House share expectation

Hi

I have been renting 2 rooms in my house.

A new guy moved in 2 months ago, i explained my own working hours and how that would be prferrable, ie 8-5. Also said not much house rules but you have top shelf in fridge and freezer, tidy up the kitchen and bathroom after yourself, keep your room in a clean state etc. What i thought would be basic common sense. Told him when he leaves the house either put the window in his bedroom on the latch or open the vent to leave air in.

All fine until a month in and i started getting a dirty smell coming from the room as i was going up the stairs. Then i got home more than once to cups and dishes in the press not washed properly and crumbs all over the counter. I pulled him on this and he started cleaning up after himself. Then i noticed he started using the second shelf in the fridge as the other guy hardly used until i got home this weekend and i noticed he now had moved into mine, had to text and say use your own space. To the windows, i came home a fews times to the window wide open as much as possible and he wasn't even in the house wasnt back for hours so if it rained the floor would be destroyed. He opened to let the smell out but the fact in 2 months he only did 2 loads of washing, bedsheets not being in it, i think opening the windows won't solve the dirty dried sweat smell.

So got home last wednesday to the Window fully open again and i went in to close it. The room was in a state, bags of rubbish with fruit rotting in it, dirty plate with rotten fruit on, newspapers all over the room. On top of this 2 months the rent date fell on the weekend and only paid it on the saturday knowing full well it couldnt possibly be in the account on the Sunday.


There was other issues like p***ing down the back of the toilet and walking away, beard trimmings on the sink. Like i was thinking this is my house, not a student, how does he think it will be cleaned.

another thing is turning on the heating and rather than turn off the rad (there is thermostats so its easy) he will leave the heating on and open the window.

Anyway i tried to catch him before he left yesterday but he was gone so text and said we need to talk about rent due and cleanliness. He replied saying he thinks he will look for a new place, i say fine no worries and that was it.

Am i being pedantic, i own the house and i am not a clean freak but this guy stinks and is just dirty, i know everyone is different but the guy is in his late 30s, a bit of cop on is also needed

also, the reference to the hours, he wasn't finiished work till midnight and making noise coming in

Get someone else in so.

wirelessdude01

Tell him you want the room back to the level of cleanliness it was when he moved in by Thursday of this week as you will be showing it to people.

Gonna guess you didn't check references before he moved in?

wirelessdude01

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Tell him you want the room back to the level of cleanliness it was when he moved in by Thursday of this week as you will be showing it to people.

Gonna guess you didn't check references before he moved in?

He had references but looking back now i noticed a few sizeable gaps, i'll live and learn and be a bit more on the ball with the next one.

i thought it was funny he seemed to get the hump on being pulled up on it. i would think some of this is basic common sense

BrownFinger

BrownFinger wrote: »

Get someone else in so.

yeah i will be and will have to point out what i would think is basic living conditions to avoid another siituation like this

liquoriceall

The thing about windows is so difficult. I find it very hard to find someone with the cop on to know you have to let rooms air. Good luck

1874

Get rid asap, make sure he returns to state it was before, clean ensuite etc or deduct deposit for any time taken to return to said state, make sure he doesnt leave a present in a wardrobe before you return deposit. Im not sure if youre a guy or a woman, in either case, it might be advantageous to have a friend in the house when he's leaving, not as a threat, just as back up and in the event another person can ring for help if it goes out of kilter.
As for the cleaning done weekly/as needed, no food in rooms, too much risk of it getting dropped behind the bed by someone careless and going mouldy, ventilating the room window fully open is for when youre there, on latch or shut when not, Id a friend whos dad did windows, told me he and his dad replaced more windows that were damaged while on the vent compared to closed windows, he seemed to think people would have a go at a partially open one, but it ends up more damage in the end as its as good as locked he suggested anyone that would do so seemed to attempt it less so on a fully closed window, I think its onyl a concern if the window is accessible. That said, at least they'd be ventilating the room.As for taking over too, just too much hassle, some people are clueless.

theteal

liquoriceall wrote: »

The thing about windows is so difficult. I find it very hard to find someone with the cop on to know you have to let rooms air. Good luck

It's not difficult in the slightest but yet very, VERY frustrating. . .but I don't have the option of evicting the wife :eek:

myshirt

1874 wrote: »

Get rid asap, make sure he returns to state it was before, clean ensuite etc or deduct deposit for any time taken to return to said state, make sure he doesnt leave a present in a wardrobe before you return deposit. Im not sure if youre a guy or a woman, in either case, it might be advantageous to have a friend in the house when he's leaving, not as a threat, just as back up and in the event another person can ring for help if it goes out of kilter.
As for the cleaning done weekly/as needed, no food in rooms, too much risk of it getting dropped behind the bed by someone careless and going mouldy, ventilating the room window fully open is for when youre there, on latch or shut when not, Id a friend whos dad did windows, told me he and his dad replaced more windows that were damaged while on the vent compared to closed windows, he seemed to think people would have a go at a partially open one, but it ends up more damage in the end as its as good as locked he suggested anyone that would do so seemed to attempt it less so on a fully closed window, I think its onyl a concern if the window is accessible. That said, at least they'd be ventilating the room.As for taking over too, just too much hassle, some people are clueless.

I very much doubt he will be leaving him a present in the wardrobe. Relationship has went pretty much sour. If he leaves the house without much of a ruckus then the op should settle on that and put it down to a bad experience.

Expecting a parting gift is a stretch.

1874

theteal wrote: »

It's not difficult in the slightest but yet very, VERY frustrating. . .but I don't have the option of evicting the wife :eek:

Never say never! had same problem, personally I find it astonishing that a grown man or woman cant just do some simple tasks, like turn off lights or on as need be, or close windows, a bit of cop on and security consciousness, had a spate of robberies, if the opportunity is there, the wrong sort will take it

1874

1874 wrote: »

Get rid asap, make sure he returns to state it was before, clean ensuite etc or deduct deposit for any time taken to return to said state, make sure he doesnt leave a present in a wardrobe before you return deposit. Im not sure if youre a guy or a woman, in either case, it might be advantageous to have a friend in the house when he's leaving, not as a threat, just as back up and in the event another person can ring for help if it goes out of kilter.
As for the cleaning done weekly/as needed, no food in rooms, too much risk of it getting dropped behind the bed by someone careless and going mouldy, ventilating the room window fully open is for when youre there, on latch or shut when not, Id a friend whos dad did windows, told me he and his dad replaced more windows that were damaged while on the vent compared to closed windows, he seemed to think people would have a go at a partially open one, but it ends up more damage in the end as its as good as locked he suggested anyone that would do so seemed to attempt it less so on a fully closed window, I think its onyl a concern if the window is accessible. That said, at least they'd be ventilating the room.As for taking over too, just too much hassle, some people are clueless.

Cheers for the reply, i'm a guy in my mid 30s. This guy lives like a guy in his 20s, not overly fussy on things, if his room is a mess with clothes, thats his problem but when it comes to food and dirty clothes and smells its different. In the last month things are just creeping in and i am not happy with it. He only has his room to clean and even manage that.

The first alarm bells rang when he asked how to use the washing machine and dryer a month into staying there. i was thinking i wash 1-2 loads a week and i wouldnt be washing clothes constantly, jocks, socks, towells wouldn't last a month.

The windows are 1st floor, the security thing did also enter my mind, its easy to throw a ladder up and be in in under a minute.

the last of common sense and respect for the place annoys me, I hoover, mop and clean down the living areas at least once a week, take out the bins, sort glass bottles, he literally has hardly nothing to do

OldMrBrennan83

You weren't expecting anything unreasonable. Don't wait for him to find a place in this market though, get him out asap.

1874

1874 wrote: »

Never say never! had same problem, personally I find it astonishing that a grown man or woman cant just do some simple tasks, like turn off lights or on as need be, or close windows, a bit of cop on and security consciousness, had a spate of robberies, if the opportunity is there, the wrong sort will take it

totally agree, i can't comprehend how a grown adult in their late 30s can be like that. I felt like a parent having to say it, i was thinking does this guy actually lack so much common sense.

But i will live and learn, can now understand why people rent with a list of requirements and rules

dudara

Deleted User wrote: »

i thought it was funny he seemed to get the hump on being pulled up on it. i would think some of this is basic common sense

TBH it’s not really surprising. You’re essentially giving out to him (no matter how merited), so of course he doesn’t react well. It’s hard to have this kind of conversation without hurting feelings.

At least things seem like they will work out. That’s a plus.

dudara

dudara wrote: »

TBH it’s not really surprising. You’re essentially giving out to him (no matter how merited), so of course he doesn’t react well. It’s hard to have this kind of conversation without hurting feelings.

At least things seem like they will work out. That’s a plus.

yeah true, seems like a guy who would continue pushing the limits anyway.

Seemed grand to talk to but can't put up with dirtiness of all things

the_syco

Deleted User wrote: »

i thought it was funny he seemed to get the hump on being pulled up on it. i would think some of this is basic common sense

Sounds like someone who had mammy do everything for him until he moved out. I'm guessing the gaps you mentioned are when he got evicted, and moved home.

Give him a months notice. If he gets a place before then, great, if not, not your problem.

Take pictures of how he has left the room, and use a professional cleaner that will give you a receipt when they've cleaned the room, and take the cost out of his deposit.

smokie72

Like the op I rent out a couple of rooms in my house. When I'm advertising for a lodger I do ask for references but I usually go for my gut when they come out for a viewing. I find anybody can get a good reference and maybe their last landlord gave them one to get rid of them. I have had to ask a couple of guys to leave in the past. 1 guy wanted to move his girlfriend in on the first day and I don't want couples and the other guy was more like the fella staying with the op. Only washed himself once a week and cycled every day so his BO was appalling. A real mammy's boy as well and he wanted the other lodger staying with me to drive him to work on a wet day! Even a year after I got rid of him he was sending friend's requests on facebook to the other lodger who couldn't stand him. I got rid of him after 2 months so I usually say first month is a trial and see how we get on. Dynamics are important so I had no choice but to give this guy his p45 pronto.

I gave him 1 month's notice and as an incentive I say if you find a place you get your deposit plus any rent owed back. He was gone within a few days and I got someone more suitable. The smelly guy was 27 at the time and teaching in a secondary school. God knows what the students must of thought of the smell!

I do tend now to only get Monday to Friday lodgers. Might take longer but it suits me as I can relax at weekends. Important to have a few house rules but folk working during the week only really want somewhere quiet to relax and sleep. I usually get someone who is over 30 as they tend to have a bit more cop on but in the original post it's not always that way. I have a young lad who is 25 staying atm and you couldn't get a better lodger. Very clean and quiet so I think some people whether they are young or old are very untidy anyway and some older people don't like any criticism. If it's not working out then it's better to move on. It's your house and you shouldn't feel uncomfortable in it. It's great though when you have good lodgers staying.

Cryptopagan

I wouldn’t even give him a month’s notice; he’d have 7 days to move out.