To be thoroughly fed up of my housemates?

[ellesapelle]

I live with DP in a 3 bed flat which he owns. We have 2 housemates, 1 in each of the two other bedrooms. We're both getting pretty fed up of them. One housemate is Russian and speaks terrible English which makes raising any problems difficult. She's also quite timid and shy so difficult to be direct with. For the last couple of nights I had terrible night sweats which I put down to my cold, but I've just realised the thermostat was turned up to 20 degrees! Our flat is modern and very warm so there's no need for the heating to be on at the moment, nevermind at 20 degrees.

Our Russian housemate takes 90 minute baths most days so we're having problems with mould from all the steam. Not once in 4 months has she cleaned the bathroom. I did it every week, but for the past 6 weeks I've stopped cleaning it thinking she would - but she hasn't. The other housemate is a little better with cleaning, but they both treat the house like a hostel, in which they are responsible for their room but not for any other aspect of the house.

We have an old fashioned tumble drier which creates a lot of steam and is very expensive to run. The 2 housemates have been using the drier for a few hours a week each despite it being just as quick to dry things outside at the moment. I mentioned this to our other housemate, and the next morning I came downstairs to find a load in the tumble dryer and a house full of steam.

DP is reluctant to say anything because as a resident landlord he doesn't want to make things difficult. Also, the situation has gone on for so long that I'm unsure about what to do. Both housemates are due to leave in September so I'm tempted to just leave things as they are. Am I being unreasonable to be fed up - they're fairly minor issues in the scheme of things - or should I try and do something?

Hide the tumble drier?

Just get rid.

They are only lodgers, not tenants so you can give five days notice and tell them to move out.

It is your house!

I am sure you will find better lodgers once they have gone.

The electricity bill alone will be huge so it will end up costing you!!!

Luckily Sept isn't too far away. I would be inclined to tell them to clean up after themselves or you will get a cleaner and take it out of their deposit. (not sure if this is legal though)Don't think you can do much about 90 min baths tbh apart from make sure they pay fair share of heating bills

yes I think you should get rid of them too.

Some charming responses!

I would have a word with them again and explain it properly first rather than just throwing them into the street.

Just because they're only lodgers doesn't mean it's morally right or fair to make them homeless over this.

Well I think it is. They are adults and surely know that a 90 minute bath is excessive, and that driers are expensive to run, and they shouldn't expect to have someone else clean up after them - especially the bathroom - yuck!

scurryfunge - we did consider taking the fuse out.

Saslou - the thing about the deposit is worth thinking about. We will probably have to get someone professional in to clean the bathroom at this rate. We never had problems with damp in the bathroom before she was living with us.

I think it sounds slightly unclear whether they are lodgers or housemates - this may be why they don't think they are responsible for the rest of the house. Are they sharing all the bills, or just paying you monthly rent?

I'd have a meeting and go over some of the problems in a non-confrontational way. Explain the mould problems, and ask for HM to limit bath time, ditto - no fiddling with the thermostat, and draw up a cleaning rota. I wouldn't throw them out,- if they are totally unco-op. at least they will be gone in a few months time.

I did not say to throw them on the street.

"Getting rid" involves giving them notice as I said. They are not homeless. And they should be behaving a bit more responsibily in somebody else's house.

I have managed over 2000 properties over 10 years and do not accept this kind of behaviour, I am afraid.

You cannot make any deductions from that deposit at this stage. You could at the end to get cleaners in for their rooms but you would have to be able to demonstrate that this was because the cleanliness as worse than at the beginning of the tenancy.

This may, to a certain extent, be a cultural thing. They may expect that you are doing the cleaning and it is included in their rent.

However, I would stand by what I said before. If you cannot explain to them the problem, or they take steps to remedy it, I would be asking them to leave.

I think you should take the fuse out of the tumble dryer and tell them it is broken esp with the weather being so nice it is just lazy not putting it out on the line.

I would also have a word re the other problems and advise them that if it carries on then their rent will need to increase X amount because of the extra cost. Failing tha6t give them notice and find new lodgers.

Thanks for the responses. As I said, I wasn't sure whether I was being unreasonable to get annoyed at small things.

We advertised the flat as a whole, not just the room - they have full use of the living room etc so I think that makes them more than lodgers. Not too sure on the difference though. They pay a fixed sum each month, but it was made clear that that includes bills. However, we weren't expecting them to be so frivolous with gas and electricity .

Right, you need to take this lot in hand. This is not about their rights, this is about their lack of respect.

You need to sit them all down and tell them that the bathroom is theirs for 30mins maximum. Get a kitchen timer and set it for 30 mins. Tell them that is it and for them to finish up and come out. The bathroom must be cleaned after each and every use, they must leave it as they find it.

The Drier is out of bounds. remove the fuse.

The central heating is not to be touched.

Ideally clean everywhere as you expect to have it and then show them how it is to be kept.

Draw up a cleaning rota, and post it in a prominent place. Give them each a copy of it.

Tell them that this is a first warning and that if they don't stick to it then they will be asked to leave.

If you need to live with lodgers, fine, but set the ground rules at the outset and insist they are stuck to. If they are not, then you can and should give them notice.

TBH, I'd be inclined to give the 90minute bath girl the heave-ho, she sounds like a real nuisance, and this is not the first time I've heard such complaints. She's timid and shy and difficult to be direct with? HA! if she were so timid, she wouldn't be so bold as to bugger about with the heating and spend literally hours wallowing in the bath... You are being HAD girl! She is playing you like a violin....

Once you have a new set of tenants, then keep the above in place, you can offer use of the Drier for an additional charge, or they can use the local launderette.

They are not more than lodgers as you live there.

One of the conditions of a Tenancy Agreement for a tenant is that this it is no longer the landlord's main residence.

So even though they have use of the living room and kitchen etc they are still not tenants. They should have a licence, to be lodgers.

If the rent includes bills then you do not have a leg to stand on when the gas and electric are huge, I am afraid.

You could though have a conversation about "reasonable" use of hot water / tumble drier / etc etc.

Or as I said, if that doesn't work, serve them Notice to quit.

Giving them notice of 5 days is hardly long enough to make sure they've found secure accommodation!

I don't care if the law says that's ok, it's still not a great thing to do to someone.

by the way folks, BBM knows what she is talking about here

This must be very frustrating for you. Have a house meeting explain the issues, and why your upset. You can't expect them to change their behaviour (however annoying) untill you have made them awear of how unhappy it's making you.

Perhaps ask for extra long bathing sessions be limited to the evening. And say if they are not more economical with the gas and electric then you will have to reconsider the payment structure.

You may find they are mortified that they have made you feel this way.........if not they are twats.

When I lived in Russia (some years ago), the hot water and heating was essentially free, and people tended to have their houses quite a lot warmer than in the UK. Electricity might have been 'free' too, though I don't remember that. Your Russian housemate may not have realised how UK houses and utilities work!