kept in order, and the neighbours etc not to be bothered.

If I can demonstrate the other flatmate is messing him around, highlight the risk that he could lose both tenants if things go unchecked, and offer a solid alternative, then I think he'll be interested. He knows that I can afford to pay for the flat myself and I've paid rent 100% on-time since arriving over a year ago, so there will be no 'cash flow problems' at my end. She is (presumably) trying to save money any which way she can by sneaking the bf in, so she's clearly not that attractive a tenant anymore.

I have digressed in this thread though - fair enough I won't be boring him with too many details!

hoojaa

I think this may count as a double-post; I'm fairly new to forums, so apologies if I'm breaking forum etiquette.

Hi andy.m: I take your point. It does occur to me 'maybe I should have just moved out', 'maybe I should just keep my mouth shut and wait for it to be over'. But: I've done a lot of that in this flat. It seems she now thinks I'm a push-over. Ok, so I screwed up, I should have pushed back harder, earlier. Actually I did a few times, and boy the things she comes back with! Nasty.

These people are unpleasant to be around. I genuinely don't like them being in my home. They are now always there. Always. Previously, she would actually leave the flat on occasion, I'd get it to myself. Now every evening is a mission.

If you take the stance that the rent I pay/the contract I entered into grants me a certain cash-to-use (or enjoyment) of the flat ratio, that ratio goes down. I'm paying the same money but I enjoy the flat a lot less. I have to wait for him to get out of the shower in the morning. I can't go in the lounge unless I fancy an evening of extreme hostility and snide comments. In fact, they seem to occupy every room in short intervals on rotation. I basically have to work around them if I want to have a night without being passive-aggressively abused.

Imagine you bought a car. But then someone turned up with keys at night and drove it off. Ok they returned it by the morning, so you still use it when you need it. But it's your flippin' car. Aside from say, calling the police (you paid for it, it is your property!), you'd think: either get your own car, or start paying me to use mine. There is no expectation of sharing.

Of course you guys don't care about my dispute with her, and I totally get that. But I pay to live here, and I expect that to mean something. I am entitled to be here. He is not. And I'm not some wallflower who will meekly take it. I'm just nice, I'm not a doormat. I've made that clear to the flatmate. Hasn't worked so far. So I want to try another approach. I believe/hope the contract I have with the LL brings the law on my side.

But again, I do take your point. If she really is leaving in 6/7 weeks maybe the value is in not fighting. I'm not sure though. I wouldn't put it past her to try and spring another month, with bf, on me.

PS I use asterisks because I keep forgetting there's an italics option. I guess I'm sensitive I'm writing a lot so I'm keen to emphasise. Again, if there's forum style issues I'm happy to modify.

jamie11

If the other tenant leaves then I suggest you take on the whole tenancy in your own name. You could then have a lodger to make up the rent lost from the other joint tenant. Any problems with lodgers are easily solved.

olly300

jamie11 wrote: »

If the other tenant leaves then I suggest you take on the whole tenancy in your own name. You could then have a lodger to make up the rent lost from the other joint tenant. Any problems with lodgers are easily solved.

She will need approval from the landlord to do this.

The landlord will not want to be involved with this sub-tenant for legal reasons.

jamie11

olly300 wrote: »

She will need approval from the landlord to do this.

The landlord will not want to be involved with this sub-tenant for legal reasons.

No she wont.

Niv

I think you are dwelling a little too much on the money split of having a third person around. It is real (i.e there are three people there full time so the council tax etc should be split three ways) but its not worth the hasstle at this point and it also signifies that he is 'welcome'.

I have had a situation where i moved into a rented house with a (now ex) friend. Things were fine at first, then he lost his job so I had to pay for more communal things including food (we were good friedns afterall), then he got a job, only it was late night shift works so I had to tip toe around when I got in at ~1800 for fear of waking him and getting into an arguement etc.

In the end I decided I had had enough and moved out. I paid my share of teh rent to the end of teh tenancy and washed my hands of him and the place.

In retrospect I am not bitter, the (relatively) small amount of money I lost out on was not really in dispute, I was more upset over the breakdown of the friendship.

I rambled on with my story to show you that i know where you are coming from so am not 'on the outside looking in' or giving a perfect world view.

What I would do in your situation is:
Stop buying any cleaning products - seems poontless from what you ahve already said
Stop cleaning communal areas
Start to remove a few obvious personal items from communal areas (to get your housemate thinking / wind her up a bit) - you can 'pretend' that your starting to pack
Be civil if you bump into them (just a Hi in passing I mean)

Stop thinking of this flat as your home, in reality it is both yours and your (ex) friends home. You do not have any rights above her rights. This is a rented place, its not your 'dream home' you are not tied to this friend via a mortgage etc. Six months is a long time to be made miserable but its not a long time overall. Consider moving out or even at least ask the LL if he has any other properties that may be coming up for rent. It shows you are serious about resolving teh issue and are prepared to move if need be.

Niv

BlondeHeadOn

Doesn't having 3 people there make this fall under the definition for a house of multiple occupancy? I thought 3 or more tenants triggered this?

In whcih case the LL might not be at all happy about the extra uninvited third person....

What is an HMO?

An HMO is a property that is shared by three or more tenants who are not members of the same family. Depending on the exact type of HMO some landlords must have a licence from the council.

All HMOs, whether the landlord needs a license or not, are subject to Management Regulations and Inspections under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)

etc. etc.

Niv

BlondeHeadOn wrote: »

Doesn't having 3 people there make this fall under the definition for a house of multiple occupancy? I thought 3 or more tenants triggered this?

In whcih case the LL might not be at all happy about the extra uninvited third person....

What is an HMO?

An HMO is a property that is shared by three or more tenants who are not members of the same family. Depending on the exact type of HMO some landlords must have a licence from the council.

All HMOs, whether the landlord needs a license or not, are subject to Management Regulations and Inspections under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)

etc. etc.

No, because he is not a tenant, he is a house guest.

SavvyStudentSaver

I know exactly how you feel, honestly. I couldn't imagine what it would have been like should I have been on a periodic tenancy when I went through this though, because there's nothing concrete to rely on. My sympathies are with you.

My advice would be to give the LL notice to terminate the tenancy between the two of you, and asking to have a new contract in your name as soon as possible (which avoids a bonus for the LL). That should work, because if he doesn't agree to a contract with you, he either faces a void, or has to ask the other tenant who has already moved a partner in, and may therefore seem the less appealing option.