Lodger Issues: household consumables!

landlady_vb

anselld said:

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

She is ten years older, thought she’d be more housetrained. Yes, you are right. Guess I’m too soft

landlady_vb

Grumpy_chap said:

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.

Because she was 24 then: now she’s 35. People mature loads in those years, as I’m sure you know. And yes, it was absolutely a case of ‘better the devil you know’! I’ll take your advice. Thank you

mlz1413

If you have asked and she is not listening then she needs to go.

Maybe she does have mental health issues but you didn't sign up to be responsible for that, you agreed to her being a lodger when she was working.
I'd serve notice and wish her all the best, you are not responsible for her.

Rumana03

Best thing to do is give her notice.
I had a lodger who was taking an hour every morning in the shower (literally running the water that whole time) and leaving the oil heater running in their room (sometimes whilst leaving their window open!)...even after discussions about the bills being high no improvement happened. In the end I just had to let them go because I couldn't deal with having the same conversations all the time and no changes happening.

Some people honestly do not care because the rent is all inclusive and they feel that means they can use as much as they want.

Next time you should add something in the contract about how you will increase rent if the bills are unusually high.

FreeBear

Rumana03 said: Next time you should add something in the contract about how you will increase rent if the bills are unusually high.

From my lodger's agreement -

To pay the full cost of all telephone calls made by the Licensee during the licence along with any gas or electricity usage that is deemed excessive

FlorayG

OP you've had loads of lodgers you KNOW what to do. Put the rent up to cover the extra costs ( it's not your problem if she's on UC, you need to charge what makes it sufficient for you, if she can't pay it then she has to move); or, give her notice to leave. It's quite simple

saajan_12

Ignore the sexist nonsense in this thread. 
However there's no magic solution to this, if you've already talked to the lodger and it hasn't worked. Even with all the finetuning of giving her a checklist or schedule, it won't make enough of a difference. Your options are 
1) Increase rent to cover the monetary aspects (its up to her how she finds the money)
2) Evict and find another lodger
3) Accept that this is the inconvenience that comes with having a lodger and your own compromises (eg wanting to leave items in living area)

landlady_vb

saajan_12 said:

Ignore the sexist nonsense in this thread. 
However there's no magic solution to this, if you've already talked to the lodger and it hasn't worked. Even with all the finetuning of giving her a checklist or schedule, it won't make enough of a difference. Your options are 
1) Increase rent to cover the monetary aspects (its up to her how she finds the money)
2) Evict and find another lodger
3) Accept that this is the inconvenience that comes with having a lodger and your own compromises (eg wanting to leave items in living area)

Thank you: much appreciated

Smalltownhypocrite

saajan_12 said:

Ignore the sexist nonsense in this thread. 
However there's no magic solution to this, if you've already talked to the lodger and it hasn't worked. Even with all the finetuning of giving her a checklist or schedule, it won't make enough of a difference. Your options are 
1) Increase rent to cover the monetary aspects (its up to her how she finds the money)
2) Evict and find another lodger
3) Accept that this is the inconvenience that comes with having a lodger and your own compromises (eg wanting to leave items in living area)

sexist nonsense?

elsien

Posts that have now been removed by the forum team. That were indeed sexist nonsense.