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Original poster

Flatmate has left leaving me up the creek

164 replies

EachandEveryone · 04/04/2020 10:23

I wonder how long before I can get another one. My rent has doubled since I had a knock on the door last night. Flat mates mum turned up to empty her room. She was really lovely as well. Not even a text. Apparently she went to NI has caught a chest infection and been put on antibiotics and her mum has told her she needs to move back home! I want to say see how the land lies she might want to come back in afew weeks.

So Im all on my own some and my rent has shot up from £700 to £1250 plus bills. Im trying not to worry but I need to make a plan. Im lucky in that Im a nurse and of course there’s overtime but thats not without its risks.

Will people ever return to London? I cant ask for help and theres no point telling the landlord as they know Im a nurse and Ive been here 15 years.

OP posts:
BunnytheBee · 04/04/2020 12:21

If she’s not moving back she could have spoken to you and maybe offered a notice period / rent in lieu eg a month or two’s rent so as to not leave you in the lurch, especially as she probably won’t be paying rent to her mother

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 04/04/2020 12:28

She won’t be back for months her mother is storing her stuff somewhere. I hope she doesn’t leave anything behind.

TCN please don’t tempt me to foster 😂😂😂😂

OP posts:
krustykittens · 04/04/2020 12:29

Is there any chance your landlord will accept half the rent for now? Lots of people are in the position where they can't pay any of their rent, I am sure she is aware of this and might actually be pleased you can pay half until this is over and life gets back to a semblance of normality. Glass half full and all that!

Interested in this thread?

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General health Property
EmmaC78 · 04/04/2020 12:33

I think as others have said the two options here are 1. Speak to the landlord and see if a payment holiday is possible and 2. Advertise the room to NHS workers. I have seen loads of FB posts in my area asking for accomodation. Hope you get something sorted soon.

thecatneuterer · 04/04/2020 12:42

@SharonasCorona But why on earth does it matter what the tenancy agreement says? The OP has clearly stated that the LL is well aware of the subletting, which she has been doing for many, many years.

AhComeOnNow · 04/04/2020 12:44

@PieceOfMaria submerging is not illegal. Where did you get that idea from?

@Eckhart The woman was the OP's lodger. There are no legally enforceable contracts with lodger. You can have a written agreement but it wouldn't stand up legally. The woman can legally move out with no notice, just as OP could have kicked her out with no notice - that is just the nature of being/ having a lodger.

I always love when MNers are experts Hmm

@EachandEveryone You're already doing enough being out there working every day. No one needs this extra stress on top of that. Landlords are able to get a 3 month mortgage break (and that's even if she has a mortgage on the place and her rent isn't just pure profit to her). Let her know that you are unable to meet the full rent during this time and just pay what you have been as your share. She can not evict you now.

Of course, she may choose to evict you after this is all over, but I think that is probably unlikely. But weigh up how easily you think you could find another place in 6 months (although I guess non of us can predict what the rental market will be like then)

Just send her a factual, polite email: It is with regret that at this time I am unable to afford to pay the full rent (add in about lodger leaving with no notice and not able to find replacement in current climate if you want to). Of course I will continue to pay £××× on × date. I will endeavourto find another lodger as soon as possible and will inform you when I am able to pay the full rent again. (If you want, add some apologetic waffle here and hope that she is not left out of pocket by taking advantage of the bank's mortgage holiday)

Thank you for all that you are doing for the country; you do no deserve to put yourself at risk every day for all of your pay to go to your landlord.

(I'm a landlord)

AhComeOnNow · 04/04/2020 12:47

*subletting obviously, not submerging Grin

thecatneuterer · 04/04/2020 12:48

submerging is not illegal I think it rather depends what/who you are submerging and what you are submerging them in Grin

thecatneuterer · 04/04/2020 12:48

cross post Grin

Lynda07 · 04/04/2020 12:49

Things will return to normal in London. It might be a different London to before but people will always gravitate to the capital for work.

If you work at a hospital you could put a notice up somewhere saying temporary accommodation is available for one person. There might be someone glad of it during this crisis, obviously you have to be careful with whom you share your home but you know that.

Good luck.

thecatneuterer · 04/04/2020 12:50

But weigh up how easily you think you could find another place in 6 months The OP can't leave there ever - she's looking after all the feral cats outside! They need her!!

Alanna1 · 04/04/2020 12:51

Hi OP, I’m a landlord (my old small flat) and I rent it out, but one of the tenants (joint lease) recently left, leaving the other on his own - obviously right now it’s hard for him to get another friend in. He asked for a discount and I said yes, it’s the decent thing to do. Even though its tough for me right now too, and I reckon he could have afforded it on his own, but it would have been tight for him, and the govt has lowered mortgage rates too - everyone needs to try and be kind, I think. So ask your landlord! Also there are some media stories about NHS workers needing places at the moment, you might find If you put a note in your nurse’s noticeboard that you find someone that way too.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 04/04/2020 12:52

submerging is not illegal I think it rather depends what/who you are submerging and what you are submerging them in

I just had this vision of you bathing all 36 cats.

YukoandHiro · 04/04/2020 12:58

NHS flat mate is a good idea - as they are the only people legally allowed to move right now anyway

thecatneuterer · 04/04/2020 12:59

as they are the only people legally allowed to move right now anyway Unless something has changed very recently that's not true.

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 04/04/2020 13:16

Im seeing myself living alone with 10 cats in a bed in each room.

OP posts:
thecatneuterer · 04/04/2020 13:18

Don't knock it till you've tried it Grin

oohnicevase · 04/04/2020 13:21

Why do you sublet a room, why not just rent a smaller place on your own? I can't imagine living with someone I didn't get on with .. must be painful!!

CtrlU · 04/04/2020 13:25

I love how people feel the need to comment without actually offering advice Hmm

As the OP has said - Subletting isn’t illegal if the landlord is aware and there is a contractual agreement.

In regards to OP’s previous threads...well what relevance is that to this question ???

The IQ of some people on here...seriously. It’s so draining sometimes...

roses2 · 04/04/2020 13:26

Your landlady has 80 properties which she lets out? Hmm

thecatneuterer · 04/04/2020 13:28

In regards to OP’s previous threads...well what relevance is that to this question ??? Well, considering they weren't even her threads, none whatsoever!!

Savingsh0es · 04/04/2020 13:49

If she subsets, did she put down a deposit with you? To cover another month's rent etc?
I know you said you're good for the rent etc but it sucks when you're left high and dry.
Defo her mum not making decisions for her? Not likely that she has no idea that her mum has collected her things etc?
Unless the chest infection is a cover story and she's actually got something else wrong - anxiety/mental health related.

PieceOfMaria · 04/04/2020 13:58

Subletting is almost ALWAYS in breach of a normal tenancy agreement and in some cases, for example if you rent from the council then I’m pretty sure it is illegal.

MintyMabel · 04/04/2020 13:59

Everyone prefers it that way.

Until situations like this arise and you’re left paying rent.

As others have said, I believe there is a problem with NHS staff looking for places to stay at the moment as landlords are evicting them. Advertise anyway, nothing to lose.

helgahelga · 04/04/2020 13:59

@roses2

Your landlady has 80 properties which she lets out? Hmm

Unusual for a lone person (or couple, or family,) to own 80 properties, but not unheard of.

The house my DD and 4 of her pals rented (when at university,) was owned by a landlord and landlady (married couple) who owned 43 properties in the university town. So it's not out of the realms of possibility that someone could own 80 properties.