Am I being awkward or...?

jrmb

I realise this is probably quite minor but I'd appreciate other opinions.

I moved into a shared apartment in recent months and have a bed in a twin room. There are two other guys in the house and generally it's been a good experience. For what it's worth, they're from another continent.

My problem arises from a roommate whom I find inconsiderate.

Recently, he brought somebody home from a night club and locked me out of our shared room. I then had to wait until midday to shower and get dressed. I spoke to him afterwards. I'd say I'm a tolerant guy but he didn't understand what was so objectionable. It really made me consider whether I'll stay here much longer.

He has now returned home for just over a month and hopes to fill his vacancy to avoid paying rent for a bed he's not using. I appreciate his logic and I wouldn't have a problem with this. However, he didn't make any effort to fill his vacancy and now he's hassling me from abroad to find someone to take his place.

Am I right in saying that he's responsible for either filling the vacancy or paying his rent? I feel like I'm being used to pick up his pieces.

wirelessdude01

Tell him to go fcuk himself in a slightly more considerate way. The cheek of him.

ted1

Its nothing to do with you, other than you have to live with who ever he gets,
Call me naive but I didn't think that people shared rented rooms these days. What kind if price are you paying?

I wouldn't fancy sharing a room with another guy.

wirelessdude01

ted1 wrote: »

Call me naive but I didn't think that people shared rented rooms these days.

Generally it would be friends that already know each other. Common enough with college students and newly qualified graduates.

jrmb

ted1 wrote: »

What kind if price are you paying?

It would be less than €10/night. It was month-to-month and I needed to find work so it suited me.

odds_on

If he wanted someone to fill his place while he was away, he should have found someone himself. Having said that, it would probably be difficult to fill for such a short period.

However, there is probably written in a clause of the lease which says that you may not assign or sublet, part with possession of the property, or let or allow any other person live at the property without the Landlord's written consent.

jrmb

odds_on wrote: »

If he wanted someone to fill his place while he was away, he should have found someone himself. Having said that, it would probably be difficult to fill for such a short period.

However, there is probably written in a clause of the lease which says that you may not assign or sublet, part with possession of the property, or let or allow any other person live at the property without the Landlord's written consent.

I understand what you mean, although it seems to me that housemates come and go regularly enough. I've never signed anything and the landlord knows me by name.

There is some interest as our place is quite central. I can see how an Erasmus student would rather be certain of accommodation for a month than bother with hostels BUT part of me wants my roommate to snap out of "the other guy can fix it", nasty as it sounds.

handlemaster

Its nothing to do with you. After the lock out id have nothing to do with him.

odds_on

jrmb wrote: »

I understand what you mean, although it seems to me that housemates come and go regularly enough. I've never signed anything and the landlord knows me by name.

There is some interest as our place is quite central. I can see how an Erasmus student would rather be certain of accommodation for a month than bother with hostels BUT part of me wants my roommate to snap out of "the other guy can fix it", nasty as it sounds.

You don't want to break the terms of the lease - simple.

jrmb

odds_on wrote: »

You don't want to break the terms of the lease - simple.

That's true but I have no connection to any lease. Any short term tenant would be here on the same basis as me.

djimi

Tell the cheeky git to find himself a replacement or pay the rent himself. Should have been sorted before he went. Its not your problem.

As for locking you out of the room, unless you have a "tie on the door handle" type arrangement, Id have no hesitation on banging the **** out of the door until he coped on and let you in. Disgraceful behaviour.

Dublin_Mom

Take no crap from this guy. Tbh if it was possible I would find myself another room mate (of the more considerate variety) whilst this fella was away for a month, then lock him and his belongings out of the room.

Realise you might not be empowered to do this, but ...tempting, isn't it?

the_syco

jrmb wrote: »

He has now returned home for just over a month and hopes to fill his vacancy to avoid paying rent for a bed he's not using. I appreciate his logic and I wouldn't have a problem with this. However, he didn't make any effort to fill his vacancy and now he's hassling me from abroad to find someone to take his place.

Am I right in saying that he's responsible for either filling the vacancy or paying his rent? I feel like I'm being used to pick up his pieces.

Either move out, or get someone to replace him, permanently. Let him know that you'll be replacing him permanently. And ensure whoever moves in is a better person that the idiot who locked you out.

Personally, I'd rather a studio than a shared room.

lau1247

I assume he will be back after the holiday (i.e. Not permanently away), it is his own responsibility to find someone to fill his room.

If it were me, i'd tell him that you're looking but actually don't do anything. By the time he comes back he would be the one paying. He should learn to take responsibility upon himself before he left

Borderfox

Change the lock while he's away, he's some chancer

odds_on

jrmb wrote: »

That's true but I have no connection to any lease. Any short term tenant would be here on the same basis as me.

If you have no connection to any lease, then either the landlord is not complying with the law or you are a licensee / lodger with virtually no rights.

If you pay your rent to the landlord either for the room, or combined with the other tenants you have a verbal agreement with the landlord and are covered by the law. In this latter case, you are jointly and severally liable for the rent (for example, if your room mate does not pay for the month he is away, the other tenants must cover the short fall. If there is only a verbal agreement with the landlord, then you must be supplied with a rent book which must provide certain details of the landlord and the lease agreement as well as being completed monthly with your rent payments.

WhyTheFace

As soon as he locked you out of the room you should have spoke to landlord or moved out.

For allowing that he now realises you are a push over and will do it again.

I actually laughed when I read the piece about asking you to look for a tenant for his bed. He's some chancer, I'll give him that!