very scary lodger:please help!

grownupgirly

pinkshoes: Wish it were the case that shes not bothered about noise. Not so, as she complained to me about the other girl who moved out being really noisy; clumping up the stairs etc. Hey ho. What can you do.

seven-day-weekend

PJD wrote: »

It's not your problem, or your responsibility, as a landlord, to provide social care or selp help.

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I didn't actually mean that the OP should sort out the OCD problem! Merely making an observation.

benood

Think yourself lucky your previous lodger had to put up with her for 4 months!

grownupgirly

yeah, however, my previous lodger travelled alot with her job, she was only ever here one or two nights out of 14! (Now thats what I call a good lodger! (Actually, she was really great. We got on really well. I miss her!)

So I think that this is part of my current lodger's problem: she's got used to having the run of the place and feeling as if it was her place. Now 'the landlady' is back, it must be hard for her to adapt!

Grownupgirly.

PJD

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

I didn't actually mean that the OP should sort out the OCD problem! Merely making an observation.

Oh yes, that is exactly how I took your comment. I was just responding to grownupgirl's pondering on whether to raise the subject with the nutter. My point really was that it'll get her no-where, and would probably make the atmosphere worse, - if that's possible!

grownupgirly

yeah, I think you're right, PJD. Cheers!

niccy

get her sectioned, then charge £350 a week care in the community:D

HugoSP

If she's moving out in a month then make sure you know which date.

Have you a deposit from her? If so she'll want it back. When she is due to move out and have her deposit back, make sure you have a friend with you for support when all this happens. Do you have a BF? If so I would consider it his duty to stand by you. If not then get a male friend to be with you, especially someone she doesn't know. If she wants to be awkward his presence will put her completely offguard.

As a lodger she has few legal rights. The only thing she could do is claim back rent/deposit that is owed back to her. She does not have the same rights as a tenant, she effectively surrendered any assured tenancy she may have had (written or not) when you moved back in unapposed.

If she then comes up with an excuse for not moving out. Organise a 'moving out' crew to be available on the date whether she likes it or not!

I did this several years ago for a friend who was having major problems with a freeloading lodger.

They were renting a house from another friend of mine and Little Miss Freeloader was never very punctual with the rent. She had also given several moving out dates but kept changing her mind. In a rare moment when she had actually been paid up and one of her moving out dates came upon us, I politely introduced myself to her as a friend of the landlord, noted the fact that she was moving out and asked her how her packing was coming on. Neeless to say she hadn't started.

Now, I am 6'4" and deliberately adopted an aloof stance without wanting to appear too intimidating towards her. I felt this approach would deliver results as she didn't know me and wouldn't have the nerve to try and talk me round. It worked. I didn't feel good about myself at the time using my presence to deal with some young girl around 5'2" and slightly built, but she had been taking the micky in a major way and the other tenants couldn't afford to keep finding her share of the rent several weeks before she did.

I like to think that I behaved in the same way as a good police officer would have done. I used non polite, assertive and non threatening language only.

She quickly phoned her BF who came and helped her pack within about 15 minutes. Just as she was about to leave I asked her to come into the kitchen to discuss outstanding bills with the head tenant's GF. She legitimately owed £20, which she had no problems paying, although she did try to pass the buck saying that another tenant owed her the same money. I asserted that debt was a matter between her and a third party and she was at liberty to return to the house to resolve this, however this money was owed by her to the head tenant, and it should be paid forthwith. It was.

They never heard from her again. I like to think that she had the shock of her life and may have thought twice about freeloading from her next housemates. I bet she got back into the habit though. She is probably a kept woman by now, and why not if her husband is fine with it.

ceridwen

good one Hugo SP - liked your advice on thread. Have encountered similar myself - I would certainly echo the bit about being sure about leaving dates and not letting them "change their mind". I "helped" a former lodger stick to the date they had told me when they tried to "change their mind".

One thought - OCD this lodger might be - but, nevertheless, check room closely before they get their deposit back. I have found before now - after the event - a bedside light that gave me an electric shock when I tried to use it subsequently (was fine before they had it). Another episode was that I used a mattress cover on their bed - I should have taken that mattress cover off and inspected the mattress itself shouldnt I? (not just thought - "oh well the cover looks normal"). Shall we just say "they hadnt made it to the loo in time" - at least twice, as both sides had suffered. I had to buy a new bed out of my money - rather than their deposit - because I hadnt noticed before I gave back the deposit.

grownupgirly

thanks for your advice, Hugo SP, and your comments, ceridwen. Very helpful! I dont have a bf, but will try to come up with a male friend from somewhere!