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Witholding my rent AIBU

831 replies

littledragon99 · 15/08/2024 13:29

I'm a woman in my late 40s, living in a 3-bed Victorian terrace in West London, where I pay £1,200 a month with all bills included. I signed an AST in May.
I work in recruitment and DJ on the side. Despite being skilled in my job, financial difficulties have arisen following my mother’s death, and I've struggled with timely rent payments. I’m currently in therapy to manage my depression.
Recently, my landlady has begun Airbnb-ing the living room, removing the communal space I was paying for. Given this change, I believe the £1,200 rent is no longer justified.
Additionally, she inappropriately contacted my boss, (my boss was my reference) about paying rent directly and has threatened eviction. I’ve consulted Citizens Advice and suspect my deposit wasn’t placed in a Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS), which may breach legal requirements.
Due to these issues, I’ve withheld my rent since August 1st and am prepared to take further action if needed.

OP posts:
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9
GoldPlayer · 25/09/2024 19:40

It would be a blessing if she was arrested—it would give her boss, landlord, and flatmates a much-needed break. People like this are a nightmare, the never own their s*, and become a real headache for everyone around them!

OhmygodDont · 24/09/2024 08:25

Honestly the ops either kicked out or on her way to being so.

Prob moping around wherever she happens to be in some drug induced woe is me refusing all proper reasonable help. Slowly edging further and further towards a rock bottom break.

unless she did something very stupid since the landlady moved back in and got herself arrested.

Sadly may I add.

daleylama · 24/09/2024 08:22

GoldPlayer · 23/09/2024 19:46

Ok, let's make it up.....

In my head, OP has stayed in the house, but now it turns out she’s got not just a coke habit but also a gambling one. Things escalated when she had a bit of a psychotic episode one night, banging around and scaring the other tenants, who now want out.
The landlady, at her wit’s end, offers to forgive all the arrears and even pay £1200 to get her to leave. But… the catch is she’ll only get the £1200 on the day she signs a deed of surrender. Now she’s refusing to go because she "can’t even afford the SpareRoom early bird"—let alone go and view other places. LL is feeling close to a psychotic episode herself at this point

Edited

It's the plot of this year's Xmas play at the Old Vic!

GoldPlayer · 23/09/2024 19:46

Ok, let's make it up.....

In my head, OP has stayed in the house, but now it turns out she’s got not just a coke habit but also a gambling one. Things escalated when she had a bit of a psychotic episode one night, banging around and scaring the other tenants, who now want out.
The landlady, at her wit’s end, offers to forgive all the arrears and even pay £1200 to get her to leave. But… the catch is she’ll only get the £1200 on the day she signs a deed of surrender. Now she’s refusing to go because she "can’t even afford the SpareRoom early bird"—let alone go and view other places. LL is feeling close to a psychotic episode herself at this point

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 22/09/2024 22:01

It was all either a total wind up as the thread changed totally when the Op decided she has a drug habit

or

the lady who offered her a room in her social housing contacted her, and the Op accepted the offer - esp with the offer of a life time tenancy upon the other poster's death

ThatCoolGoose · 22/09/2024 21:04

I do miss the latest installment and shamelessly bumping thread to see what happens.

IDontHateRainbows · 11/09/2024 20:21

Maybe she had to sell her phone/ laptop for more coke/ night in a hostel after she got evicted and is no longer able to update us.

ThatCoolGoose · 11/09/2024 17:30

Me too but it is completely and utterly her own fault for getting into an argument with landlord.maybe if she had saved the coke money she would not be on street intentionally homeless ie no support

IdealHomeExhibition · 11/09/2024 14:52

Update? I actually hope OP is NOT in a cardboard box and has sorted this or started too. Wouldn't wish homelessness on anyone.

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 06/09/2024 22:44

well... 2 weeks notice from 20th August brought us up to Tuesday 3rd Sept
and the tenancy ends anyway on 9th September ( or maybe 10th )
it's 6th September today...

ThatCoolGoose · 06/09/2024 22:34

Original poster.please update us with progress so that we can all enjoy our weekend either way

ThatCoolGoose · 01/09/2024 15:41

Sadly the 'he' is a according to thread is actually a 'she' although if it helps to confuse judges at eviction hearing 'she' may well be claiming as 'a he' to invalidate the eviction notice and process.
Let's hope they are still DJ ing as well as earning on commission.
I wonder who's phone she is using as rent was all inclusive.
Hope they are not international calls!!!???

GoldPlayer · 31/08/2024 12:41

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 30/08/2024 13:10

@Cerealkiller4U

ooh you really do need to read the whole thread, there is sooooo much more to this than just the opening post.

in a nutshell, in less than 2 weeks the Op will not be living there,

however another poster has offered her a room and when the other poster is no longer on this earth, the Op can inherit the other poster's lifetime tenancy on a social housing property...

I was just chatting with a friend about this! Unfortunately, it looks like the landlady will have to go through the whole legal eviction process, even though he’s still living there. Apparently, the AST that "Columbian Cold Guy" 😂signed takes priority over any lodging agreement, so he can just keep on squatting, completely ignoring the landlady while she’s stuck outside his door, legally banned from dragging him out herself tho I bet she's tempted. I can see why LL's leaving the market in droves, this is so unfair!

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 30/08/2024 13:10

@Cerealkiller4U

ooh you really do need to read the whole thread, there is sooooo much more to this than just the opening post.

in a nutshell, in less than 2 weeks the Op will not be living there,

however another poster has offered her a room and when the other poster is no longer on this earth, the Op can inherit the other poster's lifetime tenancy on a social housing property...

Cerealkiller4U · 30/08/2024 12:14

littledragon99 · 15/08/2024 14:35

And if she didn't pay my deposit into a TDS, (or I've got a feeling she panicked and she did but it was past the 30 days) can she still evict me?

No she cant

you can check online as there’s not many companies registered who can take your deposit.

Cerealkiller4U · 30/08/2024 12:12

littledragon99 · 15/08/2024 13:29

I'm a woman in my late 40s, living in a 3-bed Victorian terrace in West London, where I pay £1,200 a month with all bills included. I signed an AST in May.
I work in recruitment and DJ on the side. Despite being skilled in my job, financial difficulties have arisen following my mother’s death, and I've struggled with timely rent payments. I’m currently in therapy to manage my depression.
Recently, my landlady has begun Airbnb-ing the living room, removing the communal space I was paying for. Given this change, I believe the £1,200 rent is no longer justified.
Additionally, she inappropriately contacted my boss, (my boss was my reference) about paying rent directly and has threatened eviction. I’ve consulted Citizens Advice and suspect my deposit wasn’t placed in a Tenancy Deposit Scheme (TDS), which may breach legal requirements.
Due to these issues, I’ve withheld my rent since August 1st and am prepared to take further action if needed.

DO NOT WITHHOLD YOUR RENT!

used to be lettings manager

withholding you rent puts you in such a dubious position

do it the legal way

WoolySnail · 30/08/2024 12:08

I'll put money on OP leaving the thread and her accommodation behind 💰

ThatCoolGoose · 30/08/2024 08:20

Let me hope not as this was best thread for years .ever since penis beaker

OhmygodDont · 29/08/2024 19:45

She went up against the nasty landlady. Who was told by the courts that the op must be allowed to live there rent free forever after and must have free access to the livingroom.

landlady rolled over and complied. Op lived happily ever after on someone else’s dime.

the end

😅

ThatCoolGoose · 29/08/2024 19:14

Just bumping to see how house share is getting on with practice DJ (silent disco ie all in her head) together with coke addict

CarrieHain · 26/08/2024 15:12

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 26/08/2024 14:39

@baileys6904

oh ! that's my laugh out loud ( on MN ) today !
doesn't often happen.

Or a BJ with a DH 😂

violetto · 26/08/2024 15:10

So how did your BH weekend DJ set play out OP @littledragon99?

Just you and your dealer in your bedroom hiding from your poor landlady, working out how to steal some of the fixtures and fittings from under her (very clean, virgin) nose??

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 26/08/2024 14:39

@baileys6904

oh ! that's my laugh out loud ( on MN ) today !
doesn't often happen.

baileys6904 · 26/08/2024 14:22

Is it just me picturing the OP currently barricading herself in the room screaming "no, no, you didn't put a full stop or comma in the eviction notice so I'm going nowhere" 🤣

Allthislovelygreen · 23/08/2024 16:05

Never heard the phrase Colombian Cold but it's gonna be in my parlance now 😂

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