to ask my Lodger to tidy his darn room or he can find somewhere else to leave!

[YorkshireMummyof1]

Now...I know that when someone rents a room, that it is their room. It's not mine, it's theirs.

However, this morning he left his door open, I've just cycled back to walk the dogs on my lunch break and well, I couldn't really avoid it, mainly because of the smell.

1. He hasn't changed the bed sheet since september
2. He has a couple of my plates upstairs, and I'm pretty sure my cutlery knives will be in there (mysteriously missing some)
3. He had a curry takeout last night and there is a pot of curry sauce spilled over on to the sheet and this berk (ie me) didn't put a mattress protector on the bed
4. The new bedding I gave him in September is still in the wrapper meaning he's never put pillowcases on the pillows etc.
5. My favourite starbucks mug is full of rubbish
6. He has never emptied the bin in his room
7. I don't know how he even walks in that room as the floor is covered in crap.

It's messy, which in itself isn't a reason to be annoyed as he can live how he wants. HOWEVER....the rubbish, the curry sauce, the food that must be floating around in that room combined with the fact that he insists on keeping the window wide open whether its freezing or raining makes me worry about mould.

What would you do?

a) leave him to it, I've got a deposit - can't see any physical damage however could be mould, and mattress was £150
b) leave a binbag on his door with a note asking for his bed linen for the wash
c) ask him to leave

I should note, that I never see him as he works 8am to 11pm.

I'm having a moan edited by MNHQ because I take care to keep my house clean and its a literal bombsite....but also, I acknowledge that when you rent a room out - its not really your room anymore

to leave = to live duhhh silly me

YABU. you have no right to demand anything to do with his room. He’s paid you.

Id get rid if him.

Leaving his window open is a good thing, surely.

Leave him to it. Close the door.

Actually, strawberry

Unlike a tenant or a subtenant, alodgerdoes not have exclusiverightsto the room they pay for, (save more something being expressly agreed). They cannot lock their lodging space before going out as it remains accessible to the landlord in thelodger'sabsence without prior notice or permission.

www.tenancyagreementservice.co.uk › ...

@strawberrypopsicles based on what - not being arsey.

Do I have the right to ask that he doesn't allow mould to grow up the walls by not emptying his bin for 4 months? Serious question

Have you spoken to him about it? I'd be inclined to make it clear exactly what you expect in terms of cleanliness and that you will give him notice if it doesn't improve.

Is there mould growing up the wall?

Ignore strawberry's advice. He's a lodger not a tenant so the only real right he has is to reasonable notice to leave.

@starfishmummy See this is the thing, I've totally respected his space since he moved in at the start of September, I provided him with the bedding etc and said I'd wash it for him. That bedsheet is the same as what was put on September 5th. I've not ventured into his room literally the only thing I've asked is that he kept the window closed during the day or on the latch (he has it wide open, the rain tends to go towards the front of the house and into his room.)

I don't have a problem with him using the kitchen and my equipment, and in fact I clean up after him. He fills three recycling bins with plastic, I take them out - I don't ask him to do anything. I'm pretty sure he bloody uses my toothpaste! I feel like I'm a reasonable landlord, except - I've never had to navigate someone living worse than a teenager!

And thats without the fact that he clatters around the kitchen at 1am making lots of noise, and slams doors. Luckily DS sleeps through anything.

Does he work weekends too?

@thereluctantcountess I can't quite tell, I could see a shadow of something but I daren't go further into the room to check. Its supposition on my part.

@OneForTheRoadThen No because I don't want to overstep the mark. I want to respect that he has a room, and be fair. It might be that actually he has rights to have the room how he wants as long as its left in the same state, however hypothetically what if he leaves it in a worse state than a £400 deposit can fix.

You know, am I allowed to have seen what state his room is in? Am I allowed to have been in. ARGH!

@sillysmiles He sleeps the entire weekend or goes away

Uses your toothpaste? Yuck! That means the toothpaste has his germs when you squeeze it onto yours!

IMO I don't think his long hours make up for his disgustingness and I would get a new lodger. Especially as he wakes you at 1am .

I would get rid of him. He is a filthy slob.

4. would annoy me the most. i once had an au pair who i'd often catch not using sheets on her bed. mattresses cost the earth.

overall, whilst he deserves his privacy etc, YA mostly NBU - if we're talking about simple untidiness then fair enough but if he's staining/damaging/etc your stuff that's not on.

Nah, I'd get rid. That's disgusting.

The more info you post the worse it sounds! However I assume he's there because you need the money so I'd weigh up having words with him with the hassle of getting a new lodger with as little gap between them as possible.

At the very least he should clean and bleach his room and use the sheets provided. If he can't do that and keep it clean I'd get rid.

Everyone has their own tipping point.

him using the kitchen and my equipment, and in fact I clean up after him

For me, this ^ would be too much.

It is absolutely for you to do whatever works for you.

He's unhygienic and does not respect your home.

You have to clear up after him the kitchen.

He consistently wakes you up during the night.

Give him notice. Life's too short for that crap.

Well of course it's his room, he pays for it, he should have it how he wants blah blah blah, but I wouldn't be able to deal with that. Knowing that someone is living in a pit in my house would have me giving him notice to leave.

I guess everyone has a different "line" of what is untidy and what is truely disgusting. And my concern today was whether I was unreasonable in what I can expect if that makes sense.

He's never lived away from home before, maybe this is what 21 year old guys are like?? He's polite, he keeps out of the way but oh my god the smell from that room makes my dogs stand outside the door sniffing excitedly. They can sense there is a treasure trove in there.....

OMG You have my son as a lodger!

@OneForTheRoadThen Sorry I don't mean to look like I'm dripfeeding, its one of those ranty moments where the more I think the worse it gets.

He's there because I divorced my ex, whilst still having a £400 car lease - to cover that I needed a lodger. Once the car goes back next year (Feb) I don't actually need a lodger. Hopefully June/July next year my SO will move in but for now - I'm just keeping afloat!

Literally the same sheet as I put on the bed in September. No wonder it smells....foisty

@Ijustwanttoretire

I feel sorry for his mother! Or maybe she's sat at home happy as larry because she's got a tidy house now LOL