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live-in landlord harassment+
alyouska12
Posts: 18 Forumite
Hello,
really need advice on this one.
I moved into this room in central London-its a 1 bedroom ex council privately owned flat on the 8th floor, theres no living room so I'm guessing either my bedroom or the live in landlord bedroom was meant to be originally the living room which isn't the/an issue (just describing the place).
I paid as you do one month deposit and rent paid weekly, this room had abit of quirky decor...the previous tenant was allowed to put silver shining wall paper and tape the entire wooden floor with some weird tape-but wasn't completely covered with it, the windows had colored stickers on..red and black..even the wardrobe had silver tape on it...(he was a gay polish chap)..i embraced the decor since iam in the creative field and like this sort of things...since i work night mon to fri i said to the landlord..quietness is very important to me, is this place quite and is there anything i should be aware of? he said its very quite and no..the most important part is never to miss a payment..after moving he tells me not to open the door unless im expecting a visitor as he may have debt collectors coming in...(that was a bad sign) and it tuned out he is divorced and his kids come to visit him every Saturday (my first day off where i catch some real sleep-they have TV on loud and its a full on kids day) however a week into the tenancy the weather egtts worse and my bedroom door started shaking lots due to wind draft...it turned out one of the windows glass is broken under the tape and its an old break (just the dirt on th edges tells me that)..I told him about it and he said he is broke...and i asked..wheres my deposit gone..he didn't reply...i was so frustrated so i had a go at him telling him how much I suffered to put the deposit together and it should be kept saved not spent on landlord dept..also told him off for him giving me sticker tape to complete the missing areas of the floor from the tape and also for giving me a curtain without a pole to fix on the windows...saying its ur role to do these things not mine..i pay half of my salary for this room not to be treated like an employee....(went slightly over the top) but was frustrated with lack of sleep..kids noise and all that...
now he wont stop knocking on my door...everyday around 12 he wants to discuss the 'revew of the tenancy in april' then asking me if i will pay the rent as usual on Friday (i think he is scared of me missing out on a payment and instead of waiting till friday he decided to harass me face to face...even thou i told him i never miss a payment why you asking me about this week of course i will pay it im up to date, when i miss a payment come and chase me... (told him that yesterday and told him to stop harassing me and knocking on the door,leave me alone...repeatedly...he replied i knock on ur door whenever i bloody like
today he waited for me to come out of my room to the loo and he came out...i heard him come out after me while i was in the loo and knew he will talk to me...this time he had a knife in his hand waving it...(the excuse is he's making a salad I think but the way he had the knife up it was clear indirect threat.)...he also has this weird twitch with his head and neck...really creepy guy (originally from Pakistan not that its relevant)
now...I really really don't want to lose this deposit..and if i ask for police assistance just to push back at him a bit im afraid they will ask me to leave the flat...as thats what i heard what they do, they make one party leave and since he is the landlord it will have to be me..
he saying i have to be there till mid April if im to get my deposit back but he will check (this miserable not much in it) room..and he will investigate when the glass was broken...then make any necessary deductions if any...
i work night and hardly sleep more than 4-5 hours....just dont know how to deal with this guy...
i tried to find my contract to check the details again but cant find it..will search again..
really need advice on this one.
I moved into this room in central London-its a 1 bedroom ex council privately owned flat on the 8th floor, theres no living room so I'm guessing either my bedroom or the live in landlord bedroom was meant to be originally the living room which isn't the/an issue (just describing the place).
I paid as you do one month deposit and rent paid weekly, this room had abit of quirky decor...the previous tenant was allowed to put silver shining wall paper and tape the entire wooden floor with some weird tape-but wasn't completely covered with it, the windows had colored stickers on..red and black..even the wardrobe had silver tape on it...(he was a gay polish chap)..i embraced the decor since iam in the creative field and like this sort of things...since i work night mon to fri i said to the landlord..quietness is very important to me, is this place quite and is there anything i should be aware of? he said its very quite and no..the most important part is never to miss a payment..after moving he tells me not to open the door unless im expecting a visitor as he may have debt collectors coming in...(that was a bad sign) and it tuned out he is divorced and his kids come to visit him every Saturday (my first day off where i catch some real sleep-they have TV on loud and its a full on kids day) however a week into the tenancy the weather egtts worse and my bedroom door started shaking lots due to wind draft...it turned out one of the windows glass is broken under the tape and its an old break (just the dirt on th edges tells me that)..I told him about it and he said he is broke...and i asked..wheres my deposit gone..he didn't reply...i was so frustrated so i had a go at him telling him how much I suffered to put the deposit together and it should be kept saved not spent on landlord dept..also told him off for him giving me sticker tape to complete the missing areas of the floor from the tape and also for giving me a curtain without a pole to fix on the windows...saying its ur role to do these things not mine..i pay half of my salary for this room not to be treated like an employee....(went slightly over the top) but was frustrated with lack of sleep..kids noise and all that...
now he wont stop knocking on my door...everyday around 12 he wants to discuss the 'revew of the tenancy in april' then asking me if i will pay the rent as usual on Friday (i think he is scared of me missing out on a payment and instead of waiting till friday he decided to harass me face to face...even thou i told him i never miss a payment why you asking me about this week of course i will pay it im up to date, when i miss a payment come and chase me... (told him that yesterday and told him to stop harassing me and knocking on the door,leave me alone...repeatedly...he replied i knock on ur door whenever i bloody like
today he waited for me to come out of my room to the loo and he came out...i heard him come out after me while i was in the loo and knew he will talk to me...this time he had a knife in his hand waving it...(the excuse is he's making a salad I think but the way he had the knife up it was clear indirect threat.)...he also has this weird twitch with his head and neck...really creepy guy (originally from Pakistan not that its relevant)
now...I really really don't want to lose this deposit..and if i ask for police assistance just to push back at him a bit im afraid they will ask me to leave the flat...as thats what i heard what they do, they make one party leave and since he is the landlord it will have to be me..
he saying i have to be there till mid April if im to get my deposit back but he will check (this miserable not much in it) room..and he will investigate when the glass was broken...then make any necessary deductions if any...
i work night and hardly sleep more than 4-5 hours....just dont know how to deal with this guy...
i tried to find my contract to check the details again but cant find it..will search again..
0
Comments
-
TLDR
Move out.0 -
I don't have enough money without the deposit....i need like 800 at least for half a decent room in London...0
-
Then move from London.0
-
I was looking for informed advice how i can deal with this...would the police ask me to move out if i get them involved...is there anyway i can get the council or a formal body involved..would that solve part of the matter?
not impractical life changing suggestions...but thank you for the input..
London is my city and i have a job..not great pay but i have a life here.
what u saying is leave ur job..go to a new city where u dont know anybody..give up ur hard earned hundreds of pounds...
why don u suggest to jump off a bride while ur at it?0 -
You are a lodger, not a tenant. Lodgers have very few legal rights. As a lodger, your landlord doesn't have to protect your deposit as he would if you were a tenant.
So... unless the landlord suddenly starts to act responsibly, the only way you're going to get your deposit back is to take him to court. Clearly, that's not going to be conducive to domestic harmony while you're living there - plus, of course, you aren't owed it back while you're still living there.
Move, then get a claim lodged if/when you don't get it back.
Sorry, but it is the only way forward.
(BTW, if his heritage is irrelevant, why mention it?)0 -
TL;DR +1
Write it again succinctly please.0 -
alyouska12 wrote: »what u saying is leave ur job..go to a new city where u dont know anybody..give up ur hard earned hundreds of pounds...
why don u suggest to jump off a bride while ur at it?
<sigh> Bit melodramatic.
LOTS of people who work in London don't live in London. They commute.
But, of course, if your London job doesn't pay enough for you to afford London prices for accommodation, you really should be questioning the viability of that job. A similar job elsewhere may pay less, but the cost of living may well be more affordable.0 -
You are a lodger, not a tenant. Lodgers have very few legal rights. As a lodger, your landlord doesn't have to protect your deposit as he would if you were a tenant.
So... unless the landlord suddenly starts to act responsibly, the only way you're going to get your deposit back is to take him to court. Clearly, that's not going to be conducive to domestic harmony while you're living there - plus, of course, you aren't owed it back while you're still living there.
Move, then get a claim lodged if/when you don't get it back.
Sorry, but it is the only way forward.
(BTW, if his heritage is irrelevant, why mention it?)
was thinking if i report his threatening behavior to the police it may make him back off and let me live in peace till its moving out date (according to him)...my fear is they would remove me from the property..do u think that would be the most possible scenario?0 -
If you find his behaviour threatening enough to report to the police, why would you WANT to stay living in such a small space with him? I mean, seriously...?0
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alyouska12 wrote: »I was looking for informed advice how i can deal with this...would the police ask me to move out if i get them involved...is there anyway i can get the council or a formal body involved..would that solve part of the matter?
not impractical life changing suggestions...but thank you for the input..
London is my city and i have a job..not great pay but i have a life here.
what u saying is leave ur job..go to a new city where u dont know anybody..give up ur hard earned hundreds of pounds...
why don u suggest to jump off a bride while ur at it?
The people you know hardly seem to be working out great do they....0
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