Dealing with a lodger

[Jemblue101]

Hello, I've recently got a lodger and he is drying washing in his bedroom (sometimes with the window open but not always) and putting on a load late in the day then leaving it wet in the drum for a few hours. I'm really concerned about mould and damp and as a first time owner, I take pride in my home. Should I say something?

I made it clear before he moved in that washing is dried outside on a hot day. It is pretty much the only house rule. I do all the cleaning etc

@Jemblue101 no hyperbole needed. You can't be a landlord if you need to come to an internet forum because you assume you have the moral right to tell your lodger when they should take the washing out the machine and where to hang it.
Did you do any research about this before you decided to take in lodgers? God forbid you might end up with one who causes you actual difficulties beyond having the audacity to wash their clothes.

Do you dry washing in your bedroom with the windows closed?

Jesus wept pretty much everyone in the uk dries their washing indoors for large parts of the year. Most of our houses are fine. Open the windows and you won’t get mould. And chill out about the washing being left in the machine. It will be fine.

How do you think people in flats get by with no tumble drier in the depth of winter when it’s minus temperatures outside?

IKR you'd think he was smoking crack in there 👀

On what planet is it too much trouble to hang washing outside instead of in a bedroom when you were asked to do that BEFORE agreeeing and moving in, and it being the only house rule. Jesus

Same as I did it my old flat, open windows and trickle vents and use a dehumidifier or extractor fan. Not dry in a bedroom with windows closed

@Jemblue101 I'll stop posting in here as you are clearly incapable of understanding that

• people may live their lives ever so slightly differently to you
• when you are someone who can't tolerate that, you should find other ways to pay your mortgage than renting out part of your home

There's nothing wrong with being particular and having fixed rules in your house - but if that's you, you really should look at a different way of earning money. You need to have a degree of live and let live, to house share or provide lodgings.

Are there other communal areas he could use to dry the clothes? Is it a huge room or something that he has ample space to dry clothing there? Maybe he is a crossdresser and doesn't want you seeing his other persona lol Seriously though how recent did he move in and how often are clothes being dried in the bedroom? I cannot think of a worse thing than sleeping in my bedroom with a horse full of wet clothes.

Please do stop. Nasty person.

That’s the trade off of bringing someone into your home to help pay your mortgage. It’s not their permanent home so of course they don’t care about it as much as you do.

Not everybody has those facilities. Open windows when it’s -5 outside? It’s a no from me both on costs and environmental grounds. A bit of washing in a bedroom won’t cause mould and I highly doubt this is ‘the only rule’.

I agree with @Hibernatingtilspring- I’m not sure lodging is for you if such a relatively minor issue is aggravating you this much. No judgement on that- I’ve considered it but I’m also particular so it’s not for me!

Haha don't think he's a cross dresser. There is a bathroom.with an extractor fan that can be used too. I don't mind occasional indoor drying, but in a heatwave and when I've already said prior to move in the drying rule it it feels reasonable to dry outside. I wouldn't in my bedroom either

@Jemblue101 have a light aww-hearted reminder chat that says ‘please unload the machine as soon as you can as I don’t want black mould in the collar. It’s a good idea to dry it outside while you can as well’. Additionally, keep a plastic laundry basket on or near machine and just unload his washing into that (don’t hang it, but the machine needs to be empty ready for you (or him) to use) 🤷🏻‍♀️

It is the only rule. No time restrictions, I do all the cleaning etc. Of course when it's cold it's fine, but not during a heatwave. And it's heavy towels and things like that.

I'm very wary of damp. I used to live in a damp house and I was ill constantly. When something so simple can prevent it I see no issue in drying outside in the sun.

In winter, yes - well, in the guest bedroom. When the kids were little and didn’t use their shower I used to put the drying rack in the family bathroom, but it’s been in the guest bedroom ever since they started preferring showers over baths.

And we’ve never had an issue with mould.

Some of you are bizarre. It's like any kind of house rule is unthinkable.

But it's not winter, that's the point. Would be different if it was. We are in the middle of a heatwave

All i can think is that the clothes are very expensive and he is maybe afraid of heat damage? Is he from a hot country maybe where your clothing would get sun dye if left outside?

No, is British and just wears regular clothes.

I don’t think a lodger will work long term for you (wouldn’t for me either). What they are doing seems ok to me but if it bothers you, you need to say something.

^ This.

Maybe reconsider if having a lodger is the right thing for you. You seem the type who'll be bothered if they come home late, or stay up all night reading because of the extra electricity...

No, I'm pretty desperate financially which is why I've done it. Wouldn't otherwise. But they have a very clean, tidy and cheap home, the only thing I asked is about washing being outside

I've said repeatedly it's the only rule, but sure, keep making fun of me.