Fair House Rules? Increase Rent?!

Pintsizedmel

:j

Hi there everyone. So my dilemma…. I live with my best friend – instant bad idea but I took her in when her bf cheated on her and she had nowhere to go with her little doggie.

Its been up and down over last 4months since she moved in, but were getting there hopefully. I just feel like a nag and I know she think that!!! Ive put down some house rules finally this week which I should of done in the beginning….i wanted to know if you feel its reasonable? As it doesn’t really happen currently. They are:

Keep kitchen tidy after use and not have long periods of dish pile ups
Hoover everyday between us (her dog drops a lot of hair on carpets upstairs and im allergic to it hence why I don’t think this is extreme and im always hoovering)
Sweep laminate floors downstairs once each a week (again for hair)
Scoop up the dog poo in garden (I picked up 11 last week lol gross!)
Finally take turns putting away dried wash clothes.

Secondily I have lived in my 2 bed house for 2 years, and have had 2 people in previously temporarily. I charged 400, my bills and rent bring me to £1000 by myself living there. So I felt this was fair. When my friend moved in we never discussed rent and she assumed it was still 400 even though that was a year earlier. Although its a room rental with her been my friend she gets full use of the house has a garden for her dog, and has her bf over a couple times a week.

I have just received a new electricity and gas bill and my gas and electric is increasing again by 40pounds and my water a further 10 compared to when I used to have a 2nd person. Were all aware of how much cost of living is increasing. I would like to increase the rent to 420, 5 pounds extra per week. And im also going to discuss saving electricity/gas etc like putting tvs off standby as I have a 50inch downstairs and she has a 50inch in her room.

Advice would be great on whether im been a fair landlady , im not very good at this stuff

beccals

Hi,

Poor you, this sounds like a really awkward situation. I've lived in many house shares over the years and I think that what you're proposing sounds entirely fair.

Keeping the house tidy should be a given really and as for the increase in rent that you are proposing, I'd say that was more than reasonable. At the end of the day, the cost of living for everyone has gone up and if I was your friend I wouldn't want you to be short due to excessive bills.

Good luck with it

sammyjammy

Seems more than fair to me but why is the dog pooing in the garden at all? Does it not get walked regularly? If that is going to contniue she needs to pick it up every day!

cte1111

It sounds reasonable to me. Hope your friend takes it in the spirit is intended.

Pintsizedmel

Thanks guys its nice to hear a little
Support as I feel when it's a friend you just feel like they think your a nagging cow but we all have bills to pay. :T

propertyman

Gives a wider picture as to why she is single...:cool:

I'd suggest that you approach it that you are finding it harder to help out when there are little frustrations- but be prepared that she may have one or two niggles about you. That may make it easier to reach agreement...

Why not reduce the rent and split the utilities?

Start with "the electricity contract is being renewed" and work out units from the last bill and how much that is for the year. That the last person was frugal means you were really lucky, and it;s an unfair benchmark.It's the risk of having a sharer- especially your friends.

But there's nothing like having to pay for stuff to change your ways.

DRP

everything reasonable to me apart from the hoovering every day which think is a bit excessive and would feel like a PITA to me.

If the hair really is that bad could you restrict the mutt to certain rooms?

Pintsizedmel

Good idea I didn't think that altho not sure shed like that.

Cisco001

Rules seems reasonable expect hoover everyday. But if you are allergic, you have no choice.

You mention her BF stay over a few time. Why don't her move out with BF?

krlyr

DRP wrote: »

everything reasonable to me apart from the hoovering every day which think is a bit excessive and would feel like a PITA to me.

If the hair really is that bad could you restrict the mutt to certain rooms?

If the dog sheds a lot (sounds like it does if OP feeds hoovering necessary daily) then fur will definately travel even if the dog is restricted. My dogs aren't allowed upstairs (large breeds prone to joint problems so its for their benefit) but the fur manages to make its way all up the stairs, along the hallway and even into the bedroom!
When I shared with my brother and his girlfriend, I hoovered daily - and I took sole responsibility for that, not alternating with them. It's a pain, but not everyone chooses to have dog fur over their clothes/in their dinner/etc. and hoovering daily will help prevent this. I'd be grateful enough that a friend let me move in with my dog (as it can be difficult to rent with pets) that I'd not find daily hoovering a chore. And that's not taking into account an allergy! (btw OP, if your friend can spare the cash, get her to take a look at something like Petalcleanse - you wipe it over the dog and it breaks down the dander which causes most allergies. Might make your symptoms a bit less severe! PAH do their own brand version in wipes too apparently)
The dog poo thing is out of order too - I would insist this is scooped (by her, not alternating) daily. Especially if she's going to be staying with you longterm when the weather warms up, it will attract lots of flies.

Pintsizedmel

I would look into those wipes that's a really good idea :-) I do t mind buying them myself.