Shared Tenancy - moved girlfriend in

ceborame

I'm looking for some advice for my son,

He currently shares a rented house with a friend and both are named on the tenancy agreement, and their current financial arrangement is that rent and all bills are halved and they pay that accordingly.

However since before Christmas his friend has moved his girlfriend in, without advising the letting agent and what is really annoying my son is they are not willing and are being evasive about having a conversation regarding a new financial arrangement, his view is that it should now be the rent and bills are divided by 3.

What can he do if they won't play fair ?

Thanks

C

G_M

Well, either they remain friends, and sort this out, or the friendship is doomed!

If the gf is living there permenantly as her main home, rent and bills should be splt 3 ways. No question.

If she's regularly visiting for weekends/long weekends, well, I'd still expect some contribution from her towards the extra bills.

The issue becomes when the long weekends start edging towards permenancy. Obviously theres's a point somewhere where she moves from guest to resident....

What is the tenancy? Fixed term? If so, dates? Or periodic?

If the friend/gf won't address this reasonably, I'd suggest the best solution is for him to move out - but that can only happen if he can end his liability as a tenant eg

* serve notice to end the tenancy if it is periodic
* negotiate for the tenancy to be assigned from him to the gf if fixed term (needs consent of all 3 plus the landlord)
* ask the LL if he'd serve a S21 to end the tenancy when fixed term expire and offer friend/gf a replacement tenancy

Would your son have somewhere else he could go?


An alternative is to pursuade the landlord/agent to get the gf evicted. But
a) LL may not care - as long as his rent is being paid
b) it's not that easy to do!


But really, the best solution is for the 3 of them to live together on an equal footing.

Comms69

I'm going to go against G_M somewhat, I don't see why rent should change. Presumebly they are sharing the same space that was previously shared by one.


Bills certainly should now be split 3 ways.

KatrinaWaves

Comms69 wrote: »

I'm going to go against G_M somewhat, I don't see why rent should change. Presumebly they are sharing the same space that was previously shared by one.


Bills certainly should now be split 3 ways.

I think a 3 way split is perhaps unfair, but I wouldnt be happy paying the same rent to share the shared space with another person. Thinking pots, cupboard space, food in fridge, use of bathroom depending how many there are.

So not 3 ways, but not 'rent free' as it were! Maybe 60/40 or something like that.

G_M

Comms69 wrote: »

I'm going to go against G_M somewhat, I don't see why rent should change. Presumebly they are sharing the same space that was previously shared by one.


Bills certainly should now be split 3 ways.

More queuing for the bathroom. Crowding in the kitchen. Extra person in the living room.


I agree that friend/gf are (presumably) sharing a bedroom, so perhaps a 3 way split of rent is unfair: but certainly a contribution to rent is fair. eg son pays 40% of rent instead of 50%, and friend/gf pay 60%


But if this is the gf's main/permenant home, she should contribute. Why should she live rent-free....?

ceborame

Thanks for the replies,

I don't think my son wants to move out, and I believe they are on a 6 months fixed term tenancy that i anticipate will roll over to monthly after that. I have initially advised him to inform the letting agents that a third person wants to move in and see what they do.

Regarding Comms69, wouldn't that mean that my son is subsidising 50% of the third persons housing costs ? There are 3 incomes but only 2 of them are paying the rent.

This did start out as staying the odd night, then the whole weekend, but now his friend asked if he was ok with her moving in and he said ok, my son at that point should have brought up the financial arrangement but he didn't and I have told him he should have, but since then he's asked them to discuss it but they evade sitting down with him to talk about it.

Comms69

ceborame wrote: »

Thanks for the replies,

I don't think my son wants to move out, and I believe they are on a 6 months fixed term tenancy that i anticipate will roll over to monthly after that. I have initially advised him to inform the letting agents that a third person wants to move in and see what they do.

Regarding Comms69, wouldn't that mean that my son is subsidising 50% of the third persons housing costs ? There are 3 incomes but only 2 of them are paying the rent.

This did start out as staying the odd night, then the whole weekend, but now his friend asked if he was ok with her moving in and he said ok, my son at that point should have brought up the financial arrangement but he didn't and I have told him he should have, but since then he's asked them to discuss it but they evade sitting down with him to talk about it.

Well potentially and as some have said maybe 60/40, but conversely as a unit they would be subsidising him wouldn't they?


I agree this needs discussing

pickledonionspaceraider

ceborame wrote: »

I'm looking for some advice for my son,

He currently shares a rented house with a friend and both are named on the tenancy agreement, and their current financial arrangement is that rent and all bills are halved and they pay that accordingly.

However since before Christmas his friend has moved his girlfriend in, without advising the letting agent and what is really annoying my son is they are not willing and are being evasive about having a conversation regarding a new financial arrangement, his view is that it should now be the rent and bills are divided by 3.

What can he do if they won't play fair ?

Thanks

C

Unless your son has some kind of disability....why are you involved in this? It is an ever so minor concern

Don't try to fix everything..let him adult

This does all need discussing, but not by you.

Sorry I know that sounds mean, but you need to try and step back from his minor problems and not take them on as your own

Worst outcome is he continues paying what he is now (it is not a massive worry)

newsgroup_monkey

pickledonionspaceraider wrote: »

Unless your son has some kind of disability....why are you involved in this? It is an ever so minor concern

Don't try to fix everything..let him adult

This does all need discussing, but not by you.

Sorry I know that sounds mean, but you need to try and step back from his minor problems and not take them on as your own

Worst outcome is he continues paying what he is now (it is not a massive worry)

Just because your kids grow up and move out, doesn't mean they should stop coming you for advice.
The OP hasn't suggested he's getting involved other than trying to get the correct advice for this son.


Now, if he was to rock up at the house, start threatening this other lad and his GF, I'd be in total agreement.

movingtomacc

The LA/LL is unlikely to care as long as the rent is going in on time and the extra person isn't likely to cause any damage.

In your son's place I would expect a discount on my rent, maybe 40/60 as suggested plus splitting bills 3 ways.

Your son's friend could well be splitting his share of the rent/bills 50:50 with the gf already so might be reluctant to make any changes..

If they won't play fair, the drastic options would be -
- stop paying the full quota of rent, so 40% instead of 50% - the friend will either pony up the rest and if he doesn't, it will (eventually) lead to eviction, potential poor landlord references, etc
- bring the tenancy to an end (either by vacating or not renewing at end of fixed period or if in a periodic joint tenancy by your son giving notice to end the tenancy, doesn't usually need agreement of other tenants - both tenants could move out, your son could move out, the friend could move out or he could replace your son with someone else, the LA won't care either way.

ceborame wrote: »

I'm looking for some advice for my son,

He currently shares a rented house with a friend and both are named on the tenancy agreement, and their current financial arrangement is that rent and all bills are halved and they pay that accordingly.

However since before Christmas his friend has moved his girlfriend in, without advising the letting agent and what is really annoying my son is they are not willing and are being evasive about having a conversation regarding a new financial arrangement, his view is that it should now be the rent and bills are divided by 3.

What can he do if they won't play fair ?

Thanks

C

Slithery

movingtomacc wrote: »

- bring the tenancy to an end (either by vacating or not renewing at end of fixed period or if in a periodic joint tenancy by your son giving notice to end the tenancy, doesn't usually need agreement of other tenants

If they don't renew and stay in the property then the tenancy doesn't end. If one tenant gives notice (which is perfectly acceptable) but then the property isn't vacated by everyone then then they are all liable to pay double rent.