Page 2 | Flatmate wants me to move out so their friend can move in

Babyroobs · 02/05/2021 15:01

I'd leave and dob them in to the letting agency about the extra person !

WombatChocolate · 02/05/2021 15:03

Sounds to me like as a sub-letter you have less rights.

The property is let as a whole and not on individual tenancies. Therefore, no individual has rights but the tenancy is signed between all the tenants collectively.

A new tenancy for another 12 months is needed. The existing tenants want to stay on with the tenancy and change 1 name on the contract.

As you said you would be short term, they always expected to need to and be able to fill your room. That was the deal. The room was only given to you for 6 months.

So you do need to go. Plus, who wants to stay somewhere they’re not wanted?

It might be convenient to stay but you do t have an individual contract with the landlady for your room and the whole flat is let as a unit. That usually requires there to be a ‘lead tenant’ that the landlord or agent deals with. They arrange who the other flat areas will be and all the names go together on the tenancy.

Sounds like you need to find a group of friends to rent a whole flat with or to have an agreement for a room in a HMO - Hiuse multiple occultation. Everyone has their own individual contract.

Ellmau · 02/05/2021 15:03

the flatmate was told that she would pay less council tax as they would only announce four people living there

I think they've misunderstood how council tax is charged. There's a discount for being the only occupant, or the only occupant who isn't exempt due to being a student or unemployed, but otherwise it's the same amount per property in that band. If person 5 doesn't pay anything, they're benefitting from persons 1-4 paying their share.

Are the couple only going to pay 1/4 of the utilities too?

Are they registering to vote?

And if they force you out I would definitely be reporting to the council as a breach of the HMO regulations.

DogsSausages · 02/05/2021 15:03

The atmosphere will become horrible, look for somewhere else, but do dob them in, it might invalidate the hmo and insurance it's not worth the grief.

SwedishK · 02/05/2021 15:04

It all depends on what you have signed. If you had a fixed term 6 month contract, leading up to let's say 1 June, and somebody else has now signed a contract to rent your room from June 1st onwards, then you will have to move out. You can not really just change your mind and decide to stay on. Although, if you want to be difficult, it is really hard to evict anyone right now, but it would be better if you just found somewhere else to rent.

Minezatea · 02/05/2021 15:04

You said you were only going to stay 6 months so their actions seems very appropriate (aside from the over occupancy issue).

Viviennemary · 02/05/2021 15:05

I'd say you should move out. As that is what the agreement was even if it was informal. But if you want to stay you should go to the letting agent. It all depends on any agreements you've signed.

saraclara · 02/05/2021 15:10

Sharing with a couple is grim at the best of times. And in this atmosphere it would be awful.

In fairness to them, you said six months, and they made plans. If a room is left empty the lead tenant has to cover that portion of the rent. So they have to plan ahead to ensure that there's no gap between the intended move of the present tenant (you) and the arrival of the next one, or the cost is high.

So I'm afraid that they're not being unreasonable. You changed your mind too late. As a sub letter, you really don't have any rights.

billybagpuss · 02/05/2021 15:13

I don’t think you have any rights either, but that aside would you really want to spend another year with people who are happy to railroad others into getting what they want!

I’d move and make the landlord aware of the situation.

SelkieFly · 02/05/2021 15:14

No, this is not a hill to die on. You'll erode yourself by sticking around to be not wanted.

Leave and leave asap and hold your head up high and don't look back.

GreyHare · 02/05/2021 15:17

Leave, 12 months in a toxic atmosphere and lets be honest it's gonna turn toxic if you dig your heels in and stay will be soul destroying.

Daisylg · 02/05/2021 15:18

No sorry, I think you should move out. You said you would be there 6 months, so they were within their rights to find a replacement. Just because you changed your mind, what are they meant to do tell their friend they can’t move in now? They have probably made Arrangements, eg gave up their own tenancy etc. Everyone is sticking to the original agreement, it’s not their fault this no longer suits you. I wouldn't want to live there now anyway, there would be a huge atmosphere and you would feel unwanted. Move out, £100 more for no hassle is a small price to pay.

Obviously the other issues about having 5 people there are annoying but it doesn’t affect you and leave them to it. It will bite them in the arse. Eg if the house gets robbed and they can’t claim all their stuff back on insurance because they don’t even on paper live there.. and I wouldn't want to the be the person not down on the council tax because one day they will be asked where they lived for said about of time and be charged. Not sure why they wouldn’t just be honest, you aren’t charged council tax per person, it’s either single person or frozen at 2.. so if 5 people live in a property it costs the same if 2 people did.

Cherrysoup · 02/05/2021 15:18

A friend of mine went through sheer hell once her flat mate decided she no longer wanted her in the flat. I think you either need to tell the head tenant very firmly that you’re staying and also the management company or move out. If you aren’t firm, you’ll find the new people’s stuff in your living room!

Whythesadface · 02/05/2021 15:21

Don't forget to point out two people use twice as much utilities, I quietly make sure the 4 th person in this group knows if you move out the boyfriend is going to be costing everyone else, and that the lit of them could be homeless if the landlord finds out.
Yes I would also tell the Landlord your being kicked out for a couple, so 5 in the flat, let alone the sex noises.

Dddccc · 02/05/2021 15:23

1 not up yo them if you continue to say on its the letting agent so contact them ASAP, 2 they can not just move someone else's stuff into a shared space report it if they try 3 if you have to inform the agency that you want to stay on but the head tenant wanted to move her 2 friends into your room not 1 person I would ignore the head tenant and go fully above them

saraclara · 02/05/2021 15:26

I really don't know why you think it's cheeky for her to move the friend in. She's lead tenant, with all the responsibilities that go with that. You took over the remaining six months of the previous person's lease, and said you would only need it for six months because you were moving cities. That's exactly what the lead tenant needed, and you were very clear cut with your reason for moving on.

She did what she needed to do if she wasn't going to be left paying for an empty room until she could find someone. Not unreasonable of her at all.

Bluntness100 · 02/05/2021 15:27

I don’t think you do have as much right if you’ve already told them you’re leaving and they have committed to the other person

Now clearly you need to speak to whomever is responsible for your lease, to see if they share the same view, but by Christ I’d not want to live with three people who really really don’t want me there.

GreyhoundG1rl · 02/05/2021 15:29

You've just sublet the room for an agreed period of 6 months.
It's a shame you've decided you'd be happy to extend this for another12 months and they aren't, but they're hardly unreasonable.

ThatIsMyPotato · 02/05/2021 15:35

I would leave as she might get nasty. I'd hand in my notice by saying I was moving out so that x can move her two friends in though.

Butwasitherdriveway · 02/05/2021 15:37

@elcsum

As the title says really, but a little bit more complicated. Not sure where I stand.

I live in a shared professional flat with four people. The previous occupant of my room fell out with said flatmate, and left. I moved in 6 months into the tenancy, and when renting the room, said that I did only need the room for the 6 months as I will then be moving to another city.

My plans have changed, and I now need to be in this city for another 12 months. The other flatmates are keen to sign the contract for another 12 months, but the one flatmate (who is head tenant), has made it very clear that my room is not available to renew the lease on. This is because her best friend will be moving in with her partner. She has even announced that the said friend will be moving some things into the sitting room ahead of her tenancy.

Now I know I told them that I only needed to be here for the 6 months, and they probably made plans. But as this is a shared rented flat (none of the tenants own it), surely I have as much of a right to live here next year than they do? The other flatmate often treats the flat like it's hers, and dominates the communal areas.

A reason I want to stay on, is that the flat is a very good deal, and moving somewhere else would easily cost £100 extra a month. Good flats here are very hard to come by. One of the other flatmates is not sure if she will sign again for 12 months, as she doesn't want to live in a four bed flat with five people. Legally speaking too, it is against the HMO lisence and the tenancy, but the flatmate was told that she would pay less council tax as they would only announce four people living there.

Obviously I wouldn't want to live in an environment I'm not welcome in, but I do think it's a bit cheeky...

I can see both sides. It's you who has changed the plan.

PembrokeshireDreaming · 02/05/2021 15:38

Leave..............I wouldn't want to live somewhere where I wasn't wanted even if it was a bit cheaper............not worth the stress!!!!

SchadenfreudePersonified · 02/05/2021 15:38

Move out*

Shop the buggers!

*Yourlife will be hell if you don't.

RampantIvy · 02/05/2021 15:45

I agree that moving out and letting the management company/landlord know that there are now 5 people in the flat is the way forward.

Mummy194 · 02/05/2021 15:49

@elcsum

Problem is, I am not on the initial tenancy, as I have sublet the room. The management agency are fully aware of this though.

They won't be telling the management firm about the extra person moving in. It will be done on the down low, so that couple can split the bills and rent for the room and avoid council tax for one of them. The flat specifically is for four persons maximum.

Sounds a bit strange to me. I thought you are not allowed to sublet a rented property unless specifically approved by the landlord. In which case, a new contract with you should be signed.

I agree with others, you don't want to live in a place where you are not wanted. Can you imagine coming from work to such an environment, when you are supposed to relax?

As for snitching, well, they may well find excuses that the bf is there visiting. Not worth any of your time. Find another place, forget they even exist.

osbertthesyrianhamster · 02/05/2021 15:59

I'd move but I'd dob them in to the landlord. He could get in trouble for breaching HMO regulations due to those fuckers.