neighbour on at me to keep my heating on

[clovissa]

We've just rented a house, been in a couple of weeks. We have the main house and the back half of the basement. The front half of the basement is a one-bed flat. The night we moved in the switch tripped and we found out the switches are in the other flat, but there is a key over the connecting door, so we're to knock, then let ourselves in if there's no reply. He's an oldish guy, seems nice.

Now it turns out we share all utilities with him. This was never mentioned before, they apply a ratio.

He has been up twice now because we haven't got the heating on and he's cold. He wants us to put it on and then turn down all our radiators if we don't need them on. It's a bit of a jig as we have four floors and are in all day.

He also said our tumble drier was going to run the bills up and he's very careful. I've told him not to worry, we will make sure his bills don't go up but arch.

Also, someone I know nothing about has a key to enter our house. Isn't that a bit weird ?

I have to agree that you are sounding very naive about the whole situation and are burying your head in the sand about what could go wrong with this whole set up - it could end up being a very costly situation for you in the long run

Agree.

My goodness, this is utter madness!

I really think you will regret this situation if you let it continue. It sounds as though when the property was split, it only went as far as putting a partition wall in the basement. I can see how this might work if the owners live in the main house and are renting out the basement to make a bit of income.

But that's not the case now. Both properties should have separate utilities if they are separate dwellings. Isn't this highly illegal?

I think you should refer back to the letting agent. Who do you pay rent to? Is it to the agent or direct to LL.

It's already a problem for you and it's only going to get worse.

I don't really want to defend why we don't have contents insurance, but basically we don't have very expensive possessions apart from our laptops and my jewellery which is all on my person, all the time. We have already saved nearly 30 years of premiums. It would only be in the case of a fire that we would lose out. No burglar is going to find much.

Back on the subject, I think if it works out expensively for anyone it will be him. Our bills will be high, his will be low. If we are all BU I don't see how it could go massively wrong. However, you are not the first to comment on my naiveté..

You may not have expensive possessions, but you have possessions! Contents insurance would cover all your clothes, for example. If you had a fire, it would be really expensive to replace all your clothes. Never mind your general stuff.

It is a false economy not buying it.

Ok, you mentioned fire. A few posts ago I asked whether there is adequate fire protection between the two dwellings? Is there?

Insurance covers a multitude of things. Floods are far more commonplace than fire for a start!

I would be very surprised if a tenancy agreement did not stipulate that you have contents insurance.

However I do wonder if this is any sort of legal tenancy, as it certainly sounds extremely dodgy.

You have basically rented a house with a live in lodger by the sounds of it, and rushed blindly in, with no experience of renting, and not a bloody clue!

I don't know BIWI, but I expect not.

Actually, I do concede that now we have the teen (only got him 18 months ago) it might be time to get contents insurance.

Squeaky, I am a landlord myself!

In which case you sound even more bonkers then!

We have already saved nearly 30 years of premiums You could say that about most insurance! eg car insurance, holiday insurance...

Im not sure I believe that tbh...

surely fire regulations dont allow a shared door between 2different properties .. ??

actually you are a landlord.. oh dear!!!!

As a landlord do you go though a letting agent or deal with the contracts yourself?

How about your house? Letting agent or through the landlord.

It should probably be a fire door. Not really sure.

Also how on earth are you going to work out who pays how much of the bills? He likes the heating on which costs a fair bit. You don't want to be paying for that!

If the costs go up, what if he says its you doing it with your dryer and refuses to pay more?

Hello!!!! Please answer my post OP.... There's a man on the other side of a door and possibly partition wall from your ds, and below your whole family, who is cooking and maybe smoking. He could be having mini bonfires in his bin for all you know and have the place strewn with candles and sparkly twigs. What's the fire separation like??

It would be seriously in your interests to contact the Planning and Building Control department of your local (i.e. district/city) council on this. I suspect they will give you a whole list of breaches in law. They'll also be able to look into any applications which have been made by your LL in depth. Your next port of call should be the Environmental Health department of the same council.

WRT fire risks and soforth it's almost certain from what you say that you're putting yourself and your family in danger at the moment and being shockingly blase about it too. Please get some solid, dependable advice from Planning and Building Control based on what you know and on what they have on file on the property.

I don't have contents insurance either. Couldn't be bothered and anyway, I usually just shut my door, unlocked when I go out.

I am 42 years old, and no problems so far. Guess there is a guardian angel somewhere who looks after is irresponsible types

I do have a furnished rental property I let out and have very comprehensive insurance, but that is a business decision. Very optimistic in my personal life, and so far so good!

I've actually come across this in my previous life as a letting agent & exactly as someone sugguested (& I'd bet money has happened here): owner of a large house has made the most of having a separate basement entrance & split it into a self-contained flat. They didn't however do it officially so title deeds still show 1 single house & utilities etc remain as if 1 single unit. All well & good for your own use/occupation but no good if you intend to sell or let either or both. It sounds like you don't want to move in which case you are going to have to put up with the situation however, I would be knocking on the door of my neighbour, supplying a couple of smoke alarms & asking for the key back (plus adding my own lock just in case!!) and making sure it is absolutely cast iron written in blood the % share payable for bills so he can't suddenly decide you're spending too much & he doesn't want to pay.

Don't really see the big deal about not having contents insurance tbh. Entirely up to the op to weigh up risks / costs / benefits.

Liability insurance is also part of your contents insurance.

If someone comes into your house, and has an accident, they can sue you.

Good luck paying out thousands without any cover.

In an age where compensation and sueing are a priority for many, it is foolish not to have any sort of insurance in place.

I couldn't live like that. I fret enough about bills without having to worry about someone else as well.

And you are mad to think that you don't need contents insurance because you don't have anything worth insuring. What if there was a flood in your house and all your clothes and books and CDs and DVDs and TV were ruined? Buildings insurance wouldn't cover that.

I am a little bit shocked that as a landlord yourself this hadn't occurred to you.

Don't really see the big deal about not having contents insurance tbh. Entirely up to the op to weigh up risks / costs / benefits.

Oops sorry double post