Landlady issues

Burial

[For condensed version see at the very end of my post]

Ok Boardsies! I often post here, and I need advice or anyone who's experienced something similar to my experience. My story is very long and I'll try to do it as best I can without being biased. Ok here goes.

I'm currently on co-op (work experience) since May and I moved into a house as my new job is an hour away from my home and I can't afford a car. It was operated as a B&B, a shop, a post-office and a section people could rent with everything included as a normal house. (I.e. oil, electricity, towels and such are included in the rent, which I paid for by how many days I slept there. So maybe a B&B without breakfast. There was a kitchen where I could cook. there was no mobile phone reception or internet.) The house was in the middle of nowhere and there was nothing to do. (10 minute drive from civilisation) I ended up working/playing a computer game for the time I was there. On weekends it would be great. People I could talk to. (People at work lived in different cities)

Anyway, flash forward til July/August stage, and a German co-op student started in this company and moved into the same house/B&B type thing I was in. We got on well, but we were both very bored with the area we lived in. In case your thinking do a night class, join a club, and other such Boardsies replys, this was thought of, but there was nothing to do other then go a 10 minute drive away for the nearest Petrol station. Apart from the company that was working in the area, there was nothing.

The landlady saw how isolated we both were, and offered her jeep to the German without him asking. There was a condition. He'd have to pay insurance and fix the car as there was a problem with it. (She was going to throw it out) So now the agreement was she'd sell the car when he finished his co-op. He would ring home once a week for ten to twenty minutes to his parents and gf. She said it'd be cheaper if he used an Irish mobile, rather then pay her to use the phone. So she got him an O2 sim card, without him asking. This being awfully nice of her and he thanked her so much for it. She would give me lifts to the bus/train station on Fridays but it'd take a 10 minute walk from my company and then another 10 for her to get ready and another 10 to goto the train station. Not so bad, but I had one train to catch and I'd never make it this way so I had to get taxis as I had a football match on back home every week guaranteed. She would give me a lift to the city if I wanted one, but I never really asked her for it as I felt I was imposing, even though I knew she didn't mind.

Anyway, the landlady decided to buy another house as her B&B was doing really well. So she made the German move in for two weeks before me as his gf was over. They had to both pay rent, even though they took up only one room. She then talked to me and told me that once his gf moved back to Germany, that I could move in if I liked. This would be more freedom to me and I'd pay 15~25E more and the money would include rent, electricity and everything I got in the B&B. (Neither me or the German remember her saying we'd have to pay for oil. She claims she did) I didn't want to move in, as the house is the exact same location as her current B&B thing, and I wouldn't stay on weekends. She then told me I didn't have a choice. She's kicking me out of the B&B type thing one way or another. Reminding me that this would be the closest option to the company and I wouldn't find anywhere else, especially as she was kicking me out at the end of the week! She told me there would be me and the German and one other person working from the company. So reluctantly I agreed, only seeing the outside of the house. There was no contract for this house, and if I wanted to move out I had to give her a weeks notice.

This house had its advantages and it's disadvantages. I could keep my stuff there and not have to take it home. I could bring down my consoles and use them down there. When I brought my console down we could play computer games and watch dvds, and living with the German and the co-worker was fun. Life was less lonely. It was better than the B&B. The co-worker only stayed 2 nights a week and paid half what we paid though he got breakfast we didn't.

The disadvantages of the house was that it was really cold as there was drafts everywhere (We were told it would be easy to heat, as it was small. Definatly not the case), there was no internet or phone reception. (For Meteor anyway. For O2 and vodafone there was. And we tried the vodafone plugin internet and that didn't work) And the washing machine was located in a shed outside. There was a light, but that kept breaking. The heating wasn't working for the first month (It wasn't cold, so it was fine) but it was getting colder. There was no lock on my bedroom door so all my things could be easily accessed, though I knew the German and co-worker, so I knew they wouldn't steal from me. Me and the German presumed we were room in the house, and that this wasn't a B&B.

Anyway, the landlady stopped putting our co-worker in the house. She kept putting different people in there, who'd stay longer about a week or longer. I wasn't happy about this as my room didn't have a lock and I didn't know these people. Nothing I could do though, except demand a lock. She promised, but it never happened and she just told me nothing will get taken. I guarantee you. So she has been nice to me, so I trusted her. (The German has a lock on his room)

Anyway I had to get my wisdom teeth out so I told my landlady I'm moving out in November and I won't be back til the end of November. This was in September/October. She said ok, and had booked my room on the Friday I was leaving for a week. This was to the Germans friend coming over from Germany. The German often brought people from Germany over and they'd all have to pay rent, only because they were staying for a week or two, which we classed as fair. However I couldn't have my gf or friend/s over for a night as they'd all would have to pay rent even if they stayed in my room. We didn't think this was very fair.

Recently she said two English people are staying over. These lads were nice, but I was worried as usual about having no lock. Anyway I came back after my wisdom teeth operation, and the German was gone to Germany on business. I had found some of my food missing. I had presumed the German took it, but later I found out the English were told they could take and use anything they liked. They were smoking in the house (Weed and normal) and when they were asked to do it in there room or outside they claimed the Landlady allowed them to do so. They only took a small amount of food so me and the German just decided to wave it off as the landlady had been so nice to us.

Anyway we used all the oil that was there in October/November. So she ordered new oil and all was grand in this department for a few weeks until she said to the German, he'd have to pay 400E for oil. (Not me) He said no. A few days later she said it was only 200E he'd have to pay. He said no. A week later she said 200 E for me and the German, divided how we see fit. (German was staying in the house longer then me. We were given no receipt either) We complained to her asking why we are paying for oil when others who arrive in the house don't pay for it. Why are we being charged, while NONE of her other people were. Then she claimed a week later that she was getting money from people. All the people she had over in the house, they all paid 40E (total) towards the oil. This was obviously a lie. Reasons why is the co-worker never paid her anything and others who were paying the same as us, were getting breakfast and dinner and they weren't paying anything extra for oil. So me and the German now had to pay 160 E, and we were still unhappy that all the previous tentants didn't pay anything and we'd have to pay this. We said that we didn't want the oil, in the first place. She said she has to keep anyone who stays in the other room in the house happy, as they might want oil. (And thus heating)

The Germans family is coming this weekend and they had booked my room out to them. I wasn't told of this by anyone. I had paid my weeks rent and was planning to stay in the room for the weekend. I was only told by the German when he told me to clean my room for his parents. He had presumed the landlady told me, and the landlady presumed the German told me. We were both very annoyed at this and the oil situation. So we wanted to know what is happening. She then proceeds to tell us, by phone, that she has been good to us, and that this was the first time I stayed up on weekends and I should've warned her. So she said to me (by phone) it's your choice to kick his parents out or you can sleep on a couch. I refused to do either. So she said ok i'll tell him, you want to kick his parents out, I'm sure he'll enjoy that. Making it sound as though it was my fault. Before hanging up on me, she told me that a man was coming to view the house that night.

I told the German a man was coming to view the house tonight, straight away after the phone call, and ten minutes later he arrived with the landlord. The landlord told us that the Germans parents are sleeping on a couch [on instruction from the landlady] and I'm getting my room while the other man was viewing the house. The German said no. She promised him my room. The Landlord said ok I'll have a talk with her so, and asked the man what he thought. He said it was too messy and he didn't want to stay, which was hilarious considering the Landlord knew the German cleaned it immensly because he parents are due to arrive.

Anyway, having heard no answer from the Landlady, we paid her a visit. When we arrived her husband [not the landlord] said, oh she's asleep. Sorry. We said, oh ok, and were about to leave and she appeared saying "come in the kitchen. The two of ye. And [husband] I'd think you'd want to hear this." (In a sort've joking, here what these two did and are complaining about voice) We all went in there and she said "I'm appalled. How dare you upset that man. [who was visiting the house]" "You [German] cost us rent because of your actions. Why can't you ever shut-up? Always shouting, raising your voice, can't you ever shut-up?" He isn't loud, he talks fine and normal. She just presumes the man didn't want to stay because of what he said to the landlord. He protested his innocence and she slapped him saying "I've been nothing but kind to you, I gave you a phone, a jeep, and you do this?" Everyone in the room (incl. her husband) was saying "what are you doing? Stop, theres no need for hitting/violence." The husband asked me what was going on, and I explained the situation. He calmly said, "I'm sorry [First and only apology given], it's completely our fault, [first admission of guilt], unfortunatly sleeping on the couch is the only solution. I'm sorry it came to this, but thats the best we can do, and I guarantee you, it won't happen again." She proceeded to say that "she can't believe we don't like being inconvienced and we're doing this even though she's sick." She said that if "he [German] cost us rent because of his stupid mouth. He's just like Hitler. Hitler." I said that wasn't on. [The german couldn't understand her.] I asked her to explain why he caused her to lose rent and she refused to answer. I told her that if she had told us about the man visiting, and if the landlord didn't bring it up, we wouldn't have said anything.

Condensed version: us/we = A german and me.

1.) Me and the German are off for a month during Christmas and we haven't paid for oil. (But we are today) There will be tenants in the house and they will be using our oil. The landlady sees no problem with them using the oil, and us losing money for it, and potentially not having any oil when we come back.

2.) We have to pay for oil that she reduced from 400E per person, to 160E total that we'd have to pay, even though other tenants (Different person each week) aren't paying anything towards it. We were never given a receipt, and we didn't want oil. She put in oil for the other future tenants.

3.) I can't have people over as she's claiming we're paying by the bed and not by the room. Fair enough if we are and she's operating it as a B&B I can understand, but she's charging us for oil? When do people get charged oil in a B&B?!

4.) She told two people who came they can smoke whatever, wherever. They could also eat our food if they're stuck. I.e out of milk, take ours.

5.) She is blaming us for losing a potential person to stay in the house. Though it wasn't our fault. She told us ten minutes before hand and the landlord brought up the reason she's claiming she lost that potential client.

6.) She promised me a lock for me room and hasn't given me a lock for my room yet. Since August.

7.) She has been nice to us, giving us a jeep to use if we fixed it. (We did)

8.) She slapped the German, because he was asking her for a solution because she had promised him my room for his parents. She never told me about this, as I go home on weekends, but i pay for the week. I only found out from the German a day ago.

9.) Other guests are getting breakfast, sometimes dinner for the same price or less then what we pay. She refuses to lower the price or give us food.

CONCLUSION:

We are wondering what we should do. We both want to move out of there, but we've had paid for oil and i'm only in the house for 3 more weeks and the German for 5 more weeks. (2 after xmas for me, 4 for him) Moving out doesn't seem realistic, I can commute, by getting the bus down to my work everyday, but thats 15E cheaper and is alot of hassle. The German is stuck as he's fixed their jeep and if he's moving out they'd want it back. I can give him a new sim card (He wasn't using the phone) So he can give that back whenever. I've offered for him to stay at my real home (the hour away one), but he doesn't want to do all that travelling. Any advice on what we should do? I'll be back on Monday.

syklops

Do you mind if I ask how much your paying for rent? It sounds like a studenty hostel type of place rather than a home. The reason I want to know is, I assume you are paying quite low rent compared to most people. The reason I say this is with the amount of empty homes out there, rent is now very competitive. If you are paying alot of money for rent then I suggest you do not come back after christmas. I mean as you said you cant have friends over because she charges for the bed. Then why does she charge you for the oil aswell?

Do you have your own room? How many rooms are in the house roughly? Where in the country are you and how much are you paying a week or a month in rent?

I am sure you can find somewhere for the same money if not less but with out the hassle.

blah

I read the whole thing and spent the time thinking, "just move out"

If you want a place where you can come and go without interference, have friends over, stay the weekends and not have people eating your food, then don't live in a B&B. Just get a place of your own (share with the German?) How old are you? You sound like you don't quite understand that you're free to do what you want you should be able live somewhere where you feel comfortable and don't have to worry about stuff going missing or having to give up your bed to sleep on the couch.

syklops

blah wrote: »

I read the whole thing and spent the time thinking, "just move out"

If you want a place where you can come and go without interference, have friends over, stay the weekends and not have people eating your food, then don't live in a B&B. Just get a place of your own (share with the German?) How old are you? You sound like you don't quite understand that you're free to do what you want you should be able live somewhere where you feel comfortable and don't have to worry about stuff going missing or having to give up your bed to sleep on the couch.

Thats why I asked how much was she paying, as the only reason I would put up with that is if it was ridiculously cheap.

The_Conductor

Regardless of rural it is- surely you can rent a small house/apartment with the German guy that suits both of you. The landlady is behaving appallingly. I wouldn't get too hung up on some of the things- but it really sounds far more akin to a hostel than renting a house........ It really is time to visit the nearest town and see whats available.

Bob Z

i know it is hard for you to get another you should move out. She sounds very unpredictable.

Victor

Make a complaint to the PRTB and Bord Failte and any trade associations they are in.

Move out, you don't need to be around someone like her.

Pauley2

Chalk it up to a learning experience.

Judging by the isolation of the place (and the length of your post!) you've got far too much time on your hands!

Unless you've lost a significant amount of money I wouldn't bother torturing myself with the PRTB. Just get another place closer to civilisation, buy a cheap car, live a little and forget about the whole saga. Life's too short!

Burial

First off, thank you for your replys.

Secondly, some new updates on this. She apologised for what she did to the German and only did when he apologised to her!!! I was shocked when I heard that he did that... no way did he need to do it. Anyway, she hasn't apologised to me and we've paid for oil, (Still receiptless) and the heating is on 24/7. Finally the house is actually not cold to live in. It's by no means warm, but it's such a change. Any oil that is left by Friday, I'm taking, (as the German is going back to Germany), and bringing back when we come back on the 12th of January.

Thirdly, as I'm going to be there for 2 weeks more and the German 5 weeks more, we've just accepted the situation, and refused to pay anymore bills. I'm environmentally conscious, as is the German, but we've accepted that the only way to make use of our expensive bills is to hit her where it hurts, her wallet. So Electricity is (going to be) used alot.

syklops wrote: »

Do you mind if I ask how much your paying for rent? It sounds like a studenty hostel type of place rather than a home.

I pay 85E a week for rent. It's a home. A family lived there before we moved in. It wasn't a B&B for them. Expensive in my opinion and I didn't want to move in. However, going in I didn't think of all this hassle, as I thought it was obvious when you get a house that certain things are a given. Like had I known it was only a bed and I'd have to pay for oil, I would've gotten the bus everyday. The problem is I can't find another place. The only other place charges 40 a night. Only reason is because it's next door to the company. The nearest house and such to rent is a ten minute drive. I can't afford a car, like I said, and the jeep would be taken from the German if he moves out.

syklops wrote: »

The reason I want to know is, I assume you are paying quite low rent compared to most people. The reason I say this is with the amount of empty homes out there, rent is now very competitive.

No. I pay too high a rent for this hassle I'm getting. I know it, and so does the German. We only accepted the rent as we thought oil was free, and we could have people over. Yes there are empty homes, but thats not the case in this area. It's a ten minute drive away to the nearest place to get other accomodation. As we won't have a car, it doesn't make sense to move out that far away and walk in everyday. We thought about getting car-pooling or taxi's, but taxi's would be just as expensive. Car-pooling could work, but as we're co-op students we start at different times to others. Not only that but hours are flexible, so we'd have to work our scheduele around other people, in advance. Which isn't going to work.

syklops wrote: »

If you are paying alot of money for rent then I suggest you do not come back after christmas. I mean as you said you cant have friends over because she charges for the bed. Then why does she charge you for the oil aswell?

Exactly what we asked her. She compares her price to the only other price in the area. So she thinks she's cheap, as we're conviently located near the company, but ages away from civilisation. She thinks that we are living in the house, we have to pay for the oil. The others are only "temporary" and won't use that much and in their price per week (Which is the same or lower than ours, and they get breakfast and sometimes dinner) the price of oil is included!!!! She sees nothing wrong with deducting anything from that from our oil bill.

syklops wrote: »

Do you have your own room? How many rooms are in the house roughly? Where in the country are you and how much are you paying a week or a month in rent?

I am sure you can find somewhere for the same money if not less but with out the hassle.

I had thought I had my own room, but I only have my own double bed. There are 3 bedrooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a sitting room. A week I'm paying 85E and I'm in Newtwopothouse. I live in Limerick and I've already said that commuting from Limerick everyday is cheaper, but an AWFUL lot of hassle. We've checked the area, and the company notice board. There isn't anywhere we could find where we looked.

blah wrote: »

I read the whole thing and spent the time thinking, "just move out"

Exactly what we want to do. Except it isn't as easy as saying it.

blah wrote: »

If you want a place where you can come and go without interference, have friends over, stay the weekends and not have people eating your food, then don't live in a B&B.

Thats the thing, it isn't a B&B. (Wasn't supposed to be) She made it to a B&B with the other room which has two single beds, because she knew she could make more money.

blah wrote: »

Just get a place of your own (share with the German?) How old are you? You sound like you don't quite understand that you're free to do what you want you should be able live somewhere where you feel comfortable and don't have to worry about stuff going missing or having to give up your bed to sleep on the couch.

I'm 20 and I understand exactly what I'm free to do and that I should be able to live where ever I like. I'm not repeating again why I can't get a place on my own, or share with the German. I know we shouldn't pay for oil, but due to her monopoly, there is no other choice.

syklops wrote: »

Thats why I asked how much was she paying, as the only reason I would put up with that is if it was ridiculously cheap.

As I said above, it's not even close to cheap. In Mallow, (The closest town) I found a place for 50E a week for a room, (250E a month), but it's tiny and as I said above, going to work would be difficult. (Taxi is 12E one way)

smccarrick wrote: »

Regardless of rural it is- surely you can rent a small house/apartment with the German guy that suits both of you. The landlady is behaving appallingly. I wouldn't get too hung up on some of the things- but it really sounds far more akin to a hostel than renting a house........ It really is time to visit the nearest town and see whats available.

We have, if the town wasn't so far away. We accepted the price of the house, only because we thought oil was included (as they told us how to use the oil also, and when to put it on and such. Like we can't have it on all day. Which we now find odd, considering we have to pay for it, why are they trying to control how much we use?) and we thought people could stay for a night or two for free in our rooms, and that the third room would be rented out to someone we knew.

Bob Z wrote: »

i know it is hard for you to get another you should move out. She sounds very unpredictable.

Yes, we should move out, but it's really hard to. I told this story to my brother and he thought the same as me. The German has been forced into his situation, and if he was working for them, this would be against the law. (As he relys on them for mostly everything, except for employment)

Victor wrote: »

Make a complaint to the PRTB and Bord Failte and any trade associations they are in.

Move out, you don't need to be around someone like her.

I don't know what hte PRTB is, but we've filed a complaint in the HR department of our company. This means any co-op student or temp staff working here would be advised not to stay there. however, I don't think this will be effective, as they do run quite a monopoly, and other co-op's would have the same problems as we have. As for the PRTB and stuff, we should do that, but thats an awful lot of hassle.

Pauley2 wrote: »

Chalk it up to a learning experience.

Unfortunatly, thats what we've decided.

Pauley2 wrote: »

Judging by the isolation of the place (and the length of your post!) you've got far too much time on your hands!

I actually wrote that during work... I shouldn't but we were pissed off and wanted to know what others would think/do. If work would let me, I'd sleep at work. It's open 24/7 and it has showers, changing rooms and bathrooms...

Pauley2 wrote: »

Unless you've lost a significant amount of money I wouldn't bother torturing myself with the PRTB. Just get another place closer to civilisation, buy a cheap car, live a little and forget about the whole saga. Life's too short!

In theory I haven't lost money, expect the 80 for oil. However, we've lost money not being able to have friends over. We've accepted that she has a case if any friends stay for a week on the floor of our room, but not to allow my gf or his gf come over for the weekend without paying rent is shocking. Anyway, your suggestion for buying a car, isn't viable. Me and the german thought about this, and quite frankly, it would've made sense at the start, right not it just doesn't make any financial sense. We've essentially put it as, look back and it's something funny that happened type thing.

*P.S.*

I haven't re-read this post. I wasted enough time at work writing the initial reply and the opening post. sorry.

blah

Good luck moving out and with whatever you decide to do in the future. I remember being younger and sharing a house with a few lads (and no landlady around). So many days sitting around playing PS2 in your underwear, nights drinking whiskey and listening to music in you underwear.....good times

Definitely something every young lad should do for a year or 2.

Bob Z

I think you should get together with the German guy and tell her "look we are not paying for the oil" without being nasty or falling out with her

I think you came on here because you want to be told to stand up to her.

You stated in your post that she lend you her car. So what that doesnt mean you are under a compliment to her
She is taking advantage of your young age

Victor

http://www.daft.ie/searchsharing.daft?s[cc_id]=c15&s[a_id]=577&s[mnp]=&s[mxp]=&s[room_type]=either&refine=Refine&search=1&s[search_type]=sharing&s[furn]=&s[refreshmap]=1&search_type=sharing

Theres one in Ballyviniter for €280/month.

Not much choice in the Charleville direction. http://www.daft.ie/searchsharing.daft?s[cc_id]=c15&s[a_id]=3685&s[mnp]=&s[mxp]=&s[room_type]=either&refine=Refine&search=1&s[search_type]=sharing&s[furn]=&s[refreshmap]=1&search_type=sharing

Ask around in local estate agents.

Burial

Bob_Z wrote:

[
I think you should get together with the German guy and tell her "look we are not paying for the oil" without being nasty or falling out with her

I think you came on here because you want to be told to stand up to her.

You stated in your post that she lend you her car. So what that doesnt mean you are under a compliment to her
She is taking advantage of your young age

You probably read the condensed version, or else you would know that we went to her as adults, and she responded like a child. She slapped the German once and called him hitler twice. She didn't lend me the car, but to the German. As to coming on here, we both know we have to stand up to her, which is what we did, but as I said, she's acting like a child. I'm now trying to find the best course of action next. We've looked into moving out (Whilst in the B&B) and nowhere providing anything better or cheaper. now its approached the stage where moving out isn't feasible economically. I appreciated the comment from victor about the PRTB. I looked into the PRTB, and it's a good idea.

Victor wrote: »

http://www.daft.ie/searchsharing.daft?s[cc_id]=c15&s[a_id]=577&s[mnp]=&s[mxp]=&s[room_type]=either&refine=Refine&search=1&s[search_type]=sharing&s[furn]=&s[refreshmap]=1&search_type=sharing

Theres one in Ballyviniter for €280/month.

Not much choice in the Charleville direction. http://www.daft.ie/searchsharing.daft?s[cc_id]=c15&s[a_id]=3685&s[mnp]=&s[mxp]=&s[room_type]=either&refine=Refine&search=1&s[search_type]=sharing&s[furn]=&s[refreshmap]=1&search_type=sharing

Ask around in local estate agents.

I'm only going to be there for this week and 2 weeks in Jan. It doesn't make sense for me to move out for two weeks. I'll suggest it to the German though... He has to stay for a month or so after this week. The main problem with moving out is getting to and from work. Work means we hardly ever get to visit estate agents, but we enquired on websites and over the phone and most are selling rather than renting.

teetotaller

why won't you both get a bicycles ? and move out?

mikemac

I read the whole thing and despite all the points you made, you have to get out of there. Your points just aren't good enough and the situation you are in isn't normal or even acceptable.
Get a house with yourself and the German or just rent a room in your nearest town. I know you gave several reason why you can't but YOU CAN!

Rent is falling
You can buy a decent car for under 1,000 euro easily.

Ask around in your company, somebody will have rooms to rent.

spankdemonkey

Wow she sounds like the wicked witch of the west!! :mad:
unless she is a legit landlady then the only comeback youve got is to demand a repeat temporary lease outlining exactly what your paying for or report her to the PRTB and get your ass outta there!! I know its a bitch to be left out of pocket but to be quit honest she doesnt sound legit to me so unless you fancy the headache of small claims court you might be better off cuttin your losses and move on!! (revelling in thought of her being shut down due to extortion and unregistered lodgings :rolleyes:) Karma my friend, chalk it up to experience, been there myself :cool: