AIBU - lodging in a friend home

[Levi18]

Hello,
I have been renting/lodging in my friends home since Jan, I pay a set amount for rent, get my own food, pay for and do most of the cleaning and pay a little bit more towards gas and electric dependent on what the bill is, as she is not on a fixed rate. She has just told me the grounds fee that she pays to the housing association is due in April it’s £130, she has said my share is £60 and hers will be £70. I wasn’t aware she would want me to contribute to that and in my opinion it is her responsibility to pay for, it unreasonable for me to say this to her? She is someone who always thinks she’s right and can be quite opinionated so part of me thinks just to pay up and keep the peace, but I think once I start doing this it could snowball.

Ground rent is annual, isn't it? Are you going to be there a whole year or is this just a temporary arrangement?

Personally I think she should pay it, she owns the house (I'd also check if the HA allows her to take paying guests/sub letting - some don't) regardless.

If it’s a housing association place I’m surprised she’s allowed lodgers?

She's definitely being unreasonable but if you haven't got a formal agreement then it's between the two of you to debate it - if she insists it's pay up or move out I guess.

I don’t think she had told anyone official I’m here, it’s supposed to be temporary, she asked me to move in as she hates living on her own and she has the house up for sale but it has been up for sale for a while.

Will you continue living with her for the foreseeable future? If so, it seems reasonable that you also pay towards other costs, not just a 'bit towards gas and electricity- things like council tax, the wifi, phone landline, tv licence, water rates, and netflix and spotify etc if she has them.
As it's a housing association, presumeably the rent is very low and you are benefitting from this? She is sharing her space with you and therefore it doesn't seem too unreasonable for you to pay towards the grund rent in this situation.

Actually I pay for the WiFi which is just under £50, I also pay for Netflix, prime video, she owns the home so she pays the mortgage, I don’t know how much her mortgage is as she tells me this also isn’t a fixed rate. And as I said she hadn’t told anyone official I live here.

Have you worked out how much in total you are paying her and how much you'd need to pay private rent?

She's also benefiting from you **

WiFi which is just under £50, I also pay for Netflix, prime video

Does she pay towards those?

I don’t think you should be paying it but in reality I think it depends whether you want to continue living there without things being awkward or without being asked to leave.

No she doesn’t pay towards them, I think I probably contribute about 40% in total, which I think is fine as I am in a box room, with a single bed, so I wouldn’t don’t want to pay anymore. I don’t think I should be paying at all, but I think to save the stress I’ll just do it, last year her dad paid for it so I imagine she’s quite upset at having to pay for it at all.

Whether you pay it or not depends on what you'd agreed before you moved in. It'll also be affected by how much total rent and bills you pay versus market rent. You definitely should be paying towards council tax as that would increase with you there.

Years ago I had a young lodger who was paying 20% market rent (favour as she knows BIL); she had agreed to pay any insurance increase and council tax. There was no insurance cost but she refused to pay the council tax, I even showed her the text of her agreeing. Stupid kid said she was paying a lot to stay there so she didn't want to. So I said she could move out and I never spoke to her again once she had. She'd broken the valve on the radiator, so between the plumber and council tax she cost me money to stay in my house, so it matters what you're paying in total.

I’m guessing she’s still claiming the single person discount for the council tax? I’d offer the £30- especially considering the other rent and bills you pay

We hadn’t agreed anything other then rent, I might also add that I buy the majority of essentials, toilet roll, toothpaste etc I am not the sort of person who takes the mick, I’m not greedy and I’m always fair if not over generous with money. I could offer the £30 and go from there thank you for your advice

I am not the sort of person who takes the mick, I’m not greedy and I’m always fair if not over generous with money. She may have seen you coming....

Ground rent is hers to pay, it is her house, her bill!

For me I think your starting point should be that you had assumed that all housing costs should come from the rent you pay. If you havent agreed anything other the rent how have you ended up paying the other costs?

Personally I think you need to get yourself on a firmer footing by agreeing percentage share of all costs and who is paying what.

Have you sat her down and actually listed what you already pay for in detail?
I think she's taking the piss, I'd work out your total outgoings then move on as you'll probably not feel much difference money wise.
Don't pay the ground thingy..

If you rented a property privately, I imagine this would be the landlords responsibility, so on that basis I don’t TGI k you should be paying it.

She is someone who always thinks she’s right

But who is also happy to illegally sublet.

If your renting a room then it’s usual for all bills to be included..council tax, utilities, tv etc so ground rent is her responsibility.

What did you agree when you moved in? Was ground rent mentioned?

Is it illegal to rent a room in social housing?

The tenant is still living at the property, why would renting a room out be illegal- it’s not subletting which is where the original tenant has moved out and is letting out the property

Read the thread- she OWNS her home. She’s obviously BOUGHT it OFF housing association.

My dad owns his home, but has to pay costs to the housing association yearly too. So I would say it’s her bill, as she owns the property.

Rent is supposed to cover your occupation of the room. The fact that the room is costing her something doesn't mean you should have to pay extra - that's what the rent is for in the first place!

Either you should be covering her costs, OR paying rent - not both.

Ground rent could also mean it’s a leasehold property. I pay mine quartley. I personally think you should not have to pay and it should be for her to pay. I assume she gets a discount for council tax if she’s not declared? Can’t have it both ways imo.

That's for her to pay. Have you added up how much Netflix, Prime etc costs you? Present her with that and ask to go halves. Also stop buying her toiletries! As for the mortgage not being on a fixed rate, fine, but she knows how much it is per month, it won't vary just cos she's not on a fixed rate.

you're already paying for alot your friend is taking the piss expecting you to pay the ground rent, its her house and her responsibility , you pay rent, for the wifi, towards gas and electricity, cover thw ckeaning etc, tell her NO

What is illegal is for a landlord not to have a gas certificate- you can be imprisoned for this crime. I do hope that there is a gas certificate.

Anyone living in the property should be listed on electoral register (£1000 fine for not) and on council tax