Lodgers

poppyscorner

Hi just wanted to say good luck to you.
I don't think you are money grabbing I think they are a couple of freeloaders you shouldn't be paying for them to live in your home your bf should be supporting you on this not criticising you for expecting them to pay their fair share.
Show them exactly what you have to pay out and is there any chance you could pick up some details of local properties or rooms for rent then you can always say if you don't like it here is the alternative not nasty but may help them get it into perspective.
I do think it needs sorting though as its something that is gonna cause resentment and that aint good for you and your bf you have enough bills of your own without paying other peoples.
Good luck!!
Poppy

pollyanna24

Haven't even told them about the "meeting" yet, and I must admit I am not looking forward to it. I can just see their jaws drop. But there comes a point when me and bf have to think about ourselves too. Why should we be penalised and have to subsidise them because we were sensible and saved money since we got together at 18 to buy a house? Although they will think we are greedy, we have a 3 bed room and why shouldn't we make a bit of money to help pay the mortgage?!

It has been causing major tensions between me and bf cos "it's all I go on about apparently and why did I agree to the lodgers if I was going to be like this?!" etc etc. But things should be a lot more smoother and I won't be monitoring how many cups of coffee they drink, and how many times they put the washing machine on etc, and won't whinge so much when they leave the shed light on (why do they need a light on in the shed when we are all in the house?!!!!!)

Me and bf still haven't decided on a figure, I'm sticking to my guns about £100 extra each. Think we will tell them either tonight or tomorrow.

Eeek!!!

EDIT: One extra point my bf was going on about was that we are supposed to be helping them out. But we are, aren't we, by letting them stay? They have full time jobs (or are perfectly capable of getting one), haven't been through a terrible family crisis, so there is no reason why they shouldn't be paying their way, is there? Why does helping them out have to mean they get away with paying not much simply because they are friends and family?

BettyDebt

Your argument in return - you HAVE helped them out with reduced rent so far and you've been footing the bill. They've had enough time to get on their feet and now its time for you to get together some money for your future plans. Do you think they will be there with the mortgage repayments when baby comes along or your need money? You think people will but not many do!

paddy's_mum

In a post much earlier in this thread you commented that it was nice to find people who agreed with you. You've missed the point! They are not agreeing with you because it's you. They are agreeing, all these people, many of them perfect strangers, because they can see that what you are suggesting is FAIR - no other reason!

Good luck with the imminent family sort out and if it becomes hard going, just ask them to find the lodgings where YOU can get all that for the peanuts a month they are currently paying. If they can find such a cushy number, you of course will sell your house, bank the money and live the life of Riley!

pollyanna24

Thanks everyone for all your replies. For all I know, we could walk in there tonight, mention it to them and they go, "Yeah, fine okay." So maybe I'm worrying about nothing!

pollyanna24

Well, we had the meeting, but it didn't come out the way it was intended.

I was having a bit of a row with the friend about the food situation and bf heard this, so decided to have the meeting there and then on Friday. He got the two of them in the kitchen and just told them their rent was going up. He's a lot more tactful than me, apologised, said our costs were going up etc. and that we were trying to help out, but we were putting our hands in our own pockets etc. and that this was supposed to be a chance for us as well. I jumped in occasionally, but I'm rude when I get angry and I was already hepped up, so mainly let him do the talking.

Brother was fine about it. He could see where we were coming from and had already been looking in papers for somewhere else as he thinks he is a burden to us. He knows how much it much it is elsewhere and is grateful for what we do.

Friend, on the other hand, looked really cheesed off and said it changed a few things for him (not towards us, but his money situation - get a bloody job then!). But accepted that he has to pay more. He did try and get out of it though, cheeky so and so. Said he didn't have dinner 2 days a week, so why did he have to pay so much? Oooh, that almost started me off again. I just said, anywhere else, you'd have to pay what we want to charge you and more, buy your own food, and lo and behold, cook it too!!!

Justie

well at least it's been said and it sounds like the brother at least knows he's been on a good thing! I'm sure the friend will too he was probably just on the defensive as he was faced with it.

Hope things now settle down between you and your BF as that's got to be the priority :beer:

seven-day-weekend

The lodgers who live with my son in my house in the UK pay £300 pcm (for a double room) and £236 pcm (for a large single room). This includes all the bills apart from food.

There is one bathroom in the house which all three of them have to share.
They can use the telephone to make calls providing they have our son's permission (calls to mobiles are barred). They also have (shared) a sitting room, dining room, kitchen, cellar for storage, workshop for hobbies (they are all Games Workshop addicts), and a nice garden which they don't even have to maintain. They have Virgin Media TV and wireless broadband.

This may give you some idea of what to charge your 'lodgers', who seem to be paying around half of what is fair to you and them.

Dan_Thunder

pollyanna24 wrote: »

Well, we had the meeting, but it didn't come out the way it was intended.

I was having a bit of a row with the friend about the food situation and bf heard this, so decided to have the meeting there and then on Friday. He got the two of them in the kitchen and just told them their rent was going up. He's a lot more tactful than me, apologised, said our costs were going up etc. and that we were trying to help out, but we were putting our hands in our own pockets etc. and that this was supposed to be a chance for us as well. I jumped in occasionally, but I'm rude when I get angry and I was already hepped up, so mainly let him do the talking.

Brother was fine about it. He could see where we were coming from and had already been looking in papers for somewhere else as he thinks he is a burden to us. He knows how much it much it is elsewhere and is grateful for what we do.

Friend, on the other hand, looked really cheesed off and said it changed a few things for him (not towards us, but his money situation - get a bloody job then!). But accepted that he has to pay more. He did try and get out of it though, cheeky so and so. Said he didn't have dinner 2 days a week, so why did he have to pay so much? Oooh, that almost started me off again. I just said, anywhere else, you'd have to pay what we want to charge you and more, buy your own food, and lo and behold, cook it too!!!

Congrats though! It's often the hardest thing to do, giving people 'bad' news. At least the hard bit's over and done with now (hopefully!).