Lodger Issues: household consumables!

landlady_vb

Hello All, 

Wonder if anyone could offer some guidance, please?
I’ve had lodgers (on and off) for 20 plus years. 

The current one has lodged beforehand. Ten years later, she’s back again. She is now 35, and seemed to have grown up somewhat. 

During our initial chat prior her moving in, I asked her to use the utilities considerately - as though she was paying the bills (rent is inclusive). 

Also, to provide consumables now and then, as is fair (such as loo/kitchen roll, cleaning/washing up stuff, tin foil, bin bags etc etc etc.)

Plus do her fair share of cleaning
(something we disagreed on last time, due to her not adhering to the rota).

Thing is, she lost her job just after moving in recently - so has been at home all day, cooking all her meals and taking long showers (house is like a sauna).

TV & music on upstairs (she’s on her laptop downstairs) washing machine on long cycles etc. 😡 She claims her unemployment was due to mental health issues. 

I know that if I read this post as an objective observer, I’d be shouting “just TALK to her!” But I have. 

And it goes in one ear and out of the other. 

Being in all day means a considerable increase in utilities and consumables: it frustrates me - as a self employed tradesperson (who pops home regularly to unload/offload) to do a hard days graft and see there’s STILL no loo roll (though I’ve bought the last few multipacks) and find the vacuuming hasn’t been done.. and the emptied bins still outside!

I charge cheap rent for the area - given that, as a tradesperson, there’s always a stack of tools and materials for the next days’ job in the lounge - it’s a small house.

Don’t want to upset her, what with her mental health issues - but !!!!!! do I do?!

user1977

Bump up the rent to cover the costs? Unless you want to replace her?

Sapindus

You say you have talked to her.  Have you tried an actual tick list in the kitchen, of jobs she needs to do?

landlady_vb

Can’t bump her rent as she’s on universal credit. Not enough to live on! Did suggest she could come to work with me for half day a week - but considering I’m peed off and she’s not exactly a grafter, doubt that would work!?

Sea_Shell

Keep YOUR loo roll under lock and key, I'm sure they'd buy their own pretty quickly.

I assume you share one bathroom/toilet.

landlady_vb

Haha! Yes, I’ve got a stack under my bed 😀

elsien

Give her notice and get another lodger? 

anselld

Your house, your rules, either she fits in or she leaves.  Not sure why you took her back if she was unsatisfactory last time.

theartfullodger

What does the lodger agreement say about this?? If it says nothing or there is no agreement sorry, but own goal.

Grumpy_chap

landlady_vb said:

I’ve had lodgers (on and off) for 20 plus years. 

The current one has lodged beforehand. Ten years later, she’s back again. She is now 35, and seemed to have grown up somewhat. 

During our initial chat prior her moving in, I asked her to use the utilities considerately - as though she was paying the bills (rent is inclusive). 

Also, to provide consumables now and then, as is fair (such as loo/kitchen roll, cleaning/washing up stuff, tin foil, bin bags etc etc etc.)

Plus do her fair share of cleaning
(something we disagreed on last time, due to her not adhering to the rota).

If you and the lodger disagreed on matters last time she was staying, why did you have her back?
Serve notice and find another.
Or, is this a case of better-the-devil-you-know?  In which case, tolerate the inconvenience.

carly

Ask her to leave. This is not going to work out, it will only get worse.