Problems with Lodger now more serious

TheFox30

Dear <lodger>
Thank you for your email. This reply is just to clarify that i was not accusing you of damage to the kitchen, merely enquiring if you knew anything about it.

The notice of one month still stands, and I take your reply of email as receipt of this notice.

Should you wish to move out before this date, then I will happily adjust your rent to reflect this.

Kind regards

<you>

Thanks, will be sending something very much along these lines in the morning. His initial reply was sent very quickly after my email and I get the impression that it was a knee-jerk angry email. So thinking that by leaving my response to him until tomorrow, it will give him time to think about what he's saying a bit more sensibly

Guest101

TheFox30 wrote: »

Dear <lodger>
Thank you for your email. This reply is just to clarify that i was not accusing you of damage to the kitchen, merely enquiring if you knew anything about it.

The notice of one month still stands, and I take your reply of email as receipt of this notice.

Should you wish to move out before this date, then I will happily adjust your rent to reflect this.

Kind regards

<you>

Thanks, will be sending something very much along these lines in the morning. His initial reply was sent very quickly after my email and I get the impression that it was a knee-jerk angry email. So thinking that by leaving my response to him until tomorrow, it will give him time to think about what he's saying a bit more sensibly

Send exactly that

You can offer you end the contract early, if he wants to, but if he doesn't move out, you cannot dispose of his belongings, just FYI as I think this story isn't finished yet.

TheFox30

if he doesn't move out, you cannot dispose of his belongings, just FYI as I think this story isn't finished yet.

I've been researching this, in case it gets to that point. From what I've found (from https://www.lodgerlandlord.co.uk), the advice is that if his stuff's still there the day after he was due to go, do the following:

Arrange for the locks on your property to be changed at a time when your lodger is likely to be out for some time. (It is probably best not to warn your lodger of this beforehand in case he decides to stay in the property to prevent you doing it).

When you lodger returns, refuse to let him in. If you think that he is likely to cause trouble, arrange for the police to be present (it may be a good idea to arrange for this anyway). The police should attend if you tell them that you expect there to be a breach of the peace. If the police will not attend, make sure that you have someone else with you, to act as an independent witness. If the police are not there and your lodger starts causing trouble, do not open the door (or shut the door before he gets in). Ring the police and ask them to come out immediately. Do not let the lodger back into the property.


Your lodger will be entitled to have his possessions returned to him. However, in most cases he should only be allowed back into your property (e.g. to pack) if there is police presence.






Is the above more or less what you were going to say, Guest101?

Guest101

TheFox30 wrote: »

if he doesn't move out, you cannot dispose of his belongings, just FYI as I think this story isn't finished yet.

I've been researching this, in case it gets to that point. From what I've found (from https://www.lodgerlandlord.co.uk), the advice is that if his stuff's still there the day after he was due to go, do the following:

Arrange for the locks on your property to be changed at a time when your lodger is likely to be out for some time. (It is probably best not to warn your lodger of this beforehand in case he decides to stay in the property to prevent you doing it).

When you lodger returns, refuse to let him in. If you think that he is likely to cause trouble, arrange for the police to be present (it may be a good idea to arrange for this anyway). The police should attend if you tell them that you expect there to be a breach of the peace. If the police will not attend, make sure that you have someone else with you, to act as an independent witness. If the police are not there and your lodger starts causing trouble, do not open the door (or shut the door before he gets in). Ring the police and ask them to come out immediately. Do not let the lodger back into the property.


Your lodger will be entitled to have his possessions returned to him. However, in most cases he should only be allowed back into your property (e.g. to pack) if there is police presence.






Is the above more or less what you were going to say, Guest101?

Ye pretty much

You hold the stuff in bond basically and are responsible for it.

TheFox30

Cheers for that, handy to know how it'll work if it comes to that stage.

Having had a few hours to reflect on all this now, it's struck me how bizarre his reaction is, as he'd made it clear he was going to move out anyway when he found somewhere cheaper (due to his pay-cut).
I get the impression that he's someone who has to be the person in control - he's done some strange things in the time he's been here, such as swapping over drawers in the kitchen and replacing the cleaning rota I'd put up with one he'd typed himself saying the same things but in a different font. I've said nothing about these things as they're so irrelevant, but on reflection, I think they're about him feeling that he has to be the person in control. As such, I don't think he's liked it when I've told him he'll be moving out, as it's not been his decision.

Armorica

Or he could just be cross at being given notice when he's out of the country and between christmas/new year. Usually he would have a full month to find somewhere else. Given the circumstances, he'll have a little over three weeks - is that even practical for the area you live in?

moneyistooshorttomention

TheFox30 wrote: »

Cheers for that, handy to know how it'll work if it comes to that stage.

Having had a few hours to reflect on all this now, it's struck me how bizarre his reaction is, as he'd made it clear he was going to move out anyway when he found somewhere cheaper (due to his pay-cut).
I get the impression that he's someone who has to be the person in control - he's done some strange things in the time he's been here, such as swapping over drawers in the kitchen and replacing the cleaning rota I'd put up with one he'd typed himself saying the same things but in a different font. I've said nothing about these things as they're so irrelevant, but on reflection, I think they're about him feeling that he has to be the person in control. As such, I don't think he's liked it when I've told him he'll be moving out, as it's not been his decision.

I'd thought there must be some other stuff going on from the lodger. I've had lodgers myself in the past and, whilst none of them have tried to make MY decisions about how my house is arranged, I can certainly believe there are some that would try that. Its obviously your decision how the drawers in the kitchen are arranged and the cleaning rota is clearly yours to produce and not up to someone else to re-do (unless there was a logical reason for it, such as they'd had some culinary accident and stained it badly and re-typed it to save you having to do so because of them). So, there could be an innocent explanation for the rota retyping, but I cant see one for drawer rearranging.

I think it does sound like he has a thing about trying to control how things are in YOUR house and that alone would make me inclined to give him his notice in your position.

I've given a lodger 24 hours notice before now (ie when he refused to pay rent as arranged and was obviously going to try to underpay me). I don't think he believed I meant it, but he came back to find his belongings outside for him to collect.

Good luck.

gazter

If he doesn't pay you the rent in full on return, evict him there and then. If you are being nice give him 24hrs.

lee111s

Everything had been covered here really, but reading what he's done previously, I'm convinced he's the kitchen cupboard security officer!

Kevie192

Does the contract state that email is a valid method for delivering notice? If not, it was my understanding that email is not a legally binding method of communication and a letter should always be used?

Happy to be corrected by someone that knows better