Lodger now Works From Home

[Deleted User]

My water bill has more than doubled since lockdown and my partner now works from home ( I am retired ) 
Its surprising how much more utilities are when you work from home ! 

Honeylife

iwb100 said:

Honeylife said:

Have two lodgers both ended up at home during lockdown and communicating via Zoom with Uni.  Initially  didn't consider it an issue as these were extenuating and unusual circumstances.  However, their daytime "presence" is now beginning to get to me.  Two toilets don't seem to be enough! They seem to always be in the kitchen making snacks or marathon experimental dishes or making tea.  They meet and chat on the stairs, in the kitchen, in the hall. Yes the electric has increased and certainly more bog roll and hand soap used. Cleaning is awkward as they always seem to be around when I want to clean the bath or vacuum the stairs, (we had to furlough the cleaner) as they are home the House seems more dusty and scruffy.
Am used to having the house to myself in the daytime so it's difficult to get used to them being here all the time. But what can I do? Just work on my tolerance levels.
Regards Bills.  A few years ago the gas (or was it electric) was increased ridiculously by the supplier and subsequently I added a clause in my contract stating that if the Utility supplier increased charges by x% or if there was more than 'fair usage' of gas and electric then an agreed charge would be made.  I have drawn this point to both my lodgers and informed them that should they continue to be at Home at similar levels during the winter when the heating would be on, we would sit and discuss the possible increased in costs or they could consider looking for accommodation elsewhere. So they have been warned.
However, on the plus side. One of the lodgers volunteered to do all the online grocery shopping for everyone.  We just had to email her our lists, she found the best prices and delivery dates from whichever supermarket had a delivery slot and on arrival handed us individual bills we put the money in her account and it was sorted. 

I get that having lodgers in the 'new normal' is probably challenging in some aspects. But parts of this post are a little 'omg'. Are you really upset that your lodgers 'meet and chat in your house'? I find that a bit much......

Did you read all I wrote?  From having the house to myself in the daytime, thus dead quiet, I now have the every single day presence of two others in a "meet and chat everywhere in the house several times a day for ages". One morning they sat on the stairs with cups of tea chatting for two hours, voices and laughter echoing throughout. I didn't say a word to them, but it was genuinely disturbing my own work. It is different, noisy daytime chatting every single day for months takes some while to get used to. Not necessary a bad thing just very different.  And I haven't mentioned the water bill.

davidmcn

Densol said:

My water bill has more than doubled since lockdown and my partner now works from home ( I am retired ) 
Its surprising how much more utilities are when you work from home ! 

I haven't noticed anything so far, but I expect working from the office might become a money-saving option once the heating has to go back on.

oldbikebloke

davidmcn said:

Densol said:

My water bill has more than doubled since lockdown and my partner now works from home ( I am retired ) 
Its surprising how much more utilities are when you work from home ! 

I haven't noticed anything so far, but I expect working from the office might become a money-saving option once the heating has to go back on.

irrelevant to the thread, but this comment reminded me of the question - "why haven't you gone home?", to which I flippantly replied, "saves having the heating on at home", to which the boss said "that's fraud". My reaction to that level of hysteria cannot be posted on here - we parted company soon after.

AdrianC

Densol said:

My water bill has more than doubled since lockdown and my partner now works from home ( I am retired ) 
Its surprising how much more utilities are when you work from home ! 

I'd find that very surprising.
I presume your partner was still doing his daily ablutions at home? Clothes and dish washing, cooking, the like haven't changed markedly?
So the only real difference is a bit more loo usage and a few more cups of tea, right?

The daily charge from my water company for water alone is around the same amount as 75 litres of metered water. For sewage, it's around 155 litres.