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Renting out spare room - noise issues tenant

  • 31-10-2022 9:39am
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    We have been renting out our spare room for the last 2 months. We have had to ask the tenant numerous times to use headphones when on the phone.

    He is constantly speaking to his girlfriend and he has her on speaker phone early in the morning (before 11am my partner works shift so he does nights) The television we have provided in the room is also up full blast some mornings and we have offered to buy him headphones.

    Can I provide written warnings in this situation, my first time renting out a room so I am a bit clueless. I did a tenancy agreement and I have the following in it:

    'The Tenant agrees to control and minimise any noise in the house (including TV, radio and such instruments) after 10.00pm'

    Is it possible to amend it? We did verbally say to him 11am / 11pm was the noise limits after the first time we had to ask him to turn down the tele at midnight one night and when he woke us up on the phone one morning.

    He is a nice lad but my god the phone is getting unbearable, I just don't see how he doesn't see having his phone up full blast at 9am in the morning is not a problem when he knows another person living in the house has been working nights!



«1

Comments

  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    You’re not cut out for this



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 242 ✭✭berocca2016


    Is it your house that you own or you are the sole person on the lease with the landlord? If so the person is not a tenant, they are a licensee and have little to no actual rights in comparison to a tenancy agreement.

    If so, the contract that you made him sign has little to no legal validity regardless so what you say literally goes. You would be legally within your rights to make any stipulations.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 456 ✭✭moceri


    Sharing your home always includes compromises



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,459 ✭✭✭KaneToad


    This is a licensee arrangement. You can ask occupant to leave with minimal notice. He can also leave with minimal notice.

    https://threshold.ie/faq/i-am-a-tenant/

    His behaviour isn't outlandish but it is incompatible with what you require. He is better off in a scenario that is not as restricted as yours.

    You could mention it to him that you don't think arrangement is working out and outline the reasons why. He may modify behaviour but he may decide to seek alternative arrangements.

    The other option is to end arrangement and get a more suitable licensee who is aware of the restrictions from the start.

    You should also consider whether your situation is compatible, at all, with a licensee.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    Just for some context on this

    Saturday morning we were woken up by him having a full scale row with his girlfriend on the phone. I had to knock on the door and ask him to stop.

    Yesterday morning woken again at 8.30am with the tele up full blast

    This morning, the girlfriend on the speaker phone again at 9am I had to text him to turn it down.

    Myself and my partner use headphones all the time on our phones, we tip toe around the house in the morning as we get up before him.

    There is no respect returned by way of noise control and it's draining at this stage, there is no limits on times of showers or cooking that's free reign in the house and the sitting room is his to use just no phones on speaker phone and keep the tele down low is the only thing we are asking for here.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,601 ✭✭✭✭road_high


    Kick them out



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    Yeah it's our house.

    My partner's daughters (12 & 13) stay withs us every second weekend and they even tip toe around in the morning and use their headphones so as not to wake others so I mean if a child can understand the logic of being quiet when somebody gets home from work at 4am.......



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,936 ✭✭✭✭callaway92


    As a previous poster said, you’re not cut out for it

    Cut your ties with him now and remove him from the house. No matter what, anything he does now will annoy you, even if he makes minor adjustments

    I’d worry (just by the time of your posts here) that you may struggle to remove him though



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    Yeah I thought we were being nice not imposing resrictions on shower and cooking times as I have heard some horror stories of people not being allowed to shower after a certain time but getting woken up on a Saturday morning by people having a fight is not cool.

    I WFH and I won't take calls until 11am when he is on his day off - starting to get really annoyed that respect is not being reciprocated back ya know?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 242 ✭✭berocca2016


    I think that maybe regardless of the legality, that maybe it would be hard to find a licensee who will stay quiet. Like using the phone at 9 am is completely reasonable in a normal situation.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    Fully agree but the respect we are giving him to have a comfortable and relaxing home environment is not being reciprocated back so now I just need to learn about my options.



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,609 ✭✭✭Tonesjones


    The noise he is making is during "normal " hours. Daytime hours.

    A)

    You need to get a tenant who works shift work also

    B)

    Get a different shift hours

    C)

    Stop trying to be a landlord and leave the room empty



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,392 ✭✭✭✭Furze99


    One final warning and make it clear.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    So just so I know is it acceptable for people to be using their phones like that in a rental situation?

    As I said he is a nice lad, he is clean and tidy the phone is the only issue so I wouldn't say I am not cut out for it just because of one issue.

    I could easily just start waking him up at 5.30am in the morning and be petty and have my Mam on speaker when I am in the shower and then we would all be even ya know.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    But what are considered day time hours at the weekend? Would it not be a little bit later in the day?

    The weekend is where we have the problems x



  • Registered Users Posts: 1,609 ✭✭✭Tonesjones


    8 in the morning most of the world is up and active.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 14,936 ✭✭✭✭callaway92


    I would say it is acceptable. To be brutal about it, the hours he’s on the phone aren’t unreasonable - It’s just unlucky that your husband works shift - but that’s not the tenant’s fault. That’s an awkward term for any tenant to deal with, having to tiptoe at a reasonable hour



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    Yeah I will have to have a proper chat with him.

    I have said it before if the bedroom door is closed somebody is sleeping so just keep it down and if it's open you can scream shout as loud as you want and I won't care.

    Once everybody is awake I don't care how much noise ya make!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,161 ✭✭✭✭Caranica


    Once again it's not a rental system. He is a lodger. You shouldn't need rules about phone use or TV volume. He either respects you and your home or he finds somewhere else to live. You have the power here, use it.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    If he just didn't have her on speaker phone up full blast it would be grand, if somebody is speaking a bit low on the phone nobody is going to bat an eye lid at that.

    Maybe I am just too nice in that he is paying to live here and when my partner is out the door at 5am and I am starting work across the landing from him I am quiet as a mouse so as not to wake him cos I know how hard it is for people these days and we all just want somewhere nice to call home.

    I helped him out he had to leave his girlfriends house at short notice, he is very young as well. This is what happens when you do a good deed lol



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,989 ✭✭✭✭Giblet




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,325 ✭✭✭cuttingtimber22


    Some tough love needed. He is not compatible. And no not unreasonable for you to be annoyed that someone uses the speaker for phone calls and keeps in mind the noise of the tv/music. As you say no excuse with headphones offered. I have rented out rooms and it is always give and take but within established rules.

    Post edited by cuttingtimber22 on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,964 ✭✭✭SteM


    You're kidding yourself OP. You say it's just the phone you have issues with but it's not, it's the TV too so it's really a noise issue.

    The real problem is your partner's shift work, you're asking someone to pay you to rent a room but they're not allowed to make noise between 8am and 11am when most people are up and about. You need someone that works the same hours as your partner or you need to stop renting a room in your house. The kids being quiet means nothing, they're not paying rent like the lodger.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    Yes, the room was not available until a certain date as we didn't have it finished yet and we gave him a bed for two weeks in my step daughters room as he was badly stuck at a reduced rate as he was desperate for a bed.

    I know he pays, but you would think when somebody helps you out that you could give just a little bit back but lesson learnt.



  • Registered Users Posts: 984 ✭✭✭Still stihl waters 3


    Its not normal hours if the owner and other resident has laid out the rule that the hours are 11 to 11 for keeping the noise down due to 1 person doing shift work, the majority of the rest of the world may operate from I in the morning but the rules in this situation are 11 to 11 which the licencee knows about, it's just lack of respect if he carries on ignoring what is not a very unusual rule with someone working night shifts



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    If the television was a bit lower it wouldn't be a problem, the room is small, he has it up at about 20, there is just no need. I have offered to buy bluetooth headphones. I could be a right hag and take the tele off the wall lol.

    I would certainly be a lot clearer on rules around morning noise next time around, pointless me being quiet in the morning for the benefits of others. My partner does not work nights all the time, I have the shift on view for the tenant to see along with the kids schedule so he knows when his girfriend can come over to stay without asking.

    I have been too nice from the start with not enough clear rules lesson learnt!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,402 ✭✭✭gameoverdude


    Put the foot down, or ask them leave.

    You've asked them to keep it quiet, you should have told them.

    If you really need the dosh then get somebody else and outline the rules.

    As somebody else mentioned, it's not a favour. You're getting money. Stop with the mammy attitude in future



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,391 ✭✭✭✭rainbowtrout


    There's a pair of ye in it. Being up and about and living your life normally after 8am is a reasonable expectation in any house. Now he isn't playing ball by having the girlfriend on speakerphone, but you also can't expect him to tiptoe around the house until 11am each day. Having said that its your house, so your rules, if it's not working out ask him to leave.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    Is now a bad time to say I do his washing too 🙈



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    He doesn't have to tip toe, he can shower cook etc but we are in the room next door there is no need to have the phone up full blast on speaker phone.

    Or else take up the offer of a pair of decent headphones to be bought for you and use them for 1 or two hours in the morning.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,504 ✭✭✭✭bucketybuck


    I don't get why you keep going on about headphones, aren't there two people involved in a phone call? I get that tinny voices from a speaker are annoying but you will still hear his voice even if he is wearing headphones...

    Anyway, changing the rules isn't going to solve your problem, people on shift work simply don't go well with lodgers, and especially not young lodgers. There is always going to be a conflict between what you want in your house and what he wants in his life.



  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,813 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    Stop pussy footing around the issue OP.

    Address it head on. Tell him if he makes excessive noise again he'll be out of the house.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    I swear to god he whispers on the phone to her, I can't even hear him (unless they are having a full on fight like the other morning)

    Why whisper into the phone to somebody while they speak back to you at full blast, baffling lol



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,402 ✭✭✭gameoverdude


    Come on!

    You need another child!

    What age is this person? Don't get me wrong. I can be a mammy with my own family and can be a soft touch.

    You don't iron their stuff too! Please say no!



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,202 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    You have teenage girls staying in the house regularly, and you have taken a young adult male lodger?

    You should be very thankful that noise is the only problem. And move him out ASAP.

    If you need to rent the room, take a female only, and be up-front about quiet hours in the house.





  • Has he perhaps got a hearing issue? If he didn’t start off with one he probably has an amount of deafness by now or he will in the future. Maybe his perception of loudness is totally different to normal. I wonder was noise an issue that got him out of girlfriend’s home.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,402 ✭✭✭gameoverdude


    Cop on to yourself.

    That is a disgusting comment.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,402 ✭✭✭gameoverdude


    Post edited by Boards.ie: Paul on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    They are 23.

    My logic for the washing was simple, if I put on the wash and hang it out, everybody will have dry clothes when they need them, there won't be any fighting for the washing machine or fighting for the limited drying space. I do myself and my partners clothes so what's another person throwing their clothes in on top.

    My friend rents to students and she does their laundry and she just said better to take ownership so you are not waiting for somebody to finish before you can get your own bit and pieces done.

    And I don't iron lol barely do that for myself!



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    It's not an issue, the girls are never on their own in the house when they come up to stay.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    Possibly, or else their constant fighting!!! She seems like a bit of a melt to be honest.

    Ah he is a good kid, I will sit down and have a good chat with him, we all need somebody to look out for us. I don't want to kick him out.

    (I mean hard not to take sides when you can hear the full fight!!!)

    Post edited by Boards.ie: Paul on


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,402 ✭✭✭gameoverdude


    Mammy mode!

    Does he just stick them in with yours? He has expectations now. Wait until he needs some item and it's not dry...



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    To be fair, we did discuss it if should be male or female.

    Females can take over and then you have the risk of them walking around in shorts up their hole. Me and my partner are into boxing / F1 / Cars so I have more in common with men than women so we decided males would be best.

    My step daughter has a fine jab and hook on her, fair play to him if tried something he would be knocked out!



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    Yeah I have the wash baskets on the landing when it's full I just bang a wash on, I am wfh 4 days a week so it's nothing to do really.

    If you want express service you can either produce a bottle of wine and ask nicely or do it yourself hahahah



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,402 ✭✭✭gameoverdude


    No. That wasn't the point. It's not fair.

    I'm male. Should I be considered a rapist?

    Boxing/f1...who cares?



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,402 ✭✭✭gameoverdude




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,297 ✭✭✭walterking


    Using a phone on full volume speaker is normal?

    Seriously?

    This person was Mollie coddled by his snowflake mammy with no respect for others or having personal responsibility.


    Give him 7 days notice to be out as there are thousands of decent people looking for rooms that will have basic level of respect.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,357 ✭✭✭Fiona


    No I hear ya bro - some people are just so distrusting of people and it's not nice.



  • Registered Users Posts: 984 ✭✭✭Still stihl waters 3


    Ah come on, the vast majority of young men only rape if given the opportunity, if op keeps the teenage girls under close watch they should be fine, oh and op should make sure they cover up and not dress suggestively in case that gets him all rapey as well



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