Trying to evict me...? A fellow tenant?

Matthijs

Hi all,

For exactly 2 weeks now I have been living in my room in Swords, in a house that I share with 2 other guys.
I was told that the house was very "clean and quiet", so I have really done my best to comply with that: I am not loud, I clean up after myself, I do my dishes, etc.
However, problems have developed between me and one other tenant, let's call him John.
John was the tenant that showed me the room and accepted me as a fellow tenant.
(The below transcript may come across as embarrassing, but I can't help it.)

The problems started almost right away when I used the shower for the first time after moving in. It was 5.30 in the morning, I wanted to take a shower but found out there were no textiles on the floor of the bathroom, no textiles there whatsoever, except for the towel I brought with me. So the result was I left part of the bathroom floor in a beyond-normal wet state. I take the blame for this, it was an accident though, and it didn't happen again. I could and should have left the bathroom floor less wet.

Then one and a half weeks later, incident number 2. Again I took a shower at 5.30, but I had been whistling in the shower, and later downstairs too. This had waken up John, he told me.
He sent me an email written like a formal noise complaint, scolding and lecturing me for this and he also turned it into a "respect" issue. I had no respect for him etc. I had not been "fair" on him.
I am completely baffled by this. I didn't have the slightest idea my whistling could have been heard in his room, I think the water in the shower makes more noise than my whistling.
Anyway, I told him I won't whistle anymore...

At this point, I already started to wonder what was going on here.
I also want to point out that between incidents number 1 and 2, I received an email apology from John, stating he "had not been well" and felt "he was taking things out on me" and had "not been nice to me since moving in."
I replied that I had no hard feelings.

However, after receiving his email scolding me for whistling, I replied to him that I started to dislike his tone and choice of words.

But then today (Sunday) incident number 3 happened.
It was around 9.30 in the morning, I was in the kitchen (his room is not above the kitchen) and I thought I do a bit of vacuum cleaning in the kitchen.
I went to get the vacuum cleaner below the stairs, and (thank god) I heard noise (walking) from upstairs, meaning he was awake (the 3rd tenant wasn't at home).
So I started vacuum cleaning, and just 3 minutes later John walked into the kitchen angrily yelling at me I might as well stop doing it, since he "already cleaned the house" on Friday. Like he was insulted I vacuum cleaned again 2 days later...
He went on to say I woke him up AGAIN, which is a blatant lie. And he made it clear he thought it was ridiculous to vacuum clean at Sunday 9.30.
Oh yeah, he used the words "he thought it was not gonna work out with me living here".

So this is what has happened in 2 weeks time. Three incidents.
Largely minor, I'd say.

The 3rd tenant is not involved in any of this. He is not at home so often, but when I see him, we seem to get along. I have received no complaints from him since moving in.

Believe me when I say I am telling all there is to this story. I mean, I am being honest. Also, I have not been rude to anyone, I have not been arrogant, I have not raised my voice, I have not called anyone names, I have not been violent, I didn't break anyone's belongings, etc.

I am working from 7.00 to 16.00 all week, and when I am home I am in my room or in the kitchen. I am paying my bills, there is absolutely no financial issue behind all of this. I feel this guy is trying to bully me out of the house.

The questions I have are:
-What should I do?
-Should I write/talk to the landlord about this?
-What are my rights?
-Can a fellow tenant or a landlord evict me for stuff like this?
-Am I behaving like an easy victim and should I stand up for myself more?

I think this guy John has personal issues and is, after all, taking things out on me, I realise now. He doesn't seem mentally stable either.
Also, for the 2 weeks I have lived here, he has been at home basically all the time, apparently out sick, but he does claim to have a job.
I even think it annoys him that I and the 3rd tenant can get along and can actually have a conversation, while John's main interest is watching tv.
The fact of the matter is this guy has never addressed an issue or even spoken to me in a normal way, but lectures and scolds me every time, and then he is the one who accuses me of having no respect?

I don't want to move out, I think it's absurd.

davo10

Sorry OP, it would bother me to be woken at 5:30am by someone whistling in the shower and at 9:30am on a Sunday by someone vacuuming. Also I wouldn't like to be stepping on a floor still wet from someone else showering. I'm not surprised by his reaction and I think it was fair enough to send an email.

BMF Plint

Kick his ass

Molester Stallone

Move, you'll all be happier

Matthijs

davo10 wrote: »

Sorry OP, it would bother me to be woken at 5:30am by someone whistling in the shower and at 9:30am on a Sunday by someone vacuuming. Also I wouldn't like to be stepping on a floor still wet from someone else showering. I'm not surprised by his reaction and I think it was fair enough to send an email.

He was awake before I started vacuuming.

The_Morrigan

Matthijs wrote: »

He was awake before I started vacuuming.

So? I often wander half asleep to the bathroom on some mornings with the intention of going back to bed to sleep. Hoovering that early on a Sunday morning is not acceptable.

davo10

Matthijs wrote: »

He was awake before I started vacuuming.

It's 9:30am on a Sunday, I'm used to waking up at 7am for work, on a Sunday I wake up at 7am but I often drift back to sleep until around 10am. Could the vacuuming not be done at midday?

percy212

Sounds like John is suffering from stress or depression. Its not your problem. Look for a room in a house with mentally stable occupants

davo10

percy212 wrote: »

Sounds like John is suffering from stress or depression. Its not your problem. Look for a room in a house with mentally stable occupants

Or someone who likes being woken at 5:30am and won't mind stepping in someone else's shower water. Right now OP is John's problem because his actions could be viewed as being inconsiderate.

percy212

You cant be a princess if you live in a shared house.

emo72

Whistling at 530 am? Hoovering at 930 on a Sunday morning? That would annoy a lot of people.

percy212

I would be thrilled to hear the Hoover at any time.

borderlinemeath

percy212 wrote: »

You cant be a princess if you live in a shared house.

True. But you do all have to get along.

OP, while John accepted you as a fellow tenant, is he the owner occupier, or a relative of the owner? It might well be just easier to move.

On the issues of being woken early, to me it wouldn't be the end of the world. 9.30 on a sunday morning isn't exactly 7am on a Sunday, and going by the OPs account, John hasn't been working of late, so Sunday wouldn't be any different from a weekday in regards early rising. The biggest annoyance to me would be the wet floor but if it was a one off incident then it shouldn't be an annoyance.

davo10

percy212 wrote: »

You cant be a princess if you live in a shared house.

Percy have you ever shared a house with other guys? An annoying housemate who doesn't show consideration for others can drive everyone nuts.

Fudge You

percy212 wrote: »

You cant be a princess if you live in a shared house.

Princess???

Just plan on moving out soon enough. You are not gonna be happy living there and he is definitely not gonna be happy with you living there. You two will obviously not get along after these incidents

percy212

I live alone. I whistle and hoover my way through the night.

Matthijs

borderlinemeath wrote: »

True. But you do all have to get along.

OP, while John accepted you as a fellow tenant, is he the owner occupier, or a relative of the owner? It might well be just easier to move.

On the issues of being woken early, to me it wouldn't be the end of the world. 9.30 on a sunday morning isn't exactly 7am on a Sunday, and going by the OPs account, John hasn't been working of late, so Sunday wouldn't be any different from a weekday in regards early rising. The biggest annoyance to me would be the wet floor but if it was a one off incident then it shouldn't be an annoyance.

No, John is not the owner and not a relative of the owner either.

metroburgers

What is "Johns" relationship to Landlord, is he landlords agent, oldest tenant, or on a powertrip,

I wouldn't be whistling at 5.30am but don't see what the problem with hoovering at 9.30am is? Maybe you need house cleaning roster with detailed hoovering times :pac:

Written noise complaints of this nature make him sound like a Diva...

Consult House rules/contract, which should be provided to you, so you know where you stand.

Tell other housemate about emails and ask about previous tenants and dealings with John.

Sounds like a ****ty house to live in...

TequilaMockingBird

If these are the issues you're aware of, I bet there's a hundred more bugging your housemate!

Making noise at 5.30am isn't acceptable, could you shower at night? Hoovering at 9.30am on a Sunday isn't reasonable.

It's not him, it's you.

Matthijs

I think he is the oldest tenant in terms of time having lived here.
I am not sure if there are any house rules, but I could ask.

davo10

Matthijs wrote: »

I am not sure if there are any house rules, but I could ask.

At the very least you now know three of them.

Matthijs

TequilaMockingBird wrote: »

If these are the issues you're aware of, I bet there's a hundred more bugging your housemate!

Yeah, speculating is the way to go.

Making noise at 5.30am isn't acceptable, could you shower at night?

No, I can't. I am very sorry.

Paco Rodriguez

Hi OP

I think your tenant is over reacting. Of course whistling noise is irritating but vacuuming at 09;30 in the morning isnt a problem....its a reasonable time to be up and about.

He has admitted he wqs taking things out on you. If it continues id complain to LL for harrassment.

TequilaMockingBird

Matthijs wrote: »

Yeah, speculating is the way to go.


No, I can't. I am very sorry.

Fair enough, but then you need to creep around being really quiet if you must shower at that time.

Never leave anything for your other housemates to clean up.

Assume all noise before midday on a Sunday is not acceptable.

Sharing a house is HARD.

metroburgers

TequilaMockingBird wrote: »

Making noise at 5.30am isn't acceptable, could you shower at night?

What's wrong with showering at 5.30am? OP is getting ready to go to work.

If a tenant was doing night shifts and gets in at 6am to go to sleep, another tenant having a shower at 11am is equally annoying.

A tenant who pays bills should be allowed to have shower at any time.

zenno

Does the other tenant drink much ? the hoovering is probably annoying his hangover He should be happy that the flat is being kept clean as it will save him having to hoover for a few days. If he lived right beside the airport he would be even woke up more from jet engine noise. He's lucky.

djimi

If you want to carry on in this manner then I strongly advise you to rent an apartment alone. Nobody is going to be happy to accept the kind of things that you have described, and if you think that sort of thing is acceptable then perhaps you are not suited to house sharing.

TequilaMockingBird

metroburgers wrote: »

What's wrong with showering at 5.30am? OP is getting ready to go to work.

If a tenant was doing night shifts and gets in at 6am to go to sleep, another tenant having a shower at 11am is equally annoying.

A tenant who pays bills should be allowed to have shower at any time.

OP can shower whenever he likes, but if he's going to do it when other tenants are asleep, leave the bathroom in mess, wonder why the other tenants haven't left "textiles" for him and WHISTLE then he's got to understand they're not going to be pleased.

Matthijs

No he doesn't drink much. But then again I don't think he is in great shape both mentally and physically.

elmer

I wonder if it would be better to move on? Doesn't seam like a nice place to live if you're always on edge worrying about what the other guy(s) thinks.

If you can find a place where the others also get up fairly early you might be on to a winner.

I wouldn't fancy someone hoovering at 9:30 on a weekend myself if I was asleep. but as the others have said you'd expect some tolerence on both sides at the start as you get used to each other. especially as he was already awake

metroburgers

Matthijs wrote: »

Again I took a shower at 5.30, but I had been whistling in the shower, and later downstairs too.

What were you whistling OP?

Matthijs

TequilaMockingBird wrote: »

OP can shower whenever he likes, but if he's going to do it when other tenants are asleep, leave the bathroom in mess, wonder why the other tenants haven't left "textiles" for him and WHISTLE then he's got to understand they're not going to be pleased.

After I mentioned the lack of "textiles" in the bathroom, and offered to buy some for common use, the other tenant was very quick to tell me we did actually have them, in fact he put them on the floor the same day.
Strange, isn't it?

But maybe you are used to bathroom floors without "textiles"?
I can recommend using "textiles", they do a great job on bathroom floors.

Matthijs

metroburgers wrote: »

What were you whistling OP?

I think it was Animals by Garrix.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuFUtL8zUAk

TequilaMockingBird

Matthijs wrote: »

After I mentioned the lack of "textiles" in the bathroom, and offered to buy some for common use, the other tenant was very quick to tell me we did actually have them, in fact he put them on the floor the same day.
Strange, isn't it?

But maybe you are used to bathroom floors without "textiles"?
I can recommend using "textiles", they do a great job on bathroom floors.

I use "textiles" on my bathroom floor, but I usually get a "textile" and put it on the floor before I get in the shower. If there was a "textile" crisis, I would use the towel I had just used to dry the floor, thereby negating the need to thoroughly piss off my housemates.

highly1111

It's too early to make any calls about moving out. Its only been 2 weeks. You apologised about the whistling and you thought he was up when you went to hoover. That's fair enough (still would advise though that hearing someone upstairs doesn't mean they're up for the day - could be a toilet run!!)

John does sound unstable. No matter what noise you were making the way he reacted was unacceptable. To be honest, just stay out of his way. Ignore him as much as you can. That said you shouldn't have to pander to him or put up with those reactions. Just be more conscious that he might be a little sensitive and have some ongoing issues.

but definitely give it more time.

Panthro

Taking a shower at 5.30am? Leaving a tiled floor wet? Vacuum cleaning at 9.30am on a Sunday?!
And he's the one that's in the wrong here?!
Err...no.
Sorry brah, change up your shower time habits and get a rota that shows the when and time for cleaning to be done that's agreed by all.

borderlinemeath

Look, the OP is only in the house 2 weeks. OK, he's done a couple of things that seem to grate with the oldest serving tenant who seems to be on a bit of a power trip. There should always be a bit of give and take with house shares while people get used to others sleeping habits/shower times etc. Sounds like John would like a particular brand of tenant, one who will adhere to a 'Sheldon Cooper Roommate agreement.' which is a bit much.

Having said all that, I have shared houses with people who were on shift work in hospitals, and I've been an owner occupier with tenants that worked in pubs and came in and showered at 2am. So maybe I'm slightly more tolerant than most. OP, I still think you may end up walking on eggshells around this guy so it may be wise to look for somewhere else.

Matthijs

highly1111 wrote: »

It's too early to make any calls about moving out. Its only been 2 weeks. You apologised about the whistling and you thought he was up when you went to hoover. That's fair enough (still would advise though that hearing someone upstairs doesn't mean they're up for the day - could be a toilet run!!)

John does sound unstable. No matter what noise you were making the way he reacted was unacceptable. To be honest, just stay out of his way. Ignore him as much as you can. That said you shouldn't have to pander to him or put up with those reactions. Just be more conscious that he might be a little sensitive and have some ongoing issues.

but definitely give it more time.

Agree.
Leaving the bathroom floor wet wasn't right, for which I said I was sorry to both tenants. I also apologised to John for the whistling.
Both the wet bathroom floor and the whistling happened once. It's not like a repeating pattern.

This isn't the first house I am sharing. Not in Ireland, not in other countries either.
I have whistled in bathrooms before and I might even have vacuumed on Sunday mornings, just never got this reaction before.

Matthijs

Panthro wrote: »

Taking a shower at 5.30am?
Sorry brah, change up your shower time habits

Are you just trolling here?

SpaceTime

I think if you're showeing at 5:30am, you should try to be quiet. Many people don't get up that early and it's a bit unfair.

That would really annoy me. Whistling can really carry too unlike the noise of a shower running.

Panthro

Matthijs wrote: »

Are you just trolling here?

No. I'm suggesting you take a shower a little later in the morning or alternatively the night before.
And ease up on the troll calling.

edit: and whistling at 5.30am? Seriously?

emo72

Matthijs wrote: »

Are you just trolling here?

Not the end of the world if you need to shower at 530. I think it's the whistling while you do it is the issue. I think you acknowledged this though.

Matthijs

The whistling was never louder than the shower and water itself.
So he might as well have been woken up by that, and then heard my whistling.
But hey, no more whistling.

Dont be at yourself

I wouldn't have a problem with a housemate having a shower at 5:30, but both the whistling and hoovering would really annoy me, because they're not necessary. They demonstrate a lack of awareness and consideration for the other housemates.

Mrs OBumble

Panthro wrote: »

Taking a shower at 5.30am? Leaving a tiled floor wet? Vacuum cleaning at 9.30am on a Sunday?!
And he's the one that's in the wrong here?!
Err...no.

9:30 is a bit early on a Sunday.

But civilized people shower when they get up in the morning. If the OP starts work early, he's gonna be showering early, and should not be changing that. But he does need to find a house where he's a better fit with the other tenants in terms of times.

jescart

Textiles.

MagicMarker

Nothing wrong with showering at 5.30. If you're in a houseshare then you need to appreciate that different people work different hours.

Whistling however, is just plain inconsiderate at that time. Hovering at 9.30 on a Sunday is, again, inconsiderate.

In saying that, the housemate could have handled it better.

Atticus Jung

You cant do anything about showering, the rest you take responsibility for. Don't hover on Sunday mornings, you can by right, but don't anyway. Its just inconsiderate.
John has only reacted when appropriate to do so. Ya he was a bit douchy about it, but he might have his own issues right now. You want to stay there so let it go.

A house of clean, responsible lads can hard to come by. If you can work this out it will probably be a good place to live.

The_Morrigan

jescart wrote: »

Textiles.

We would appreciate if you could post constructive comments in this forum.


Morri

zenno

SpaceTime wrote: »

I think if you're showeing at 5:30am, you should try to be quiet. Many people don't get up that early and it's a bit unfair.

That would really annoy me. Whistling can really carry too unlike the noise of a shower running.

The man has to shower before going to work, it would not be good for this OP to be concious of walking on egg-shells constantly. He needs to shower, so those other tenants should understand that the guy is trying to get ready for a days work, so now, he shouldn't have to be extra quiet, or walk on egg-shells.

Molester Stallone

zenno wrote: »

The man has to shower before going to work, it would not be good for this OP to be concious of walking on egg-shells constantly. He needs to shower, so those other tenants should understand that the guy is trying to get ready for a days work, so now, he shouldn't have to be extra quiet, or walk on egg-shells.

Shower before bed time
Showering at 5.30 is not appreciated by people who are trying to sleep