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Original poster

To not want to pay

70 replies

BoomerAnge · 08/03/2017 01:14

Live with two flatmates.

One had his gf staying last night and she always leaves house later than any of us. She generally goes out through side door and posts key through letter box. Not a system I promote but one I have begrudgingly agreed to tolerate.

Anyway today I return home early and front door won't budge; it is clear she has left latch on and gone through (locked) side door... I tell flatmates and one comes to help but one with gf stays out, sleeps at friend's house and offers no support. Bill comes to 300 quid. Who should pay? I am close to snapping...

OP posts:
ElvishArchdruid · 08/03/2017 01:20

I guess in an ideal world the person whose gf made the error should pay, but realistically it should be split into thirds or even quarters since it was caused by a non resident.

How rude just ignoring the situation.

Would you gain anything speaking to the LL?

ElvishArchdruid · 08/03/2017 01:23

Do you have house insurance?

VimFuego101 · 08/03/2017 01:23

The flatmate and his girlfriend should pay, and the system of posting keys should stop.

LolaTheDarkdestroyer · 08/03/2017 01:28

I might be being thick but if she went out of the side door how does that affect the front door?... if it was her fault then obviously her bf pays!

Marmalady75 · 08/03/2017 01:42

She put the latch in and then left through another door locking it behind her. I'd say she pays, but I doubt she or her boyfriend will agree.

MidniteScribbler · 08/03/2017 01:55

She and the bf should pay, and she shouldn't be left in the house without a flatmate being onsite as well.

notangelinajolie · 08/03/2017 01:57

Flatmate & gf.

Drawward · 08/03/2017 02:04

I feel for you as difficult situations like this always come up with house shares and people having GF/BF's over a lot. In my opinion the person who causes the damage/situation/extra spend should be the one to stump up the money to fix it. Its no different to her breaking something in the house you wouldn't expect to all chip in to replace it.
Why did you only have one set of keys for the side door when its in regular use? When the situation is fixed make sure all of you have a key for all doors.

HirplesWithHaggis · 08/03/2017 02:16

I must be missing something. OP was locked out and a flatmate (though not the one with the gf) came to help, where did the £300 bill come from? Confused

KoalaDownUnder · 08/03/2017 02:54

Bill for what?

KoalaDownUnder · 08/03/2017 02:55

And why don't you have a key to the side door? So confused.

RedBullBlood · 08/03/2017 03:01

I suppose the bill came from having to have the lock drilled out and a new lock installed? Even if a flatmate came to help, they would ALL be locked out.

KoalaDownUnder · 08/03/2017 03:04

RedBull, but someone must have a key to the side door, surely?

KoalaDownUnder · 08/03/2017 03:05

Anyway, it would infuriate me too. And the girlfriend should pay.

tabbymog · 08/03/2017 03:19

The guilty person should pay, no question, and they shouldn't have a key any longer. I'd send them a copy of the bill and if they don't pay up, go to the small claims court. You can't claim on your insurance because it's unlikely to be covered and if you tell the insurance company that it was because a non-resident was staying in the property, and what you did with the key, they'll very likely raise your insurance premium by a hefty amount. It's not just the £300 bill, you also have to consider what you'll be charged in future, which is what this person is also responsible for.

ElvishArchdruid · 08/03/2017 03:42

I thought that actually, why only one set of keys to the back door? Surely the LL gives you front & back each.

highinthesky · 08/03/2017 04:30

The flatmate should pay.

His GF didn't do this on purpose but perhaps he will now understand that having guests in a shared house can make life difficult.

Chloe84 · 08/03/2017 05:27

Confused too...did a locksmith come out? Of course flatmate with gf should pay.

jamont0ast · 08/03/2017 05:53

Gf should pay, and should be told she can't be in the place alone anymore and have responsibility for locking up. Stupid cow.

FrenchLavender · 08/03/2017 05:56

So do you not have a key for the side door that she went out of then? I am struggling to see why this necessitated a lock change (presumably this is what the £300 call out was for?) Extortionate as well, what the hell kind of lock costs £300 to be drilled out and replaced? Shock

Why didn't you just demand that the friend who's GF did it came home to let you in with his side door key? Confused What am I missing here?

So many questions. So is the GF locking the side door with a key that belongs to no-one in particular and then just posting it back through?

Do you all go out of the front door in the mornings, or the side door? Because if you all use the side door then why don't you have a side door key?

And if you all use the front door except her, then why on earth would she bother to go to the front door, put the latch on it after everyone else had left and then go out of a different door? Confused Is she not aware that none of you would appear to have a side door key to your own house? Confused

KoalaDownUnder · 08/03/2017 05:59

French - I was too lazy to type all that out, so thanks. Wink

Mummyoflittledragon · 08/03/2017 06:12

In an ideal world, she/they should pay. You should all have keys to the side door. Get some cut. It's not acceptable to have only one set provided by the ll. Split the bill 3 ways. Lesson learned. And frankly if this woman stays a lot, bills need to be split 4 ways.

BoomBoomsCousin · 08/03/2017 06:18

Assume big bill is for out of hours locksmith call out and lock replacement?

Assuming you can be certain the GF put the latch on or in someway did something different from her regular routine, then GF should pay. If the error can be clearly traced to someone else and in a way that isn't a mistake that anyone could make, then that person should pay. Otherwise a split, accidents do happen. But in any case, the GF leaving by the side door should probably now be stopped unless it can be shown this would have happened regardless of her leaving the way she does.

emmyrose2000 · 08/03/2017 06:25

Assuming the bill is for a locksmith then of course the person/people who created that necessity should pay. Presumably that would be the girlfriend and/or the flatmate in this instance.

In any event, OP should not be paying. This would become a hill to die on for me.

Does the gf contribute to the household bills in any way or is she scrounging off the actual tenants?

19lottie82 · 08/03/2017 06:31

£300 bill? For a locksmith? If so that seems very steep. VERY steep!

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