Problems with housemates

LegacyUser

Hi there I'm not sure if this is a PI really... Basically Myself and my partner live with two friends. We have two bedrooms in a house and so do they. Over the last year somewhat of an obsession has started with them. They got a guinea pig at the start of 2008 and from there it has gotten ridiculous. They now have ten guinea pigs and 20 hamsters in the house! I find it completely disgusting and so does my partner. I think it may be some sort of maternal thing as our friends are a same sex couple in their late twenties and I think that the fact they will not be able to have kids anytime soon is an issue. Now these ladies actually treat these animals like children, they bring them to the vet at least twice a month they talk to them like children and they talk non stop about them. This i can handle.

I suffer from asthma and have had serious respiratory problems in the past, I have been hospitalised on several occasions and have had to have a month of heavy-duty I.V steroids. The girls that we live with keep the guinea pigs in an open cage with fleece as floor covering. They wash these sheets and towels 20 of each in our washing machine, with guinea pig hair and poop on them. DISGUSTING.

Yesterday I had a pretty serious asthma attack and ended up in the doctors for a half an hour on a nebuliser. The doctor says that I need to get out of that house. Or I will end up a very sick girl this winter. I suffer from constant chest infections and I have ulcerations on ,y lungs from previous trauma.

I know that I will lose these girls as friends, that is something I have to deal with for my health. How do I go about telling them though? What will happen with the rent. We still have 20 months left on the lease and will we end up having to pay for our rent if we move out?

I really don't know what to do but I would greatly appreciate some advice. Thanks

ManOfMystery

The first thing I would ask is, does your landlord know about these animals and allow them to be there??

teddy_303

I wouldn't even bother doing that. I'd just explain the health issue, and say that if the rodents stay, we have to go and they will have to find replacement tennents after a months notice. If they are any kind of friend they will not have a problem with that, and if they do, they are not worth getting bothered about at all... You need to stand up for yourself and not spend too much of your time worrying about things like that, especially considering whats at stake for you...

Monkey61

Have you explained to them that the pets are causing you severe medical difficulties? If you haven't then it is hardly their fault.

All you do is tell them that unfortunately the doctor has insisted that either you or the pets have to go because their bedding is making you ill. If these girls are your friends then they will understand.

You might not want to make any comments to them about your surrogate child theory as that is a bit offensive to be honest and not really anything to do with the issue at hand.

Lollipops23

I totally feel your pain OP. I too have chronic asthma and severe pet allergies.

something I have found in recent years is that some people really don't get the level of severity when it comes to these allergies; they see it as a mild discomfort rather than a potential trigger for a severe (and even life-threatening) attack. I think it stems from amount of people out there with mild asthma and allergies/hayfever.

Anyway,I think you really should have spoke up when they first started bringing them home-i know if i lived with someone and they brought a cat or something home,i'd have no qualms telling them how sick it would make me. But it's not too late to approach this. If they have any, and i mean any cop on they will move out. i say move out because I doubt very much they'll get rid of their pets.

Please don't but this on the long finger; if you're anything like me you're about to head into the worst season for your illness and it's going to be way worse.

wasper

Unregistered wrote: »

Hi there I'm not sure if this is a PI really... Basically Myself and my partner live with two friends. We have two bedrooms in a house and so do they. Over the last year somewhat of an obsession has started with them. They got a guinea pig at the start of 2008 and from there it has gotten ridiculous. They now have ten guinea pigs and 20 hamsters in the house! I find it completely disgusting and so does my partner. I think it may be some sort of maternal thing as our friends are a same sex couple in their late twenties and I think that the fact they will not be able to have kids anytime soon is an issue. Now these ladies actually treat these animals like children, they bring them to the vet at least twice a month they talk to them like children and they talk non stop about them. This i can handle.

I suffer from asthma and have had serious respiratory problems in the past, I have been hospitalised on several occasions and have had to have a month of heavy-duty I.V steroids. The girls that we live with keep the guinea pigs in an open cage with fleece as floor covering. They wash these sheets and towels 20 of each in our washing machine, with guinea pig hair and poop on them. DISGUSTING.

Yesterday I had a pretty serious asthma attack and ended up in the doctors for a half an hour on a nebuliser. The doctor says that I need to get out of that house. Or I will end up a very sick girl this winter. I suffer from constant chest infections and I have ulcerations on ,y lungs from previous trauma.

I know that I will lose these girls as friends, that is something I have to deal with for my health. How do I go about telling them though? What will happen with the rent. We still have 20 months left on the lease and will we end up having to pay for our rent if we move out?


I really don't know what to do but I would greatly appreciate some advice. Thanks

MY brother had asthmatic attacks for long time until they pinned it to the guinea pig that his step daughter had in the house. They got rid off & the problem gone.
In you case, I can't understand is why you are staying in the same house as your friends? Move out, if you keep getting sick & staying from work that's not a good situation.
I don't think you will be able to reason with these 2 girls. So it's time you moved.

LegacyUser

hi,

op here thanks a mill for all the advice. it has given me the kick up the ass I needed to just go and tell them that we're moving.

Does anyone know if we'll be liable to pay rent if we break the lease or will be ok as the lease is not operable due do medical reasons? I'm not sure on this one at all...

Thanks again

Lollipops23

Unregistered wrote: »

hi,

op here thanks a mill for all the advice. it has given me the kick up the ass I needed to just go and tell them that we're moving.

don't see why you should have to move. tell them that they have to go,they're the one's who have brought about the situatuion.

did they move in with you or did you move in with them?

Miaireland

Does the landlord know about all the pets. I doubt he or she would be happy with that amount of pets in the house.

Why not contact them? Maybe they could just happen to do an inspection of the house and say all the pets.

LegacyUser

We all moved in together because we were all friends. The whole thing is really getting to me now though to be honest. I don't think anyone bar those close who have been there really get how sick I can get. I just need out I really do. I'll end up losing my job if I'm sick anymore..

The_Conductor

You need to move fullstop. Given the attachment these girls have to their creature farm- you are not going to be flavour of the month- no matter how you approach it. Your health should be worth far more to you than the friendship of two eejits who have gone all weird on hamsters and guinea pigs.......

Your doctor has already told you to move- or face serious trouble this coming winter- this is medical advice from a professional- act on it.

S.