AIBU about my lodger

[WH1SKERS]

I’ve had a lodger for the last two years. Just before lockdown started she moved in with her boyfriend and gave me 4 weeks notice that she was officially moving out ( that’s what’s in her contract ).

So she stopped paying rent yesterday and was supposed to be here today to collect all her things. When she went to her boyfriends she left almost everything here - her bedroom is jam packed with all her clothes and make up, food in her kitchen cupboard and the fridge, bathroom full of her toiletries, jackets and shoes in the hall, plants in the living room etc etc .

She didn’t turn up. When I messaged her she replied that she can’t come to collect her things because of lockdown and she will come at another time when lockdown is over.

I pointed out that she is the one who has chosen to move out during lockdown. And she can’t just leave her stuff here, keep my house keys and pay no rent. And that moving your things out at the end of a tenancy is an essential journey, because she has no right to leave it here.

She has refused to come for it.

She says IABU because the new lodger doesn’t move in until June . But I was hoping to redecorate her room and buy some new furniture (because she has broken it ).

Besides I don’t think that’s really the point. It’s not my job to store her stuff for free.

AIBU?

What should I do ? How long should I give her to collect her belongings ?

That link says you can’t dispose of items and need fo sell them at the best possible price in case you are sued for compensation. Under the circumstances of lockdown, this may prove difficult. You can’t even dispose of them anything not terribly valuable as the refuse centres are closed. The other option is for you to threaten to put her the things into storage after 14 days and state you will be suing her for compensation of storage costs. I presume storage places are open, but idk.

Another person, who thinks the world owes them something.

its not as if you can rent the room out at the moment. I think you're being mean.

OP do you have a garage/shed?

I would message your lodger and say that she either pays the rent until she has actually moves out (and you will leave her things in her room until she collects them, with a deadline a week or so before your new lodger is due to arrive) or she has X days to collect her belongings and if she hasn't collected them after this time you will be putting the items in the garage/shed and will be charging her £Y storage fees per day/week.

Yes coronavirus is shit but that does not obligate the OP to become a free storage facility. The lodger can collect her items but is choosing not to and so should have to pay the OP either the rent to keep the room or a storage fee if she wants her items not to be thrown out. Additionally, since the OP has a new lodger lined up she can clear the room of items left by the previous lodger prior to the date as the previous lodger is no longer paying for the space.

She is ridiculous - and trying to take advantage both the lockdown and you. How very odd to go off and leave your personal possessions to the mercy of someone to whom you then behave badly - you sound like reasonable, if frustrated ,person but surely there always the possibility that damage or loss may hurt involved to be in the same place.

Its a commercial arrangement which has come to an end and she needs obdy the full terms. Check the legalities as they apply to you and your jurisdiction, then take a firm and dispassionate line.

Put it out on the pavement and tell her she can collect it at her convenience.

Sorry - part of my post in the second paragraph got lost !

Regarding recorded letters, that probably isn't a great idea at the moment since the post is slow in many areas.

But email is fine and counts as notifying her in writing just as well as a hard copy would.

Change the locks first then message her you’ve done so. The possibility of never retrieving her items may scare her. Then pack up her stuff and tell her she has 7 days to collect as she isn’t paying rent and is not allowed to use your space as storage. (I’d be tempted to say it will be thrown out by Sunday if she doesn’t collect it.)

Leave it all under a tarpaulin in the garden. Send her pics..
Do it tomorrow op.

Corona virus means she is not being unreasonable. Once lockdown is lifted then it's a different matter. You can't get a new lodger until then anyway.
Op already has a new lodger. She also wants to redecorate tge room and fix or replace broken furniture which her ex lodger broke! She isnt a storage facility its her house! Moving house is perfectly acceptable under the guidelines no excuse.

How awful! You only need a few days to decorate
If the whole room needs redecorating and furniture repaired or bought and put together it will take more than a few days. Op may be still working and not have plenty spare time to do it all at once. This is her home she isnt obliged to store other people's crap for free just becsuse they think she should.
She was a lodger not a tennant the rights are very different. She left the house and no longer lives there nor pays rent so why should op have her house cluttered up by her stuff?

Tell her she pays rent until she takes her stuff as she is still using the room. Tell her new tenant now wants to move in May 1st.

OP I think you're being mean honestly, I understand it's your house, you don't and shouldn't be storing her stuff for free but I'd also have a bit of compassion. When she left 4 weeks ago with a small suitcases as you say, she probably didn't expect the country to go into chaos like this. I am moving myself at the time and it's been very very hard. You aren't using the room for at least a 5 more weeks, redecorating a single room doesn't take that long and if her things haven't bothered you up until now they probably won't make a difference for a few more weeks. Maybe message her and say you can give her another week or two, be kind, it's an unusual situation and no one needs unnecessary stress and negativity- not you or her.

If her things are there and she isn't collecting them, she hasn't moved out. She's still using your home. You should find out what your legal position is in Scotland but I would be aiming to collect rent from her until she has properly moved out and also start eviction proceedings or whatever is necessary in order to be able to remove her belongings in time for the new lodger (because you have no idea when she does intend to come and collect).

I can't see how the lockdown is relevant to the situation since moving home is named as a reasonable excuse for being out.

Right, so I'm going to rock up to a storage company (we actually might need to move urgently and quite quickly) and tell them they're mean if they charge me to store my belongings and they need to have compassion due to the coronavirus and see how far I get with that.

@collaborate that doesn’t apply to lodgers though does it? I would think mumwons link more suitable. Notify them suitably,give them reasonable period eg 14 days to collect, then dispose of.

Moving house is most definitely an essential journey so she just can’t be arsed. For those who havent rtft the op already has a new lodger signed up.

Put her things outside and change the locks,she is taking you for a fool.

Lockdown is no excuse whatsoever.

Haha she ain’t moving out. Have you given a reference for her new place?

Wouldn't she be mixing households if she came back? Even if you aren't there there's a risk of catching it if she comes back.
In normal times I'd say you're not being unreasonable but given everything going on I think you are.

From the government website
"Given the situation in the UK with regard to the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), we urge parties involved in home moving to adapt and be flexible to alter their usual processes."

You aren't being flexible or adapting are you?

Start to threaten her in the ways suggested on here and if she wants the Police will have a word with you.

" Moving house is most definitely an essential journey "

The Government has said only critical moves are allowed. Or in the case were legal stuff to do with house purchases have to be honored.

Lock down is a reason.

Work out how long it will take you to sort out the room for the next lodger. Not when you want it done by, but what is needed. Then take that off the date they move in and write to her saying her stuff has to be out by then.

@SarahAndQuack, because it's mixing households and only if it's critical should moves go ahead.

Tje Police in Scotland have had a different briefing to England and are being much stricter.

She can object to the OP packing her stuff because of the risk of transmission. This is a public health matter and new rules and laws apply.

If she's paid a deposit, say you'll be deducting storage costs from that. I bet she'll be over like a shot.

To those saying the Torts (Interference With Good) Act only applies to tenants - please know when you’re just guessing. Read the actual Act. It applies to anyone who finds themselves in the possession of someone else’s stuff.so not just landlords.

OP - I didn’t know you’re in Scotland, and the Act doesn’t apply there, but if you look on the CAB Scotland website that tells you you can’t simply throw it all out. Unlike others on this thread I won’t try and advise on an area of law beyond my competence so I’m afraid I can’t advise further.

Keep the deposit for storage costs

Send her an email:

“Thank you for coming back to move your possessions to your new home. This is to confirm that those few remaining items you left in your bedroom, the bathroom and kitchen, I will now dispose of in the waste collection because I can shall assume you do not want them.”

You will then be in a position to handle any challenge.