I'm a licensee, owner wants me to move out for the weekend

teenage_queen

I'm in a similar situation myself and I don't know what to do! The landlord wants me out of the room I'm renting for a weekend so he can accommodate guests he's having over. As far as I know, I'm not getting a reduction in rent or anything for that week!! I don't want to start a fight over it but I actually don't have anywhere else to go for that weekend! Why do landlords have to make things difficult?

Lux23

I would ask what alternative accommodation he has arranged for you while his guests are staying?

athtrasna

Are you renting a room in an owner occupied house?

teenage_queen

athtrasna wrote: »

Are you renting a room in an owner occupied house?

That's exactly it I'm afraid, and Is it a bit cheeky to ask for alternative accommodation, I really don't want to start a fight or tension!

athtrasna

Mod note

Split into separate thread as a licensee is in a different legal position to a tenant.

the_syco

teenage_queen wrote: »

The landlord wants me out of the room I'm renting for a weekend so he can accommodate guests he's having over.

Push back, and he can tell you to be out (permanently) by the weekend, but maybe you should move out anyway. Is there anywhere nearby that you could move into?

teenage_queen

the_syco wrote: »

Push back, and he can tell you to be out (permanently) by the weekend, but maybe you should move out anyway. Is there anywhere nearby that you could move into?

The thing is I'm from Dublin but due to college and the job I've had over the summer, I don't live there anymore, all my family and friends are also back in Dublin so I'm alone in this. Thanks for your reply.

Mrs OBumble

teenage_queen wrote: »

That's exactly it I'm afraid, and Is it a bit cheeky to ask for alternative accommodation, I really don't want to start a fight or tension!

www.hostelworld.com

Treat yourself to a weekend away somewhere.


Is it fair? No.
Is it right? Probably not.
Do you have any good alternatives? Your call.

sweetie

Ask him what his budget is for your weekend away and plan accordingly.

Arbiter of Good Taste

I would get out and use the weekend to find a new place to live.n

Ken.

I would be locking up anything of importance to me if I was in this situation.

the_syco

ken wrote: »

I would be locking up anything of importance to me if I was in this situation.

I'd be locking it up, and/or bringing it with me. What are you going to do if they bring something home with them? Accuse your landlords guests of theft?

Victor

Have you already paid for this period of time?

CollyFlower

You're a licensees, from what I've read on these threads the landlord only has to give you 24 hours to leave but I don't know if your situation applys. Seems a pretty ****tty thing for him to do, unless you're a bad tenents.

Emme

If the house owner gets away with treating you this way once he will more than likely do it again. And you could end up having to get out every weekend.

I would advise you to look for a situation where you are sharing with other tenants and not with an owner occupier. It might be no harm going to Threshold or PRTB for advice. You have no rights as it is but it would be worth your while getting into a situation where you have rights.

The owner of the house would be better off renting the room to a college student who goes home every weekend without fail and takes all his stuff with him every time.

El_Duderino 09

Have you responded to the home owner at all?

It sounds like a really short conversation.

LL: can you please move out for the weekend?
You: no because I have nowhere else to stay.
LL: Oh. Ok. Just thought I'd ask.

jon1981

or

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

LL: can you please move out for the weekend?

You: no because I have nowhere else to stay unless you want to refund me what i've already paid you so I can go to a B&B

El_Duderino 09

jon1981 wrote:

You: no because I have nowhere else to stay unless you want to refund me what i've already paid you so I can go to a B&B

Then

Ll: probably better if my friends get themselves a B&B.

jmayo

teenage_queen wrote: »

I'm in a similar situation myself and I don't know what to do! The landlord wants me out of the room I'm renting for a weekend so he can accommodate guests he's having over. As far as I know, I'm not getting a reduction in rent or anything for that week!! I don't want to start a fight over it but I actually don't have anywhere else to go for that weekend! Why do landlords have to make things difficult?

Jaysus I thought I had heard it all around here.

I have known many people, including myself, who have shared with house owner and I haven't come across this before.
And that is even in cases where owners friends/relatives stayed over for matches, etc.

In fact in a fair few cases tenants or rather licensees and owner became mates and are in contact years later.

I would bet if you give in to this once then hey presto you will be doing it a lot more.
Of course due to practicalities of life you may have to stomach it, for now at least.

I would definitely look for reduction in rent if you have to do it.
Tell him you haven't budgeted for it and you now have the extra expense.
If you have to work over weekend then use that as added reason.

Either way I would be looking for somewhere else and depending on how reasonable the landlord is I might be looking for payback down the road.

You money is good enough for them during the week, oh wait it also seems if it's good enough at weekends, but your presence isn't.
It is a scummy thing to pull.

Aye Bosun

hanna200 wrote: »

actually most of respondents here are incorrect.

Yes you may report him to Gardai (police), yes you can report fraud and forgery. Ask police to write a statement and come down to the house and to contact landlord.

Be ready to take things from there i.e. have an alternative accommodation arranged and have a witness with you.

What are the guards going to do? What fraud or forgery has taken place?

The Licensee is a guest in the owners home, he has ZERO rights, while I don't in any manner agreed with what the owner is doing, he could just as easily turn around this evening and tell the licensee to move out tonight and the licensee has no recourse at all.

The guards ain't going to nothing in this case!

Emme

jmayo wrote: »

Jaysus I thought I had heard it all around here.

I have known many people, including myself, who have shared with house owner and I haven't come across this before.
And that is even in cases where owners friends/relatives stayed over for matches, etc.

In fact in a fair few cases tenants or rather licensees and owner became mates and are in contact years later.

I would bet if you give in to this once then hey presto you will be doing it a lot more.

Of course due to practicalities of life you may have to stomach it, for now at least.

I would definitely look for reduction in rent if you have to do it.
Tell him you haven't budgeted for it and you now have the extra expense.
If you have to work over weekend then use that as added reason.

Either way I would be looking for somewhere else and depending on how reasonable the landlord is I might be looking for payback down the road.

You money is good enough for them during the week, oh wait it also seems if it's good enough at weekends, but your presence isn't.
It is a scummy thing to pull.

I agree with all of the above. As far as I know the home owner in question doesn't have to pay tax on the money he gets from the OP. Unfortunately she has no rights in this case but he is being very unfair. Maybe he wants her to leave altogether and this is his way of going about it.

She could ask him to contribute towards a hostel or B&B for the weekend and she should look for somewhere to stay where she has more rights such as a house share with a lease. However I think he would tell her to fcuk off or even get out of she asked him for compensation.

The guy who is renting the room should rent it on a Monday to Friday basis to avoid confusion but if he did he might not get so much money.

Spanish Eyes

Where are the guests staying? in YOUR room? OMG!!

No way, get out and try find somewhere else. Only way now.

That is outrageous.

teenage_queen

Hey guys, Thanks for all the replies, It's nice to know I'm not the only one who isn't a bit shocked by this. The landlord himself is absoloutely lovely and I've never had any previous problems, he had previously assured me that the room is there for as long as I want it, actually it's two rooms attached together with an ensuite so I have my own little living quarters with a nice sitting room and all, it's pretty cushy. He also let me do it up, so I painted the walls and hung up photos etc. The conversation literally was very short and to the point as I don't see the family that much as they're living quarters are separate. He told me he has guests coming over and he needs my room for an entire weekend in October. Unfortunately, I will be definitely working that weekend as I will be stating back in college.

Due to my age, I get paid 7.06 an hour and really can't afford to travel back to Dublin or pay for a hotel for that weekend. It's just not in my budget. I don't want to ask my mam for a hand out either as she is already paying all my fees!

teenage_queen

I'm really paranoid about anything going missing, as far as I know, the guests he has over are lads from England. I can't imagine they would have much interest in taking teenage girl clothes, makeup etc but I'm really attached to a record collection and player gifted to me by my nana and mam that I can hardly bring with me for that weekend. I brought every one of my belongings with me to that house and I can't see me shipping them back up to Dublin somehow. Is there a storage facility somewhere that's not too pricey that I could use just for the weekend? Thing is there's another girl who's also staying in a separate bedroom and he told her she had to be out for the same weekend as they will need her room for guests. When I spoke to her she sounded annoyed because she also has to work at the weekend and suggested that we should get a reduction in rent. I feel the same but I fear if I start causing hassle I'll lose the 2 week deposit I paid when I moved in about a year ago. As a previous poster said, I have no rights in this situation and can't really afford to be throwing away money like that.

Dial Hard

Just talk to the man. Thinking of renting a storage facility, etc. for the weekend is a bit premature when you haven't even told him you're not happy with the request.

You and the other girl should approach him together and just say that money is very tight, neither of you can afford to stay elsewhere for the weekend and leave it at that.

sweetie

You have less rights but he can't pick and choose when you stay with him. If he wants your room then he is effectively evicting you. Speak to him together and tell him that ye will have to find new digs because of this. He may reconsider if he then has to find new tenants and trust me they are hard to come by. Threshold should have more info too.

teenage_queen

Dial Hard wrote: »

Just talk to the man. Thinking of renting a storage facility, etc. for the weekend is a bit premature when you haven't even told him you're not happy with the request.

You and the other girl should approach him together and just say that money is very tight, neither of you can afford to stay elsewhere for the weekend and leave it at that.

That's not a bad idea, She has family in the area though so she's sorted for somewhere to stay. But I think that you're right and I just need to explain the situation to him and how it's not feasible for me to get out of the room for that weekend.

Poochie05

Have you said all this to the landlord OP? There is no point just continuing to talk about it on Boards.
Now that you've gotten advice and assurance from people here that you're not being difficult, you need to talk to your landlord, clearly tell him you've been trying to work out how you could accommodate his request but tell him of all the issues in your posts above in a reasonable manner and ask him what he proposes.

Frankly it sounds completely unreasonable to ask this of you, and I would be looking for a new place. I'd wonder has he listed your rooms on Air BnB...

teenage_queen

Poochie05 wrote: »

Have you said all this to the landlord OP? There is no point just continuing to talk about it on Boards.
Now that you've gotten advice and assurance from people here that you're not being difficult, you need to talk to your landlord, clearly tell him you've been trying to work out how you could accommodate his request but tell him of all the issues in your posts above in a reasonable manner and ask him what he proposes.

Frankly it sounds completely unreasonable to ask this of you, and I would be looking for a new place. I'd wonder has he listed your rooms on Air BnB...

I'll say it to him then, maybe myself and the other girl could share her room and that way his guests could all fit into my room and we wouldn't have to look for another place to stay? I'm so embarrassed doing this though!

Skid X

teenage_queen wrote: »

I'll say it to him then, maybe myself and the other girl could share her room and that way his guests could all fit into my room and we wouldn't have to look for another place to stay? I'm so embarrassed doing this though!

He's the one who should be embarrassed.

You need to stand up for yourself.if you let him do this once it will happen again. Tell him that it is not convenient for you to move out for the weekend. If he wants to take over your room, at the very least he needs to find you alternative accommodation and storage for your belongings.

Poochie05

teenage_queen wrote: »

I'll say it to him then, maybe myself and the other girl could share her room and that way his guests could all fit into my room and we wouldn't have to look for another place to stay? I'm so embarrassed doing this though!

You do not need to be embarrassed. I know it might feel a bit daunting, but as you've been assured here, he is the one being unreasonable.

It might be easier if the two of you talk to him together but make sure to keep it all level headed and friendly. It might help to make a list of all the worries you have listed on here in advance so that you are clear in your mind. And also maybe have in mind what you'd be prepared to agree to so you don't get flustered when you are talking to him. Maybe suggest you could both share a room as a way of helping him out. But don't be embarrassed, you shouldn't even be in this position in the first place.
I really think you should be considering looking for a new place though as this is not a reasonable request to ask of someone renting a room, so there is no telling what the landlord's reasoning or motivations are.
Best of luck!

amdublin

I think this is beyond ridiculous!!!!!


Your landlord wants to give your room to someone else for the weekend???? Someone else to sleep in YOUR bed??????


Eh no way hosay. I'd be inclined to say eh no, I don't fancy anyone else sleeping in my bed/staying in my space.


But I think better, use the phrasing suggested by someone else: aww sorry but I have now where else to LIVE that weekend (don't use the word stay imo)

fiachraX

Think of it this way: You've bought something - a service - from him, effectively paying in advance if he holds a deposit. You've bought permission to stay in your living quarters seven days a week - not five.
You're correct that as a licensee there is no security in this arrangement, insofar as the owner can evict you at any time. However, he can't keep your money for a service you're not getting. So if you're not going to be in the room for 2 of the 7 days (29%), then you should - at a minimum - have a 29% reduction in your rent for that week, and probably more for the whole inconvenience of having to move out and back, finding somewhere safe to keep your possessions etc.

handlemaster

Would he move out for the weekend when you want friends over ! He sounds like a numpty. The answer should be no flat out.

Poochie05

Also OP, I'm all for people fighting their own battles but you mention you only get paid €7.06 an hour due to your age so I presume you're relatively young. You say you don't want to ask your Mam for a hand out, but maybe you should mention this to her anyway. No shame in asking your Mam for a bit of moral support on this occasion, it's not as if you've done anything to get yourself in to this situation, and the landlord may be taking advantage due to your age.

Bongalongherb

teenage_queen wrote: »

I'm really paranoid about anything going missing, as far as I know, the guests he has over are lads from England. I can't imagine they would have much interest in taking teenage girl clothes, makeup etc but I'm really attached to a record collection and player gifted to me by my nana and mam that I can hardly bring with me for that weekend. I brought every one of my belongings with me to that house and I can't see me shipping them back up to Dublin somehow. Is there a storage facility somewhere that's not too pricey that I could use just for the weekend? Thing is there's another girl who's also staying in a separate bedroom and he told her she had to be out for the same weekend as they will need her room for guests. When I spoke to her she sounded annoyed because she also has to work at the weekend and suggested that we should get a reduction in rent. I feel the same but I fear if I start causing hassle I'll lose the 2 week deposit I paid when I moved in about a year ago. As a previous poster said, I have no rights in this situation and can't really afford to be throwing away money like that.

It seems that these strangers will be sleeping in your bed as well ?. That's just not on at all. Do you have a video camera or a camera ? take pictures of your items and record collection just incase anything goes missing as you will have proof.

That is very bad practice from any landlord to have people/strangers to you sleeping in your bed and in your room of which you pay for. You most definitely should seek advice regarding this. You have rights, so speak to someone about this. That has got to be illegal. Allowing strangers into your room and bed, it has to be, also telling you to leave for the weekend.

Contact Citizens Information and ask them what rights do you have, they will be able to advise you... 0761 07 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm).

Diamond Doll

Bear in mind that if you agree to this once, you're setting a precedent that'll make him more likely to do it again.

In your position, I'd simply tell him no. You don't really need to justify it further than that, but if you want to, just tell him you have nowhere else to stay - that's why you rent the room to live in, seven days a week - and anyways you're not comfortable having strangers stay there. No need to be particularly apologetic about it, although of course you should be polite.

He has plenty time to make alternative arrangements for them between now and October. If you're a good tenant who pays rent and bills on time, he would be very foolish to ask you to leave over this.

teenage_queen

Thank you for all your lovely replies, all the advice was really helpful and very much appreciated! I got in contact with my mam and she said I should just request it off work and get the train back up to Dublin to stay with her. She said that I can't really afford to lose this accommodation so I should put up and shut up, I suppose she's right as I don't have any other options as causing conflict or tension could jeopardize the accommodation which I need and was lucky to get. It's a shame the way landlords have the upper hand in situations like this though. Thank you so so much for the advice and I will be taking pictures of the room as it was (Thanks for that suggestion!)

Greenmachine

If I am picking up the OP right. The landlord want to OP out for one weekend in October, it is not exactly dropping the OP in it. Asking him to get out at a few days noticing. Landlord doesn't seem to be being a dick about it. Op is a licensee after all. Perhaps OP can request those days off from work.

Penny Tration

Does your student union recommend him for digs? You know how most SUs have a list of places they can arrange digs for students?

If he's on that list - report him to the SU. They'll never list him again.

amdublin

Greenmachine wrote: »

If I am picking up the OP right. The landlord want to OP out for one weekend in October, it is not exactly dropping the OP in it. Asking him to get out at a few days noticing. Landlord doesn't seem to be being a dick about it. Op is a licensee after all. Perhaps OP can request those days off from work.

I don't care how much notice I wouldn't want anyone sleeping in my bed thank you very much.

rubberdiddies

amdublin wrote: »

I don't care how much notice I wouldn't want anyone sleeping in my bed thank you very much.

Have you ever stayed in a hotel? Think of the thousands that have slept in that bed before you.

Whilst it's not ideal and I don't agree with what the owner is doing it is within his rights unfortunately. At least there is sufficient notice given.

Personally I would be using the time now to look for alternative accommodation though I realise that's extremely difficult

El_Duderino 09

rubberdiddies wrote:

Have you ever stayed in a hotel? Think of the thousands that have slept in that bed before you.

Lesensee isn't a night by night type of arrangement. Even as a lisencee, it's an unreasonable request.

The op doesn't even seem to have expressed that she would prefer not to leave for the weekend.

rubberdiddies wrote:

Whilst it's not ideal and I don't agree with what the owner is doing it is within his rights unfortunately. At least there is sufficient notice given.

What if something goes missing?
Who takes care of bed sheets?
How often is this likely to happen?

All reasonable questions which op doesn't feel comfortable asking. I think a more formal agreement, like regular tenant/landlord contract, would offer and more stability and more well defined rules. Might be time to consider moving.

amdublin

rubberdiddies wrote: »

Have you ever stayed in a hotel? Think of the thousands that have slept in that bed before you.

Completely appreciate that but renting a room amd paying in advance for that room for a month and expecting to have sole use of room for the month is different from paying for a hotel room for one night and moving on...

Greenmachine

Still a licensee. The landlord could ask him to leave at 24 HR notice if he wants. Crappy thing to do. If OP is not happy best to find a new house share, one without a live in landlord.

jon1981

amdublin wrote: »

Completely appreciate that but renting a room amd paying in advance for that room for a month and expecting to have sole use of room for the month is different from paying for a hotel room for one night and moving on...

How does this work in this situation? Is the landlord expected to clean the sheets and room after the guests leave? I hope so.

5rtytry56

So you have decided to go for the "Let's sleeping dogs lie" philosophy here OP.
For my two cents worth in this thread I still implore you to consider the consequences in the relationship as far as the landlord is concerned... remember this can become the 'thin end of the wedge'.

Arbiter of Good Taste

teenage_queen wrote: »

Thank you for all your lovely replies, all the advice was really helpful and very much appreciated! I got in contact with my mam and she said I should just request it off work and get the train back up to Dublin to stay with her. She said that I can't really afford to lose this accommodation so I should put up and shut up, I suppose she's right as I don't have any other options as causing conflict or tension could jeopardize the accommodation which I need and was lucky to get. It's a shame the way landlords have the upper hand in situations like this though. Thank you so so much for the advice and I will be taking pictures of the room as it was (Thanks for that suggestion!)

I'm sorry OP, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but this is terrible advice from your mother. You are being taken advantage of. If his friends can afford to fly over, they can afford to pay for accommodation.

If you have decided to agree, so be it, but I would be looking for alternative accommodation and move out ASAP.

Mrs OBumble

Arbiter of Good Taste wrote: »

I'm sorry OP, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but this is terrible advice from your mother. You are being taken advantage of. If his friends can afford to fly over, they can afford to pay for accommodation.

I certainly agree with the advice to find somewhere new: if the family have decided to do this to their lodgers once, they may do it again.

But whether to play along or not for now depends on how hard it will be to get somewhere else. And that's something that only the OP can know about the area that she is living in.

Bongalongherb

Stay with the parents this time and enjoy the stay with the folks. But do tell the landlord how difficult this all has been for you, and that you cannot do it again because you have work and college to deal with and cannot just walk out the door with nowhere to go as you have enough stress to deal with.

Make the point to this landlord when you come back to it, but just call him/her offside and have a professional talk regarding this issue, because this landlord might try it again. Make your point and then leave it at that as at least he will know you are unhappy about this and rightly so.

Best of luck.

PS: ask your mother for new bed-sheets to bring with you as a person would not find it comfortable sleeping on the ones from a stranger, as if the landlord is going to clean them, I'd doubt it very much.

the_syco

teenage_queen wrote: »

Due to my age, I get paid 7.06 an hour

I'm guessing 17 years old and in college.

teenage_queen wrote: »

I'm really attached to a record collection and player gifted to me by my nana and mam that I can hardly bring with me for that weekend.

I'd advise that this not be there at the weekend. Lads over to Ireland for a weekend + drinking = lads trying to play your records.

Jenny Thalia wrote: »

If he's on that list - report him to the SU. They'll never list him again.

This. And if the SU were any good, they may be able to help you out, or know of a place that you could move into.

5rtytry56 wrote: »

So you have decided to go for the "Let's sleeping dogs lie" philosophy here OP.

The "Let's sleeping dogs lie" philosophy can also be seen as acceptance.

Which can be great, especially if the OP doesn't mind also moving out next time there is an event on, and the landlord needs her room so that the landlord can make money having someone stay there. She did, after all, "accept" it this time?

=-=

The sad part is, as you're a licensee, you're damned if you do, or damned if you don't allow. My best advice would be to ask the landlord for storage space elsewhere in the house, where the lads won't be. Record player, records, and anything that you don't want going missing or being broken, either move them somewhere safe or you'll regret it.

You need to pick your fights, and from the info given, it's a fight you'll lose and either have to be elsewhere that weekend, or be kicked out of the house.

Someone mentioned ringing Threshold; don't bother ringing them. They've been giving out false and/or dodgy advice lately.

Keep an eye out for a room to rent; 2nd month of college will see some appear, esp after certain batches of exams. After xmas is one such time when rooms tend to free up, and landlords more negotiable. Two weeks rent is worth a lot, but so is your privacy, and hostels can be expensive if there's an event on that weekend (which I'm guessing there is in this case).