Fight between housemates

whellman1030

Hi,

My housemates have been doing stuff I don't like, but I shut up any way because I need peace.

Last weekend I did something wrong without intention, already apologized, but they threatened me that the next time they will kick me out.

I pay the rent on time, and clean common areas, well I never had this problems before.

What can they do to me to kick me out, and what can I do to defend my self to avoid that situation?

Stheno

are you a named person on the lease?

MarkR

Are you renting from another tenant, or do you pay the landlord?

sea_monkey

If you're not named on the lease I'd look elsewhere to be honest.

Not worth being threatened with eviction over every argument that might arise.

the blunder years

The OP is really vague, as to what has happened so it's hard to gauge your situation. Judging your post though it doesn't sound like a great living arrangement.

whellman1030

Stheno wrote: »

are you a named person on the lease?

Yes I'm a named person on the contract with the agency.

Of course I don't want to leave in an environment like this, but want to look for a new place calmly.

TimeToShine

They can't kick you out without going through the agency/Landlord, and in general they want nothing to do with these things as long as rent is paid. If they do decide to get involved then they'll take the side of the majority.

Talk to them and explain that you're willing to move out peacefully if they give you enough time.

Can you elaborate on what they do to annoy you/what you did to get them so wound up? It would probably help.

odds_on

whellman1030 wrote: »

Now that the hijacker disappeared can someone give advice?

Housemates have no legal authority to get you to move out (unless, possibly, if you have done something illegal). However, they could make life difficult or unbearable for you.

Are the other housemates also on the lease and how is the rent paid by them - to the landlord via you, i.e. is there one tenant who collects the rent from all tenants and then pays the landlord?

seamonkey92

Gatling wrote: »

It took seven years to be diagnosed with 2 forms of arthritis and and Ankylosing Spondylitis,

What

whellman1030

So basically I'm paying 750 for a room in Dublin, excluding expenses and I didn't even ask if it had electric shower, because is not to expect on an house of this price (I was naive...).

So basically my girlfriend came to visit me and I took a 25 min shower and she about 15 min and the next day the same, and I was warned that I spent the whole water.

So after 2 weeks we took shower just one day (took a 15 min shower and my girlfriend 15 min), and I thought the boiler would stand and go back to heat quickly, and still got complains, because the other 2 house mates couldn't have hot water on that day.

Most of days I take shower at work, so don't even use hot water.

So the solution, in an house of this price, is to take the shower, close the water while spreading the shower gel, and open the water to remove the shower gel.

I already apologized and agreed to close the water while taking the shower, but keep receiving threats of being kicked out and very aggressive language messages.

The agency, by other side, refuses to improve the system or buy electric shower.

Ranchu

For that money you're better off moving I reckon.

MagicMarker

You had your gf living with you for two weeks????

I live with 2 other people, there's only enough hot water in the mornings for the 3 of us to take quick showers, LESS than 15 minutes. You shouldn't need to take 15 minutes in a shower, 5-10 is fine.

So basically you and your gf been using all the hot water every day for 2 weeks? Have you offered to pay extra when the electric bill comes?

NSAman

750 a month for a room?? how many rooms in the house? Sounds expensive unless in the city centre

Big Bag of Chips

whellman1030 wrote: »

Most of days I take shower at work, so don't even use hot water.

That doesn't mean that you can empty the tank on the day(s) you do shower at home.

Had you asked them if it was ok for your gf to stay for that long? Maybe it wasn't just the shower incident that caused your housemates to get annoyed, but lots of small things concerned with your gf staying there.

They can't evict you. But they can make life pretty unpleasant for you for you so that you move out of your own accord.

The agency do not have to install an electric shower.

petethebrick

Your housemates can't kick you out for using too much water. In fact they can't kick you out at all - only the landlord can do that and only with a very good reason. and even then only with a lot of notice. So don't worry about getting kicked out and tell your housemates to fukc off if they threaten you with that.

Now of course they will be annoyed with having no hot water so you'll have to consider that. Can you not just organize to have showers at different times and turn the water heater on more often??

In a houseshare you really should have an electric shower though.....

You could always find a new place in the next few months. For 750e I'm sure you can find an ensuite room with an electric shower.

Grandpa Hassan

Two 15 minute showers is excessive, for sure. I can understand the others being annoyed. I would suggest that if your gf will be staying over a lot, and this will be a repeat occurrence, the relationship between you and your housemates will become pretty much intolerable. They can't turf you out, and the LL will have no interest, but I'd be looking to move to somewhere more suitable

whellman1030

My girlfriend just came to visit me during the weekend. And it happened 2 times.

I already apologized and said I'm turning off the water while spreading the gel.

What I don't like is their aggressive language and their threats of kicking me out, if I had no intention.

Also I'm a very busy person and moving is a trouble for me...And believe me when I came to Dublin 550 or 750 was the difference between the slum and the luxury!!!!

odds_on

Try taking your shower when everyone else has had theirs - then you can use all the water you want. I would be extemely annoyed if I didn't have any hot water to shower with but to do on more than one ocassion .....

whomitconcerns

id say they were more worried about what you were doing in a shower for 15-25mins....

petes

whomitconcerns wrote: »

id say they were more worried about what you were doing in a shower for 15-25mins....

Washing? Two separate showers but that's besides the point.

5-10 minutes should be plenty for a shower.

Boombastic

whellman1030 wrote: »

......
I already apologized and said I'm turning off the water while spreading the gel.
.....

.....

You say is like you're being some type of a martyr. Can you not just be a bit quicker? Your housemates take showers too, they stem to be able to manage wash themselves and spread gel without the need of ' turning off the water to spread gel'

Pompous

petes wrote: »

Washing? Two separate showers but that's besides the point.

5-10 minutes should be plenty for a shower.

5 minutes is plenty for a shower. Maybe the reason they got so angry with OP is that he cannot understand how outrageous 15 minutes is for a shower even after they confront him about it. That and his argument of usually only taking showers at work, as if that justifies excessively long showers at home.

cerastes

whellman1030 wrote: »

So basically I'm paying 750 for a room in Dublin, excluding expenses and I didn't even ask if it had electric shower, because is not to expect on an house of this price (I was naive...).

So basically my girlfriend came to visit me and I took a 25 min shower and she about 15 min and the next day the same, and I was warned that I spent the whole water.

So after 2 weeks we took shower just one day (took a 15 min shower and my girlfriend 15 min), and I thought the boiler would stand and go back to heat quickly, and still got complains, because the other 2 house mates couldn't have hot water on that day.

Most of days I take shower at work, so don't even use hot water.

So the solution, in an house of this price, is to take the shower, close the water while spreading the shower gel, and open the water to remove the shower gel.

I already apologized and agreed to close the water while taking the shower, but keep receiving threats of being kicked out and very aggressive language messages.

The agency, by other side, refuses to improve the system or buy electric shower.

where in dublin is this house, 750 euro for a room??
25 mins sounds ,like 30 minutes and 15 sounds like 20, whether it is or not, its way too long to be in the shower. 5-7 mins top, no way over ten anyway.
You cant be thrown out for this, and it wont matter who the letting agents side with, nor will they care so long as the rent is paid, and nor are they responsible for fitting an electric shower, you should have checked, but its not an essential thing if there is hot water other ways.
Id be a bit pissed if someone I shared a house with spent an hour or the best part in the over two days and then their partner that didnt live there did also, and to top it off if I had no hot water. So Id be a bit more considerate regarding that as saying sorry doesnt really fix it, on the other hand you shouldnt have to shower at work, just take and pay for your fair share.
How is this water heated? no reason the water couldnt be heated up again but 40 plus minutes in the shower is way too much anyway, is there even another toilet in the house or is it where the shower is?
Why didnt your girlfriend shower at her home??

Thoie

If the house has the immersion timings so finely balanced that there is just precisely enough hot water for 3x10 minute shower, what do they do for handwashing/other hot water needs during the day?

While the Irish have been brought up with a fear of leaving the immersion on too long, they're not that expensive. Most immersions use about 3units an hour. At night rate electricity, that works out at about €3 per person per month. Turning on the immersion for an extra hour every night, or an hour during the day (for double the price) may put a stop to a lot of arguments.

cerastes

Thoie wrote: »

If the house has the immersion timings so finely balanced that there is just precisely enough hot water for 3x10 minute shower, what do they do for handwashing/other hot water needs during the day?

While the Irish have been brought up with a fear of leaving the immersion on too long, they're not that expensive. Most immersions use about 3units an hour. At night rate electricity, that works out at about €3 per person per month. Turning on the immersion for an extra hour every night, or an hour during the day (for double the price) may put a stop to a lot of arguments.

The Op said they had a boiler? I dont know if he thinks this is what heats the water or maybe its a combination of both, a gas or oil boiler would probably be cheaper, but if they dont have enough heating allocated to hot water, then they need to top it up, could be boiling a kettle of water to wash dishes? I'm sure its more convenient and probably cheaper to wash dishes in a dishwasher in one go from my experience than piecemeal.

As for the hot water, its still a bit unfair to have guests over using excessive amounts of hot water and spending 25 minutes in the shower is too much, while they might not be able to kick the OP out on one hand, if they are continually disagreeable to agreed things, then that could constitute anti social attitude, it might allow for it, but it would be better to leave and find a place they can get along.
Do you know these people from before OP? also, at one point you seem to suggest your girlfriend is visiting for a few weeks and then its just a few different weekends?? which is it?

syklops

This thread is hilarious. A fifteen minute shower is excessive? Im so glad I dont share any more.

750 a month for a house share?

OP, move out. Go find somewhere. I know its not easy but the short term hassle will be better than the long term hassle.

whomitconcerns

syklops wrote: »

This thread is hilarious. A fifteen minute shower is excessive? Im so glad I dont share any more.

750 a month for a house share?

OP, move out. Go find somewhere. I know its not easy but the short term hassle will be better than the long term hassle.

welll...

The vast majority of women (71%) apparently take showers of 10 minutes or less and a quarter of women (26%) manage to take showers of five minutes or less. This is only slightly below the number of men who do so (75% and 30% respectively). There are also intriguing differences on age, with time spent in the shower decreasing with increasing age. The 55s and over (mean shower time: 8 mins, 41 seconds) are five minutes faster than people aged 18 to 24 (mean shower time: 13 mins 26 seconds) with well over a third (39%) of people aged 55 or over even managing to shower in five minutes or less

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/green-living-blog/2009/sep/04/power-shower-blog

But thats beside the point. OP you cant be kicked out..but always helps to be mindful of other hoesmates

whellman1030

cerastes wrote: »

The Op said they had a boiler? I dont know if he thinks this is what heats the water or maybe its a combination of both, a gas or oil boiler would probably be cheaper, but if they dont have enough heating allocated to hot water, then they need to top it up, could be boiling a kettle of water to wash dishes? I'm sure its more convenient and probably cheaper to wash dishes in a dishwasher in one go from my experience than piecemeal.

As for the hot water, its still a bit unfair to have guests over using excessive amounts of hot water and spending 25 minutes in the shower is too much, while they might not be able to kick the OP out on one hand, if they are continually disagreeable to agreed things, then that could constitute anti social attitude, it might allow for it, but it would be better to leave and find a place they can get along.
Do you know these people from before OP? also, at one point you seem to suggest your girlfriend is visiting for a few weeks and then its just a few different weekends?? which is it?

Just for a few different weeks.

But I'll change my behavior, although I cannot take showers in 5 minutes, I'll close the water while spreading the gel.

That's what annoys me people not understanding that people coming from other places where it used not to be like that, takes time to adapt to the culture!!!

Boombastic

whellman1030 wrote: »

Just for a few different weeks.

But I'll change my behavior, although I cannot take showers in 5 minutes, I'll close the water while spreading the gel.

That's what annoys me people not understanding that people coming from other places where it used not to be like that, takes time to adapt to the culture!!!

Is this your first time living out of home?

whellman1030

Boombastic wrote: »

Is this your first time living out of home?

No, but I always had electric shower!!! Electric shower is a basic need!!!! Specially if you're paying 750 for a room (not an house)!!!!

Boombastic

whellman1030 wrote: »

No, but I always had electric shower!!! Electric shower is a basic need!!!! Specially if you're paying 750 for a room (not an house)!!!!

I wouldn't live in a house that didn't have one anyway, especially not for that money.

Penny Tration

whellman1030 wrote: »

No, but I always had electric shower!!! Electric shower is a basic need!!!! Specially if you're paying 750 for a room (not an house)!!!!

No, it's not.

Why can't you shower in five or ten minutes? Seriously, how much washing do you need 25 minutes to do? In, wash body, wash hair, done. Takes ten minutes tops.

Claw Hammer

If housemates want rid of you, they will get rid of you. It will be by fair means or foul but they will do it.

KTRIC

OP, even if you have long hair, spending 25 minutes in the shower is unnecessary. No wonder they were annoyed.

Pawwed Rig

Not showing consideration for your housemates is what has caused this issue. Show more consideration in future and the situations won't arise. I don't think consideration is a cultural thing? What is to adapt to?

An electric shower is definitely not a basic need. In face gice me an immersion pumped shower over an electric anytime. The pressure in the electric ones is never great.

intellectual dosser

I assume the housemates are paying roughly the same for their rooms, if you can all afford €750 per month in rent then I would think that giving the immersion an extra blast every day is within everyone's means.

Our immersion used to be on 24/7 and the bills (Electric Ireland) we were never taken aback by our bills, within the last two months we've changed to overnight immersion with a boost in the evening, that and the other spring savings took us down €25 per month, €25 divided by 3 people wont break the bank.

Maybe I'm living a high life, but in this day and age we shouldnt be falling out over 'the hot water' any more.

Kevo

25 mins for a shower is very long, especially when you are risking using all the hot water on your housemates. Even the compromise of 15 mins is very long and I don't blame your hosuemates for being annoyed, though maybe they have overreacted. You should either have much shorter showers (10 mins tops) or think about moving. Also, an electric shower is not a basic need.

Michael D Not Higgins

What's the flow rate on a shower? As in, how long would it be to empty the immersion tank? I don't think the issue is the cost of the electricity but rather that the other housemates have to wait for the water to heat up again.

runawaybishop

15 minutes a shower is not much more than the average and having 2 showers a day is not uncommon in the slightest. Tell your housemates to **** off and sort the boiler out so you have more hot water.

petethebrick

Claw Hammer wrote: »

If housemates want rid of you, they will get rid of you. It will be by fair means or foul but they will do it.

This is nonsense.

And for all the replies stating that 5-10 minutes is enough for a shower - well good for ye but some people take longer. If the OP wants to spend an hour in the shower that's his business. It's not relevant.

The issue here is not leaving hot water for the housemates.
So as a few people have said you should turn the water heater on for longer and don't all have showers at the same time. Is it really that difficult to understand??

The One Doctor

€750 for a room? You're being ripped off, I pay that rent for a new one bed apartment in Dublin 13.

syklops

whomitconcerns wrote: »

welll...


http://www.theguardian.com/environment/green-living-blog/2009/sep/04/power-shower-blog

But thats beside the point. OP you cant be kicked out..but always helps to be mindful of other hoesmates

This post would carry more weight if it wasnt from the guardian and it didnt use the word 'apparently' in the first sentence.

As another poster said this is not about time in the shower its about when the showers were had. If its 8am in the morning and I have to get to work and you or your girlfriend are languishing in the shower Id be royally pissed. If its 2pm and everyone is in work I couldnt care less how long a shower was taken. I shared with people for about 6 years and when everyone was conscientious of everyone else things were fine.

750 is a lot though. You will get a bedsit for that.

Grandpa Hassan

runawaybishop wrote: »

15 minutes a shower is not much more than the average and having 2 showers a day is not uncommon in the slightest. Tell your housemates to **** off and sort the boiler out so you have more hot water.

That sounds like the recipe for a harmonious house!

runawaybishop

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

That sounds like the recipe for a harmonious house!

Harmony is already broken, 2x15 minute showers a day is not uncommon or unreasonable.

Henry Ford III

whellman1030 wrote: »

Just for a few different weeks.

But I'll change my behavior, although I cannot take showers in 5 minutes, I'll close the water while spreading the gel.

That's what annoys me people not understanding that people coming from other places where it used not to be like that, takes time to adapt to the culture!!!

5 minutes would be a luxury. Are you ....erm.....large?

Grandpa Hassan

runawaybishop wrote: »

Harmony is already broken, 2x15 minute showers a day is not uncommon or unreasonable.

We'll have to agree to disagree there. I think it is unreasonable. I would certainly expect that a housemate using half an hours hot water a day would pick up a greater proportion of the electricity bill

digzy

whellman1030 wrote: »

So basically my girlfriend came to visit me and I took a 25 min shower and she about 15 min and the next day the same, and I was warned that I spent the whole water.

So after 2 weeks we took shower just one day (took a 15 min shower and my girlfriend 15 min),

So the solution, in an house of this price, is to take the shower, close the water while spreading the shower gel, and open the water to remove the shower gel.

What the fook are you doing in the shower for 25 mins? And what's this "spreading the gel" nonsense? I'd say about 2 mins is as long as if takes me to put the shampoo/gel in my hair and clean myself. The biggest job is washing the suds out!

Ah, the joys of sharing a house

i say its more so to do with the gf staying over more than the showers,

i think generally people hate house sharing with couples,

syklops

Henry Ford III wrote: »

5 minutes would be a luxury. Are you ....erm.....large?

This thread has officially descended into lunacy.

runawaybishop

Henry Ford III wrote: »

5 minutes would be a luxury. Are you ....erm.....large?

No, it would not be a luxury. It would be slightly more than the average- as posted by someone else previously.

The vast majority of women (71%) apparently take showers of 10 minutes or less and a quarter of women (26%) manage to take showers of five minutes or less. This is only slightly below the number of men who do so (75% and 30% respectively). There are also intriguing differences on age, with time spent in the shower decreasing with increasing age. The 55s and over (mean shower time: 8 mins, 41 seconds) are five minutes faster than people aged 18 to 24 (mean shower time: 13 mins 26 seconds) with well over a third (39%) of people aged 55 or over even managing to shower in five minutes or less

Everyone is claiming they spend under 5 minutes but that is not the average.

Grandpa Hassan

After soaping yourself down, which would take 5 minutes, what does one then do with the other 10? Just kind of stand there?