Unwanted visitor

dvega

So I'm living in a shared house. I have downstairs bedroom. Everything is fine until the guys girlfriend comes over from England to visit.

Both of them don't work and have the TV up till all hours. She has sleeping issues so when she can't sleep she's walking around slamming doors. And his room is directly above mine so I can hear everything. I have used earplugs but still wake up during the middle of the night when they fall out and I find them uncomfortable.

I go into work some mornings like a zombie. The two of them never leave this room, they eat, sleep, watch TV in this room and when she visits she comes for 5-6 weeks at a time. She uses everything we use and the house feels like it's too crammed.

I've talked with them and let her know to the point where we don't even talk. The landlord has said she should chip in more but that's it! Moving is a last option as it ironically quiet here. And it's a nice area.

Is there anything I can do? I mean is what she's doing legal? Can I go to the landlord about anything on this? What are my options?

ABajaninCork

Not much you can do, I'm afraid. Is the room mate paying the rent and bills?

Have you had a word about the noise issues? When the GF stays, are the bills split to accommodate the fact she's there using the facilities and utilities?

If all else has failed, then I'm sorry, but you'll have to move for your peace of mind.

Canard

I have a similar problem in that my roommates are unnecessarily loud in everything they do, and the earplugs falling out makes you feel like there's no hope! What I do now is just put on headphones to sleep and listen to www.rainymood.com. It's not ideal to sleep with headphones on comfort-wise, but neither is getting no sleep. I always found earphones impossible, but since headphones are squishy it's not so bad, and apart from them falling off it's fine - you can just pop them back on, rather than root around for ear plugs.

Sorry to hear about your situation, it's an absolute nightmare being woken up at all hours.

Tokyo

Sounds like your landlord is washing his or her hands of the entire situation, and unfairly so.

And what is the situation with the bills? Personally I'd be having a chat with the landlord again, and letting them know that if they were signing off on what is effectively a third lodger for six weeks at a time, that I'd be refusing to pay any more than one third of every utility for that time period. I'd also be asking him if he was willing to take on the chore of having to rent out the room again (and suffer the financial loss while it was empty), rather than just stepping up as landlord and having a word with the other tenant about these extended stays. At the end of the day, you signed up to be living with one other person, not two.

Emme

Why should the OP move out, the problem is being caused by her flatmate and his girlfriend. Check out the PRTB for tenants rights and obligations:

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/renting_a_home/tenants_rights_and_obligations.html

This might be relevant to the OP

Rights as a tenant in private rented accommodation

You are entitled to quiet and exclusive enjoyment of your home. If noise from other tenants or neighbours is disturbing you, ask them to stop and also inform your landlord. If this does not work, you can make a formal complaint.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/environment/environmental_protection/noise_regulations.html

The landlord is being negligent here and the OP should get in touch with Threshold and PRTB if things don't change.

Emme

Would it be better to move this thread to Accommodation and Property?

Rubberchikken

is this person on the lease? tbh i think the landlord needs to step up and deal with this properly.
it's not enough to just pass it off. you have rights and they have a responsibility to their tenants. so go back to the landlord and start requesting that something has to be done.

no way would i pay rent etc and have to sleep with earplugs because others don't have the basic manners to be aware of others around them.

i hope you get this sorted OP, if not, no matter how quiet it is a location, you may have to give serious thought to moving for your sake.

good luck

Pawwed Rig

Who signed the lease?

Without knowing the legal status of each person wrt the lease there is no way to give you advice as there are a pile of different scenarios that could play out here.

People saying the LL should sort it out are incorrect unless it is a particular situation where the LL has entered an agreement jointly with both of you.

skooterblue2

Rubberchikken wrote: »

is this person on the lease? tbh i think the landlord needs to step up and deal with this properly.
it's not enough to just pass it off. you have rights and they have a responsibility to their tenants. so go back to the landlord and start requesting that something has to be done.

no way would i pay rent etc and have to sleep with earplugs because others don't have the basic manners to be aware of others around them.

i hope you get this sorted OP, if not, no matter how quiet it is a location, you may have to give serious thought to moving for your sake.

good luck

I think you need to come together as a house, say this is unacceptable behaviour. Either one of two things happen, the couple gets out or the OP gets out. The land lords should have taken charge of this from day one and said the Girlfriend isnt to stay in conditions like that.

Looking at the set up and going on Previous experience I would say the fastest route back to better sleeping patterns is to move house.

Tokyo

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

Who signed the lease?

Without knowing the legal status of each person wrt the lease there is no way to give you advice as there are a pile of different scenarios that could play out here.

People saying the LL should sort it out are incorrect unless it is a particular situation where the LL has entered an agreement jointly with both of you.

Any landlord worth their salt has a vested interest in making sure that their property isn't being used as a doss-house by someone who isn't on the lease, but you are absolutely correct - what a landlord should do ≠ what they are legally obliged to do.

OP, if you wish, I can move your thread across to the Accommodation & Property forum, alternatively, you may want to post there for the relevant information yourself.

Pawwed Rig

mike_ie wrote: »

Any landlord worth their salt has a vested interest in making sure that their property isn't being used as a doss-house by someone who isn't on the lease, but you are absolutely correct - what a landlord should do ≠ what they are legally obliged to do.

OP, if you wish, I can move your thread across to the Accommodation & Property forum, alternatively, you may want to post there fro the relevant information yourself.

My point being if the OP is the leaseholder then she can just boot them out rather than involve the LL at all.

skooterblue2

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

My point being if the OP is the leaseholder then she can just boot them out rather than involve the LL at all.

That is true or the majority of the lease holders but I doubt that is the case (OP is the lease holder). The OP will have to prioritize which is more important

a) retaining his place in the house and the consquences of living in the house afterwards

b) getting a good nights sleep.

dvega

I'm not a leaseholder. Basically we have to give a months notice before we leave. The guy that she is seeing pays the rent as much as I do. I have spoken to them again and she got quite upset, turns out she has a fatigue syndrome and traveling over and back takes it's toll plus she can't afford the price so she stays for longer. He can't travel over there as he has to sign on every week.

I just said I'll go to the landlord and push her about making a complaint. If it continues I'll just have to move.

Tokyo

dvega wrote: »

The guy that she is seeing pays the rent as much as I do.

And utilities (electricity, cable, internet, heating oil)???

An extra person in the house, particularly if they are sitting in at home all day, increases some of these quite significantly - effectively you are paying for her share of that. Have you discussed this with them, and used it as a point of argument to state that you are only paying one third of the bills for the weeks she is staying there?

Even if you ignore the rent aspect for now, she may be far less willing to stay for weeks at a time if she's expected to pay her share of the bills, or he may be far less willing to have her stay over if it falls on him to cover her share.

skooterblue2

dvega wrote: »

The two of them never leave this room, they eat, sleep, watch TV in this room and when she visits she comes for 5-6 weeks at a time. She uses everything we use and the house feels like it's too crammed.

that isn't visiting that is squatting.

LynnGrace

mike_ie wrote: »

Even if you ignore the rent aspect for now, she may be far less willing to stay for weeks at a time if she's expected to pay her share of the bills, or he may be far less willing to have her stay over if it falls on him to cover her share.

+1.
This would be the argument I would use.

Tbh, in the situation you describe OP, I'd prefer to get out. Not ideal, I know.

skooterblue2

I would say they are a pair of dreamer slackers........ neither has the intention of getting a job or sorting themselves out with education. In 2 years they will still be in the same place doing the same stuff. I would say get as far away from them ASAP.

LegacyUser

dvega wrote: »

I'm not a leaseholder. Basically we have to give a months notice before we leave. The guy that she is seeing pays the rent as much as I do. I have spoken to them again and she got quite upset, turns out she has a fatigue syndrome and traveling over and back takes it's toll plus she can't afford the price so she stays for longer. He can't travel over there as he has to sign on every week.

I just said I'll go to the landlord and push her about making a complaint. If it continues I'll just have to move.

She has a fatigue syndrome yet she's able to stay up all night? Has he looked for a job? If he hasn't a job here why won't he apply for jobs where she lives?

I'm not saying these two are scroungers and I know what it's like to have a fatigue syndrome. I'm back at work now after some months forced absence due to fatigue. I'm sure she is genuine but it makes my blood boil to see people using fatigue to be lazy.

If he's not working who pays his rent? Is he on rent allowance? If so YOU the taxpayer are paying for him to make a nuisance of himself while you drag yourself to work knackered and trawl around looking for alternative accommodation because of his antics. Is this fair? Legally he has the same rights as you but the taxpayer is paying for it.

Don't let this go without some fight. Go to the landlord and tell her the situation. I wonder if she knows this guy personally or if she is related to him. If so she might be turning a blind eye.

It might be worth contacting the PRTB to see what they would say about the situation. Even if you move out and do nothing it would be nice to know where you stand legally as a paying occupant of the house.

Emme

mike_ie wrote: »

And utilities (electricity, cable, internet, heating oil)???

An extra person in the house, particularly if they are sitting in at home all day, increases some of these quite significantly - effectively you are paying for her share of that. Have you discussed this with them, and used it as a point of argument to state that you are only paying one third of the bills for the weeks she is staying there?

Even if you ignore the rent aspect for now, she may be far less willing to stay for weeks at a time if she's expected to pay her share of the bills, or he may be far less willing to have her stay over if it falls on him to cover her share.

OP have you contacted PRTB about the situation? Even if you move out it would do you no harm to find out where you stand legally. You cannot continue to fund the lifestyle of these two parasites while you go to work exhausted.

Remember that you are indirectly paying towards his rent/share of the utilities if he is signing on and getting rent allowance. Most people on jobseekers allowance are unemployed through no fault of their own but a minority have no intention of working and are happy to sit back and let others sweat.

kylith

dvega wrote: »

The guy that she is seeing pays the rent as much as I do.

He should be paying more than you. Tell him that the weeks his gf is staying you will only be paying 33% of the rent and bills.

And if it were me I'd let a roar at them every time they woke me up during the night. If they get a bollocking every time they slam the door they might start to have a bit more consideration.