..to not want my live-in landlord to let guests stay in my room when I’m away?!

[RebeccaBunchLawyer]

Hi all,

I’m not sure (seriously) if I’m being unreasonable here, as, as a tenant I don’t really know all my rights. Atm I am lodging at a friend’s house with her and her mum (saving to buy, as many are!), and want to know if the following are or aren’t acceptable, legally and or morally:

1.) My landlady going in and out of my room all the time (whether I’m in it or not). If I’m in it she will knock, then walk straight in, whether I’m naked or whatever. She says that she can do this. She keeps putting things in the wardrobe and under my bed etc, and always finds a reason to tend to these items. She goes in and out when I’m not here all the time, and I can always tell. Such an intrusion!

2.) Not getting anything fixed (loo handle, shower, window etc), so (and this is my main gripe here) things we use get worse and then she blames us for them completely breaking and hints that we should pay towards them etc.

3.) IMHO this is a big one and probably the real reason I am posting here: she is planning on letting guests of hers stay in my room if I’m away. I am still paying rent when I am away- obviously- and I really don’t want anyone in my room. We have politely expressed a worry about people I don’t know being in our rooms and I am worried about strangers rifling through my things but it has fallen on deaf ears, and she say it is “her house”.

Is there a tenant who’s had this threat before, and if so, could you legally advise me on this, please? Any landlords who could comment? I am a bit concerned as I do not want anyone in a room I am paying for- whether I am there or not- but don’t know where I stand, and don’t want to rock the boat as need to live here a bit longer, unfortunately!

TIA.

There’s a lack of respect here. It sounds like you feel you don’t have other options, are you sure there’s nowhere else you could move to?

I used to rent a room in a flat where the landlord was the other occupier. He would never have come into my room unless invited. I did have a proper tenancy contract, but on your second point he was definitely more slack about fixing things than any professional landlord (probably not the right term) I have ever rented from.

The landlord’s behaviour is not good but there is little youcan do but move. They are coming at this from a very difficult angle to you and they’re just not going to get it from your perspective.

I've had a lodger and wouldn't dream of entering her room. Your landlady sounds psycho - she wants rent, but to still control your space that you're paying for. As PP said, leaving is the only answer when dealing with someone so unreasonable.

That's not acceptable. I rented a room out in my flat for years and never dreamed of using my lodger's room as the spare. Guests got the sofa bed, or my bed.

OTOH, if I was away for the weekend and his close friend was staying, I was happy for him to use my room as long as he made it up with fresh bedding before I came back.

But no. That's the payoff for the money a lodger pays. You don't get a spare room.

We lived in a house a long time ago. The live in landlord's girlfriend (who moved in after us) used to go into our room and the other tennant's room uninvited, though we could never prove it as it only happened when we weren't in. One day my partner was off work sick. He was woken by her strutting through the room in her underwear to open the curtains and window. Needless to say she got the shock of her life when she realised he was there and never went in our room again!

You pay for your room, it's yoir private space. No one should enter or use it without your permission. I'd move out if I were you, there's obviously no respect for boundaries in the house.

I would definitely move. She is not suited to renting a room out - I suspect she doesn't see you as a lodger so much as a friend of her daughter, who she is allowing to stay in her spare bedroom in return for a (nominal?) fee.

Sounds like you're a lodger, not a tenant. Even so, you have rights and expectations. I have had lodgers for years. Their room is their own space and I would not enter it without their prior consent and for good reason (eg workmen need access). I certainly would not have my own guests staying in it if the lodger was absent for a weekend or holiday. That's outrageous. Find somewhere else to live, with a more reasonable landlord!

The only good thing is that if I were ever in the privileged position of owning my own home and having lodgers (if that’s a privileged position?!), I’d now know how not to treat a lodger.

The rent is really quite cheap for the area, that’s the payoff, I suppose.

Both of us have been advised (irl) to start leaving horrible things to put her off coming in/letting unwanted individuals enter such as: porn magazines and DVDs etc, but she’d probably evict us!

Look on spareroom.com
I found an amazing house share including all bills and wifi/sky package. Was amazing for me while working on a 2 year temporary course in another city and saving for my house. Plus i had a legit agreement with landlord so everything was fixed immediately etc.

Pack your bags and leave.

Yeah this is much more staying at a friend's mum's house than a landlady situation. Is she charging you full whack or mates rates? Either way, it doesn't sound like it's working for you so if you want a more official set-up, rent a room with a proper contract and then you'll know where you stand and hopefully none of this crap will happen. It shouldn't do anyway, but you're in a grey area at the mo.

You're not a tenant, you're a lodger, legally they're very different, so you don't really have any rights (although the walking in whilst you're naked could class as some sort of harassment maybe).

I don't know how much rent you're paying but if it is well below the market rate I guess she is just seeing it as her way or the high way.

Either way you just have to put up with it or move out.

If you decide to stay I would at least insist on a lock on your door (that you pay for) so you have some privacy whilst in the room.

I pity the girl who's mum this is, at least you can move out and never see her again.

Is the landlady your mum? If so, that would explain a lot. If not, definitely move out. If she is, maybe move out anyway.

Rebecca does your landlady have a gas certificate? This is a legal requirement and there is a hefty fine if she doesn’t

As your landlady is behaving in an unprofessional way I would make sure of this fact

Anyone renting a room to lodgers, students, tenants has to legally have this certificate.

On an aside I had student let’s and part of the agreement was if they were away and I used the room they only paid half rent during this time / I didn’t draw up the agreement and never did this / but it seemed fair

Move. You don’t have to give notice.

Maelstrom is spot on, just line yourself up with somewhere else. Check them out on going in your space etc and then move. Pay what you owe and get yourself some privacy

All totally out of order.
You need to have a serious chat about expectations and/or a contract. If you have a lodger you can expect some extra wear and tear in the house, on the other hand you should expect the tenant to take care of the place and not go carelessly breaking stuff.

Sounds like she doesn’t trust you and keeps making excuses to come in and check up on you!

Agree with others that you should find somewhere else - you can’t live like that

Start looking at houseshares today. You need a proper landlord and rent agreement. There is no point in staying where you are.