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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is lodger a CF?

155 replies

Ladiva1971 · 21/03/2018 18:17

I have a lodger his rent includes all bills, however I went on holiday for 2 weeks and on my return he presented me with a £25 top up bill for the gas which he used for heating when I was away. I told him there is no way I am paying for the gas he used when I wasn't here. He says gas and electric is included, but my argument is that if I was on holiday the gas would not have been used so he has to pay it. AIBU?

OP posts:
Original poster
Ladiva1971 · 21/03/2018 19:47

Yes I know how cold it is here but using heating for 2-3 hours a day is a lot different to having it on 24/7

OP posts:
giggidy1 · 21/03/2018 19:49

It's £25!! How much do you charge him in rent? More than enough to cover half the bills I imagine.

Sorry, but this is a disadvantage of having a lodger. Suck it up I'm afraid.

RaspberryPi1 · 21/03/2018 19:50

OP why post on aibu when you can't accept the verdict! The people have spoken!

Idontdowindows · 21/03/2018 19:51

Yes I know how cold it is here but using heating for 2-3 hours a day is a lot different to having it on 24/7

Good grief woman, if you don't want to deal with lodgers, don't have blooming lodgers!

Original poster
Ladiva1971 · 21/03/2018 19:51

I live in Greenwich he pays £350 a month Google it

OP posts:
Byebyebye · 21/03/2018 19:51

You’re the cheeky fucker.

giggidy1 · 21/03/2018 19:52

£350 is cheap for Greenwich (yes I know where it is) but if you're that tight for £25 you need to put your rent up next time. You can't control what other people do in your home and need a reserve for this reason.

Original poster
Ladiva1971 · 21/03/2018 19:53

I shall do that giggidy1

OP posts:
Foodylicious · 21/03/2018 19:57

I feel for your lodger having to ask every time he is cold and wants yo put the heating on. It's pretty demeaning.

I think you have ended up in this situation unwittingly and may need to consider a different contract for the next lodger.

Being a too hot or cold person is such an individual thing.

Can you turn some of the radiators in your part of the house down?
Or could he have an electric, oil filled radiator in his room?

It might be worth doing the maths for how much that will cost vs gas.

Bluelady · 21/03/2018 19:58

Ffs, it's been bloody freezing - two or three hours a day? Mine's been on 16 hours a day since the middle of February.

kubex · 21/03/2018 19:59

Why does your lodger have to ask permission to turn the heating on??

I bet you're a fucking nightmare to live with OP!

HelloHouse · 21/03/2018 20:01

I agree with blue - I feel so sorry for your lodger I would hate to live in a cold house!!

I wouldn't be surprised if your lodger keeps asking to put the heating on less out of courtesy and more that they hope you will take the hint it's bloody freezing all the time!

Graphista · 21/03/2018 20:07

In addition to all that's already been said

Ywbu to leave without topping it up at least the amount normally used

Does he work? Is it possible he couldn't get to work/his workplace was closed due to the weather so he was home more and therefore the property needed heated for that reason?

You not being cold DOESN'T mean he isn't. Everyone is different and as a landlord you need to be considerate of this fact.

I'm in a flat I'm in between floors and normally its roasting but during that cold spell it was far colder than usual and we had our heating on more.

The rent being cheap for the area completely irrelevant - you set the rent level under those conditions. If that was a mistake the mistake was yours.

BrendasUmbrella · 21/03/2018 20:08

Try and compromise a bit more on the heating. If gas and electric are included he should be able to use them. And fingers crossed it will be warming up soon anyway.

Glumglowworm · 21/03/2018 20:09

YABU

His rent includes bills. So you should be paying for all bills.

If you’re not charging enough rent to cover normal usage of heating then you need to increase the rent. It’s been a very cold March! 1 hour a day of heating is unreasonable.

Don’t kid yourself that you’re being honourable. You’re just not quite being a CF.

seven201 · 21/03/2018 20:12

I too feel sorry for your lodger. Shit to have to be cold because he lives with a tight with heating landlord. That rent is very cheap though!

Mydoghatesthebath · 21/03/2018 20:14

He has to ask you to turn on the heating and you normally only have it on 2/3 hours a day in the minus 6 + weather we have had?

You are being very reckless op and very lucky you have such w tolerant lodger, poor sod, and no burst pipes.

Jesus how mean

LanguidLobster · 21/03/2018 20:18

Don't think he's a CF, probably just cold.

£25 isn't a massive amount for a fortnight.

colditz · 21/03/2018 20:24

YABu

bills included means bills included.

Drum71 · 21/03/2018 20:25

Poor tenant. It’s been fecking Baltic here. Would you refund him gas and electric when he’s on holiday? No.

clyde5591 · 21/03/2018 20:28

It may seem unfair to you but as the first line of you message states

'I have a lodger his rent includes all bills'

that is the agreement sent up at the start of the tenancy.

Although you were away power, heating etc. would have to continue and cost much the same.

Most people when they are away from home have to pay utilities, heating etc

MrsCrabbyTree · 21/03/2018 20:30

You'll catch up moneywise during the summer. Lodger will be paying the same rent but there will not be any heating costs. Or are you planning on charging less during the warmer months?

clyde5591 · 21/03/2018 20:34

Poor lodger - you went on holidays knowing you had not honoured the tenancy agreement you set up.

Poor show

Graphista · 21/03/2018 20:37

I've rented almost all my adult life I've learned the hard way if it looks too good to be true (eg cheap for the area) it probably is.

When I was last looking my dd got very excited seeing a property very cheap for our area - on further research turned out to be a con man who'd been on watchdog (advertised places for rent he didn't own, took deposit and first months rent then vanished!)

senioritabonita · 21/03/2018 20:40

No. You are.