Renting a room - Unreasonable Landlady

fairy_lights

Zarino wrote: »

She doesn't want condensation on them.

I wouldn't mind but there's never condensation on them because I frequently open the window.

She doesn't even own the property though which makes it even stranger. Does her landlord know you are living there?


How much is your deposit worth?
She sounds pretty unhinged to be honest and if you can afford to lose the deposit I would move out as soon as possible.

Stevie_Palimo

fairy_lights wrote: »

How do you know she was entering your room? what has she been doing in there?

May be sniffing his under pants or just being nosy for all we know, If he is there then could be trying to catch a glimpse of him naked.

Zarino

fairy_lights wrote: »

She doesn't even own the property though which makes it even stranger. Does her landlord know you are living there?


How much is your deposit worth?
She sounds pretty unhinged to be honest and if you can afford to lose the deposit I would move out as soon as possible.

She doesn't own the property, despite constantly saying to me "This is my flat, my rules etc." - And yes he is aware that she is renting a room out.

Deposit is £380. I can afford to lose it, but I shouldn't have to this is completely unfair.

There must be some legal angle I can take on this, I know that lodgers have very little power but at this stage it feels like she can do anything to me and I'm powerless to stop it.

HouseBuyer77

You could cut your losses and move ASAP and then try your luck at the small claims to get some money out of her. Maybe claim breach of contract by saying she was intentionally creating an uncomfortable environment so you would move out inside a rental period and she'd gain from the extra rent? Seems rather tenuous and I'd be surprised if it worked though.

Yes it is unfair she can get away with it but you're probably better off leaving it behind you then stressing about it forever more.

DRP

I'd move out.

She sounds a bit unhinged. Presumably she could do quite a lot worse than 380 quid's worth of damage to your property when you inevitably have to leave the house for some reason.

anotheruser

Rob her.

Then when she calls the police, tell her you paid her for the goods. Don't have a receipt for the money paid? I bet she doesn't have any proof the items belonged to her.
Plus, that's IF they manage to find you.

Other suggestions:

Start leaving dirty dished everywhere

Don't flush the toilet... ever!

Steal odd things, like the tin opener or one battery out of the TV remote.

Tell her you're taking up music and will need to practice. Then say you'll be done by 9pm - the watershed - a universally acceptable time to quieten down.

Walk through some muddy puddles, then in the flat. Don't clean up and claim you don't know anything about it - try to leave your shoes as dirty as possible so she knows it was clearly you.

Ask her if she minds you having a pet snake or spider?

Paully232000

sounds like an awful situation that you are going to endure for a few more weeks. I know i would have moved out straight away.

on a completely unrelated subject, do you know how easy it is to hide a fish behind a radiator, or in the lining of a curtain, or under the floorboards.

HouseBuyer77

Does she have both the last month's rent and the deposit? Extracting the rent from her may be tricky but if she can't show any damages you've caused she should have to give you your deposit back, even if you move out two weeks early.

So maybe you'll find a court would award you the deposit fairly easily.

Zarino

Some hilarious replies haha

I'm worried about doing certain things in case she either takes it one step further on me (she is a bit crazy) or I break the law and she has legal rights to throw me out.

Admittedly, I am getting very very angry with her and if I blow I don't know what I'll do... But no doubt it will land me in the deep end.

She only has the deposit now, which is being used as this months rent (started yesterday).

I know many of you have said you'd just leave, but I know she would love for me to do that and I'd hate myself for being defeated by her games.

UPDATE: Hot water and electricity is back on. She is now claiming that it "tripped". Great timing considering we had an argument minutes before that. She must think I'm an idiot.

Mallotum_X

I would move most of your stuff out to a friends place, laptop etc somewhere safe - just keep the bare minimum there, and be loud and annoying.

I must admit I would go down the childish games route, move things, not flush the loo, no more washing up etc. Sign up to junk mail lists etc. There's lots you can do to irritate that is not illegal.

Do you have a heater? run up the electric bill, set the central heating to be on all day, that sort of thing. All petty and easy to claim ignorance.

Ever need to be up early or home late, lots of noise....