Leaving a shared apartment

jrmb

I've had a room in a shared apartment for 9 months now. In the past 2 weeks, I've seriously considered moving out. On one hand, I've had to cut my working hours so the rent is a bigger commitment. On the other, the other 2 guys have been splitting the bills in a peculiar way that seems very unfair and that I just can't afford.

Each has a utility in his name so it's normal for me to owe them money. The problem is that they divide food and other bills in the same way. Recently, I've been billed €265 in a period where my share of electricity was €70 and broadband was €25. Expenses I split with the house were €50. I intended to stay until they leave Ireland in spring 2015 but I can't afford to live like this.

Back in late January, I paid a deposit of €400 to the guy who was moving out. I understood that I was buying his share of the TV, appliances etc. We talked about a lease extension but I never actually signed anything.

I would try to find someone to take my place. If I give the guys notice and move out before the next rent day, could I lose any more than my deposit?

There's no written agreement on the household bills but I have paid them on this basis so far. Does that place me in any kind of contract?

Thanks for your time.

the_syco

jrmb wrote: »

Back in late January, I paid a deposit of €400 to the guy who was moving out. I understood that I was buying his share of the TV, appliances etc. We talked about a lease extension but I never actually signed anything.

As you never paid a deposit to the landlord, the landlord doesn't have to pay you back any deposit. If you want your deposit back, you'll have to get it off the person who replaces you.

jrmb

the_syco wrote: »

As you never paid a deposit to the landlord, the landlord doesn't have to pay you back any deposit. If you want your deposit back, you'll have to get it off the person who replaces you.

That's fair enough but can they (the other occupants) chase me for anything else?

Eldarion

jrmb wrote: »

That's fair enough but can they (the other occupants) chase me for anything else?

Legally? If your name isn't on any of the utility bills or even on the lease I don't see how they could possibly chase you through the courts if that's what you mean.

Morally speaking you should probably try to get someone in to replace you as you would be kinda leaving them in the lurch. But if you're forsaking your deposit they technically could view it as plus to both of them and take another 400 deposit off the next sucker coming in.

It really sounds like you could walk out right this second and they'd be very hard pressed to chase you for anything. Flip side is if you got your locks changed and your stuff turfed out you'd be very hard pressed to show proof of tenancy without a lease or utilities in your name to the address.

Michael D Not Higgins

I can't make heads nor tails of the splitting of the bills you laid out. Neither can I understand why you paid a tenant who was leaving for partial ownership of some appliances and call it a deposit that you expect refunded somehow. That's fine when the appliances are relatively new, but a 'share' of a 5 year old TV won't be worth €400 and this will lead to arguments when someone feels they own a particular item and take it with them when moving out, or feel the refund should be of the current value of the appliance. What should have happened was the current housemates gave money to the leaving one for their relative investments in the appliances and you paid the current tenants a deposit. As it stands, you haven't paid a deposit.

You appear to be subletting off the tenants in situ, which makes you a licensee without the tenancy rights afford to them. This means you can leave on short notice but you can also be turfed out on short notice too. The best thing to do would be to talk to your housemates and let them know what the story is, so you can sort it out amicably for all parties.

the_syco

Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »

The best thing to do would be to talk to your housemates and let them know what the story is, so you can sort it out amicably for all parties.

This. Chances are they have a mate who would move in. And learn from your experience. Next time ensure you sign a lease, as with this sort of "rolling lease", the only winner is the landlord.

Mick Murdock

If these guys are screwing you on purpose (no offence but the arrangement was a bit naive on your part) I wouldn't think twice about packing your stuff and leaving.