Money owed: how to remind without falling out

[Goldie82]

We have a small annexe attached to our house that we rent out on AirBNB Apr- September and then generally use for family and friends out of season. A friend of a friend needed somewhere to stay for her work (self-employed) a few nights a week for a few months so I agreed to let her stay in the annexe.
We agreed that she would pay me weekly just for the nights she is there at a 65% discount on normal rates. She has been there 3 weeks and has not paid anything yet.
I sent a friendly reminder and she said she would pay the following day but she didn’t.
I would call her an acquaintance rather than a friend but don’t want to upset her because of our mutual friend.
As she plans to stay for a few months I want to get the weekly payment thing established. I hate confrontation and am bad at cheery but assertive messages.
We’re about to go away for a week so I want to send a message before we leave. What should I say? She doesn’t appear to have any financial problems.

This!
Keep it simple, she doesn't have any kind of tenancy for you to be concerned about.
She is likely being paid for her accommodation by her employer so she's being doubly cheeky.
If she still doesn't pay, tell her she can no longer stay with you and that you'll make a Mcol (money claim on line). They're easy to do. She'll get a ccc eventually if she refuses to pay you, assuming the claim goes in your favour.

Just get rid - anyone shameless enough to bilk someone linked to their social network is always going to be problematic. If you ask the friend you have in common you will probably find this comes as no surprise to them.

This.
Do it, OP

This is a good response. I think it would be better if she left you really don’t want any ongoing problems regarding overstaying or other possible problems with her

Does she leave any of her stuff in the annex on the days she isn’t using it ?
Do you clean and change bedding in between her 3 day stints there?
Are you paying tax on your earnings from her?
Be careful OP. as she could make things very awkward for you if it’s a long term let.

I would talk to the mutual friend. Find out if she has form for not paying her rent.
Enlist mutual friend’s help in moving her on if this isn’t simply an oversight in paying promptly.

Otherwise, I’d be tempted to say nothing more about rent and, on the days she isn’t there, I’d bag up any stuff of hers and get the locks changed. Send her a text saying you had to end the contract due to non payment of rent in spite of reminders. Take any stuff of hers to the mutual friend.

Tell her you have someone willing to pay full price so if she doesn't pay you, you will be forced to accept. Take no Sit

"Your clean knickers are in one of the bin bags at your feet on the step. Fuck off.

Yours, etc."

Hi -

I haven’t received the money you owe yet, can you pay today please? I don’t want to have to keep chasing so might be best to set up a standing order. Let me know if you’ve changed your mind about staying on.

You're letting that place out as a business so treat it as a business transaction (even with the huge discount you're giving her) so something like this might work:

Hi X,

You are behind in paying £xxx.xx for the use of the AirBnB premises at Y location. If you are unable to pay, you must vacate the premises with your belongings by 5pm on Date.
Failure to either pay or vacate the premises will result in legal procedures being envoked.

Sincerely,

@Goldie82

or something like that.

I would go with this but if no reply or follow up by the weekend I'd tell her it's time to shift on

this. Never mind the "winter is coming" "might be best" or "thank you for your understanding" Its business arrnagement "You are in arrears, pay up"

I'd be worried that she knows she can't be evicted from an annexe. I think changing the WiFi password is a good idea, I'd ask her to pay up then leave.

On what terms are you actually letting this property, @Goldie82 ?

AFAIK, AirBnB is limited to 30 days. You need to make absolutely sure that you are not accidentally creating another type of tenancy, which could have long-term consequences if she refuses to leave.

In your shoes, I'd ask about your problem at LandlordZone in the first instance, but you'd probably be wise to seek proper legal advice ass well.

I agree with the person suggesting that you just get rid of her.
In my experience as a residential landlord if things go wrong so early on they rarely, if ever, improve.
Your situation is an AirBnB. I don’t think you need to be concerned that her stay in self contained accommodation for 3 nights per week could be construed as a tenancy. To be an assured tenancy it must be her principal home. If she spends 4 nights per week at her main home she would find it difficult to argue, and she hasn’t actually paid anything so has not created a tenancy yet. However if she is the CF she sounds she might start to prefer her ‘free’ all inclusive accommodation, especially in colder weather and start spending more time there.
It’s probably best to end this situation whilst your losses are in hundreds rather than thousands.

This

Change approach to open the conversation again? - as it’s got work to you need an invoice to put it through on your expenses?

then be clear - as you will appreciate we can’t let it out without being paid, what payment time do you want me to put on the invoice to make sure your work pays on time?

“Because I don’t want money to get in the way of friendship, we need to get contract signed and a standing order started. I need immediate payment of money owed. Thank you.”

Be very clear. The amount to date is X amount, please pay this by Friday. If I do not receive payment on Friday then I will need the property back on X date.

You have no need to pussyfoot around her, tell her that due to non payment you take it that she no longer wants to stay in the property, so it has gone back on AirBnB.

Give her 24 hours to get her stuff out, and then take it out if she's not vacated and change the locks. I absolutely wouldn't be messing about giving this any more head space on how you can "not fall out". Let her go, why would you want this person in your life?

Totally agree with this. If she considered you a friend of friend (or whatever), she'd make some attempt to pay you. She is totally freeloading and taking the piss.

Why would she get upset? She clearly doesn’t care about upsetting you. It’s nothing to do with mutual friend.
give her a deadline and say you have other people interested in the property and if she can’t afford it give till xxxx to move out

I hate confrontation and am bad at cheery but assertive messages.

bit of topic, but useful I hope to suggest that you use ChatGPT to try out your messages

Try drafting what you might say and ask chatGPT 'what message would it give if I said' and then paste in your draft message

Then you can ask ChatGPT to 'make it more friendly' or 'make sure the message is clear'

Make any changes and then try again with the new draft

It might sound daft but I find it really helpful. And good to tune my message to be a balance of clear and assertive.