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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be a bit miffed about housemate not paying rent?

15 replies

LissyGlitter · 30/04/2009 16:20

I feel really tight posting this, but I do feel annoyed by it...One of my housemates gave up his job a few weeks ago (the business was going under, and in fact he would have been sacked a week later as the place is now under new owners who aren't taking on any staff) and hasn't received any jobseekers or other benefits yet. I know he is completely skint as I have donated food to him to stop him surviving off the communal bread dipped in tomato sauce. I don't mind looking after him in this way, as he is a good friend and I'm sure he would do the same for me. However, the other day I happened to mention that our rent (the house is rented under mine and dps name and we sublet to the others, so we are responsible ultimately for the rent being paid) is going to be really high this month as we have two empty rooms and no prospect of filling them (we are moving out at some point in the next couple of months) and my housemate casually said "it will be, especially as I won't be able to give you any rent this month either". So basically he is borrowing (I bloody hope he sees it as borrowing and is going to pay me back) £200 without even asking!

Luckily my student loan has just come in, so I will be able to afford it this month, but usually we really struggle to pay the rent, and I'm not able to work at the moment due to terrible morning sickness, so the money situation is even tighter.

I feel really mean moaning, as, like I say, he is a good friend and I know he has no money whatsoever, and nowhere to go (he doesn't speak to his family) but surely it would have been polite to at least sit me and dp down and explain the situation/when he is likely to have the money etc?

OP posts:

AMumInScotland · 30/04/2009 16:29

It's very cheeky of him. It was also really, really stupid of him to voluntarily given up his job, as that makes a difference when trying to claim benefits. If he had been made redundant, he'd have had rights.

Bonneville · 30/04/2009 16:35

Surely he wouldnt have been sacked by the new owners (had he not voluntarily given up his job)? I thought new owners of businesses had to keep on existing staff (TUPE regs or something) OR make him redundant.

Original poster

LissyGlitter · 30/04/2009 16:50

I dunno, the whole business was in a massive mess. It was a coffee shop and internet cafe/computer repair shop owned by two blokes and my housemate was the manager. He had to fight for his wages every week (and very rarely got the full amount), one of the owners (the one who had invested most of the money) it turns out got most of his money from dodgy biker gangs who are now threatening everyone involved to try and get thier money back. People's laptops that had been put in for repair were regulary going missing and then it was taking the business ages to either find them or replace them, the coffee shop hardly ever had any stock in besides coffee (eg cakes, soft drinks, sandwiches) I know most of the people involved and there are a lot of very pissed off people about. The old owner actually asked one of his friends for his student loan to pay the rent on the building, and now that friend and another regular to the shop have taken over and the owner (the money one-the other one who was the coffee expert jumped ship at about the same time as my housemate after discovering that he wasn't actually legally tied to the business-the other bloke had given him the forms to sign but had never actually handed them in) has run off. I think my housemate was probably wise to leave, as the couple of times I went in I was quizzed by one of the bikers (I'm not scared of him as I've known him for years, but he has scary friends)about how many customers the place has and if I had seen the owners anywhere around town as he was looking for them and stuff. I think my housemate was wise, once it became clear how dodgy the business was, to stay well clear.

OP posts:

AMumInScotland · 30/04/2009 16:58

Ah well, yes, possible physical threats do tend to outweigh legal and financial implications .

Has he been to see the benefits people to make sure what he can claim and from when? It sounds like you're stuck with him owing you for the next month's rent if he's that skint, but you need to be sure he's doing everything to make sure he'll be able to get money coming in asap so he can start paying his way again, and hopefully then pay you back.

HecatesTwopenceworth · 30/04/2009 17:01

how long until he can get job seekers? also, he can apply for housing benefit, if he is renting a room, can't he?

I think you need to sit him down and tell him that you understand he has no money atm, but neither do you and you are all going to find yourselves homeless if not enough money is going into the pot (lay it on a bit thick!) so he has to find something pdq because you will need him to catch up his share of the rent asap.

oh, and when you move - is he moving with you?

Short term helping a mate is a nice thing to do, but my fear would be that when someone has a taste of not paying their way, they can rather get used to it. But that depends on the type of person I guess.

YanknCock · 30/04/2009 17:06

I'd be more than 'miffed' that he just assumed you'd cover it rather than speaking to you first!

TheDevilWearsPrimark · 30/04/2009 17:07

When I was a student I was on the lease and rented out the rooms. A very good friend from my hometown asked to move in as she wanted to make it in tv production so London was the best place.

When she arrived and moved in it was fine until she told me she wouldn't be paying rent until she'd found a job. I was fuming. Not only that but she had not a penny so didn't contribute to bills, grocery shopping etc for three months. The final straw was when she turned down a bar job I'd asked a friend to sort her out with as she 'had bigger ambitions'. We haven't spoken since.

Money and friends is very difficult. If you are comfortable lending him this months rent make it clear and make sure he agrees and sticks to repayment. If not tell him to move out and get someone else in.

Original poster

LissyGlitter · 30/04/2009 17:08

I'm pretty sure he has applied for jobseekers, and I presume housing benefit, although do I need to tell my landlord if he is receiving housing benefit? He is looking for another job, but only in coffee, he won't look for a job in care, for example, although a lot of people are like that. He does seem to have a few good prospects lined up, and the new owners of the shop have said that as soon as they are in a position to take staff on, they will offer him a job. He is absolutely lovely, but I especily can't afford to pay his rent for any more than this one month. Me and DP are paying the rent for the entire house now, and that is £750 pcm, and DP only works part time in a booze shop and I don't work at all the moment. The bills are massive as well. We are trying to move asap, but are stuck in a contract unless we can find someone to take over the house. Some good friends (actually the non-dodgy coffee shop ex-owner and his gf)are thinking of taking over the house, so hopefully that will happen soon.

OP posts:

Original poster

LissyGlitter · 30/04/2009 17:10

hecate no, we are moving to another town, hopefully he will stay in this house and live with whoever moves in, although obviously that all depends on it being someone who knows him

OP posts:

Longtalljosie · 01/05/2009 10:02

He'll have to wait a while for JSA as he voluntarily gave up his job. Had he hung around to be made redundant / sacked - he would have qualified straight away.

How much notice does your contract stipulate? I only ask because plenty of contracts say you have to give humungous amounts of notice but actually I'm pretty sure under the law, a month's is fine (two months for a landlord to give notice)

Original poster

LissyGlitter · 01/05/2009 11:24

longtalljosie I'm daft and have lost my copy of the contract

OP posts:

Nekabu · 01/05/2009 13:09

"He is looking for another job, but only in coffee, he won't look for a job in care, for example, although a lot of people are like that."

Only if they have the luxury of other people picking up the bill for them. On Planet Real World the rest of us have to take what we can get to pay our bills or we find ourselves out on our ears as most landlords don't feel the urge to support us whilst we get all picky about what jobs we will or will not consider!

Longtalljosie · 01/05/2009 13:17

Ah well I did that once or twice while renting myself. The estate agent you got the flat through should have a copy. Usually they have a generic one they use...

Original poster

LissyGlitter · 03/05/2009 11:04

longtalljosie We didn't use an estate agent, we just rang the number in the window of the house.

Housemate has said he will hopefully have a job in a week, he has a few possibles, so fingers crossed!

OP posts:

Longtalljosie · 03/05/2009 11:30

Well in that case the Landlords and Tenant Act is your friend. The Citizens Advice Bureau may be able to talk you through it.

Hoping housemate gets a new job. Still think he took the piss though...

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