Ok this time I am posting in a calm and reasoned manner - what do you think of this rent increase with regards to childminding?

[eenybeeny]

I am training to be a childminder.

My landlady is my next door neighbour and for 4 years has introduced me to friends as her "honourary daughter" etc and as she never had any children I have gone out of my way to be kind and respectful for her in every way including giving her Mother's Day gifts etc. I also look after her house/cat 6 times a year for at least a week each time and it goes without saying I have never asked anything for it. We have never been even a day late on rent and also have looked after the house very well.

Our rent goes up by £25 a month each year, this year by £50.

She informed me Sunday that as I will be "earning a living at her expence" i.e. childminding in this house, then the rent will go up MORE in April when it comes time to renew our lease. She would not say by how much she said I would get a letter in the post saying how much.

Well I got it today.

In addition to the regular annual increase it is being increased EACH MONTH by another £100. Which pretty well take care of a lot of my CM profit thanks very much.

I think this is appalling. Quite apart from the fact that I did not think she would be so mercenary I really can not see why me CM in this house justifies an extra £100 a month. A little, sure, because of wear and tear etc I can sort of see that but £100 A MONTH???????? I am not doing her any harm, she is not having to change the insurance for the house etc. I am stunned.

I am planning on moving in April partly because I do not want to pay this and partly because I want to get away from a person who is becoming increasingly desctructive to me... various things like constantly inspecting our storage space etc to make sure it is "tidy" - we are normal clean people and we pay for that storage space so I resent the intrusion.

Ok. So what is the MN verdict? Is this unreasonable? I am trying not to feel sick because of this, I havent got this sort of money and I cant fathom why £100 extra a month is called for.

just because I feel like it I am going to tell you one of the MANY irritating comments I get from her (think MIL from hell and you will be close)

When DS was 19 months she was here for a coffee and he was watching Pingu and she said "No wonder he talks like that if this is all he watches all day!"

I was like "he doesnt watch it ALL day AND he talks magnificantly he is only 19 months ffs!!"

There are far far far too many little snidey comments like that - imagine having one of those every time you ran into your neighbour. Honestly sometimes I dont know what is wrong with me putting up with it all this time. But to be fair to me it has got considerably worse in the last year. DH thinks she is losing her marbles. I'm not sure she ever had them. She is from this very different background... she doesnt have a cleaner she has a "domestic", or a "retainer" (I think thats the word she uses!). And she does not say "I" she says "one"

FOR THE RECORD those things in and of themselves are fine its the greater context of her looking down her nose at pretty much everyone around her. Including me.

Oh please let me come and meet her I have a huge array of one liners I can use on her, put her down - you will have to lend the old dear a shovel to dig her way back up!

twinkie once I am safely moved I will oblige!

this gives details of tenants rights

in particular landlords have to give at least 24hrs notice to inspect the property.

the old bat sounds barking to me

Agree about taking photos of everything before you leave and if possible have someone who can provide a written statement to confirm the condition of the property.

Personally I would withdraw from the friendship slowly, she seems to be the kind of person who would make your life hell if she knows you will be leaving.

For example I wouldn't put it past her to keep a diary of all noise/tidiness (the woman is mad) etc and she would use that on the reference.

I had a mad landlady at uni, once she locked us out (we lived in a downstairs flat of her large Georgian house and she locked the communal front door) the neighbour heard us knocking and put a ladder up to climb over the back fence, as we were in his house we could hear the conversation they had!!

We had done nothing wrong but her husband had left her and found someone else and she was close to losing it. After that one of us always stayed in so that she couldn't lock us out again.

I would just suck it up until you can move (I am doing the same as our neighbours are loons)

Wow, now I see why you said you where moving. I know it is a nice house you have but if you are paying close to 1K that is rediculous. I know mine isn't as nice but I pay half

She would love our storage area

When you move out you could look at getting your carpets cleaned or maybe hireing a carpet cleaner etc. It might be better than leaving on the really bad terms of withholding rent but be cheaper than loosing all of your deposit? They have to allow some wear and tear to the property.

And your house is far from dirty mine must be a pig sty then.