Annoying housemate

[crazycatgal]

Me and my housemate let's call her Laura live in a 3 bedroom shared house with another person who I'll call Sarah. After a few problems Sarah moved out 6 months ago to live with her boyfriend, but they've recently broken up and she's moved back.

Laura and I both have uni exams and work to get up for and Laura is also pregnant. Sarah has started coming in at 1-2am and bringing friends round where they play music and are generally loud until they leave at around 5am.

Since she's been back Sarah has also started smoking weed in the house, and we've had people knocking on the door in the early hours making drop offs. The whole of the upstairs is starting to stink due to the smoking in the house.

We have tried to talk to Sarah, but she's ignored us so far and is someone who really isn't approachable. Our tenancy ends in August but Laura and I are moving out in a couple of weeks due to the problems.

Would it be unreasonable for us to contact our letting agents about Sarah when we've left? We're concerned about damage being done to the property and us being blamed for the smell of smoke and not getting our deposits back.

If it's to snitch and be spiteful in retaliation then it is a bit unreasonable though I understand why but if you genuinely feel like you could be blamed and liable for the deposit then no, YANBU

I'd be tempted once you leave to get the police involved as back up for the smell of weed, even though the police are unlikely to prosecute.

ForalltheSaints When there are reports that police won't respond to burglaries actually taking place at the time of people contacting them due to cutbacks, or people's iPhones being stolen and they contact the police and tell them they have located where it is by locating them by the 'find my iphone' feature and being told they are too busy to deal with it and to get it back themselves, I hardly think they will send somebody round because people are smoking weed

@MissionItsPossible no, we want to report her because we don't want to be liable for any damage done.

She took over someone else's contract so didn't actually put down a deposit, which I think is why she doesn't care about damage. Both me and Laura put deposits down and don't want to lose our money. Laura is due at the end of July and that £200 is definitely needed by her.

If you and Laura leave, Sarah will need to sign a new tenancy agreement in her name, so you won't be liable anyway.

@Alicia555 I don't think so because me and Laura have paid until the end of the tenancy but are just moving out early

rather than 'snitching' straight to the landlord as your very first move, I'd say that two out of the three of you want a 'no drug household' and that due to different lifestyles she should move on. Then reassess after the reaction to that conversation.

Definitely tell the land lord. Take photos of the property when you leave too. Is there a no smoking policy? If so, you could be liable if you do t infirm the landlord now.

• if you do not inform the landlord

@Brogadoccio I've already said in my OP that we've tried to speak to her about it but even with two of us telling her that we aren't happy she's not bothered

@Creampastry yeah it's a non-smoking property

Get some proper advice.

Maybe you could get Sarah to pay a deposit?

Or maybe you could get a formal inventory done when you're leaving so it's clear what you're responsible for?

If Sarah hasn't paid a deposit, does that mean she's not on the tenancy? Can you ask her to leave?

Just some ideas.

X post. If it was me, given it's a non-smoking property, I would go with your pregnant friend to the letting agents, if there is one, (landlord if not) and make a complaint about the smoking, but that assumes all is above board with the tenancy.

@CatsAndCandles The person who we were supposed to be living with paid a deposit, but then could no longer live here and Sarah took over his tenancy and did not pay a deposit herself, but she did sign a contract with the letting company and is a legal tenant.

I think the company is using our original housemates deposit (it was non-refundable) for Sarah, but because this isn't money that she has paid she isn't bothered.

When Laura and I move we are going to photograph the house and do an inventory which will hopefully prevent us being liable if anything is physically damaged, however there's no way to make sure we aren't liable for the smell of smoke.

Jta, if you're going down the complaint route, it would be wise to put it in writing too and keep a copy.

Why are people using the word 'snitching'?! Surely the word is 'informing'.

Let the letting agents know and ask them to check the property when you leave.

X post again. I would definitely complain about the smoking. Again, go in with your pregnant friend and make it clear how unhappy you are. Put it in writing to the letting agent, cc'd to the landlord. Make them take some responsibility for it.

Photos can be useful but I doubt your own inventory will be taken notice of and by then, it will be too late. Take formal action now.

ffs, the op isn't at school its not snitching or grassing, its being a responsible adult.

Inform the LL now whats going on and make sure they are aware why you are moving out.

Tell the landlord. Fuck her! Read the thread people, Sarah is not approachable and they've tried talking to her. She's a dick. Tell all the landlord.

If this is a non-smoking house, inform the landlord now. He/She my step in to make Sarah move out. If you don't want any aggravation from Sarah, definitely tell them after you move out as you will be liable for cleaning costs. The landlord can't prove which of you is smoking so they'll just split the costs between you and the person that Sarah took the lease from.

This is not snitching. How would you feel if you let out a house as being non-smoking and someone kippered it with weed? It is going to take some effort to de-smokify all the curtains, carpets, and soft furnishings. Why should the landlord be out of pocket because of your stupid house mate? Why should you?

Is Sarah a joint tenant? What does your contract say? If so, doesn't matter if you leave early and can prove all the subsequent damage is her fault. The LL can still pursue you for all the damages (and may well do, if you're easier to contact and/or are more likely to have the money).

Yes to taking photos and a detailed inventory, voice your concerns to the landlord in writing, also notify landlord the date you left the property. Keep copies of everything. You could also be reporting drug taking in the property and the exchange of drugs to the police (although this may be a step too far)