Rent Woes

Molly

Four of us had planned to move into a house together while we were working in Dublin for the summer. The house has 4 bedrooms each one a double room but the rooms all differ in size. There is one large ensuite bedroom, 2 large bedrooms and one room that's not got much room for anything other then the bed and the wardrobe. So we decided the same rent on each room was not fair (We had not seen the rooms yet, one of my housemates sister viewed the house for us and said there was a significant difference in the room sizes). Hence we decided that 325 for the box room 350 for the large rooms and 375 for the ensuite large room.

I decided I'd take the box room as I don't really need a lot of space. Another one of us decided on taking a large room for 350. One of my housemate’s girlfriends is visiting for 2 months. He had the option of paying for the larger room but decided it was not necessary so one of the girls i live with said she'd happily take the ensuite. So everything was settled. 2 of us moved in early Sunday on the may bank holiday weekend and unpacked our stuff. Then the housemate with the American girlfriend moved in later that day and was dissatisfied with the size of his room because two of them (him and his girlfiend) couldn't live in such a small space (It's not small room). The fourth housemate (the one with the ensuite room) was in Spain at this moment in time and she promptly received a text message from him saying he wanted to swap rooms and he'd pay the extra. She said she'd think about it and he said he'd leave his stuff in the front room incase she changed her mind and wanted to move into the non ensuite double room. He was going to America the next morning to visit her so they wouldn't actually see each other whilst being house mates for a week. My housemate with the ensuite room decided she wanted to keep it as she had been looking forward to it.

Meanwhile whilst he was away the other 3 of us signed the lease and we said he'd sign it when he arrived back. So anyway he arrived back to Ireland the Saturday after the bank holiday and my housemate with the ensuite room texted him to say she was staying put. He replied yeah I thought you would, I'm going to go live with my cousins while I try finding a place of my own. It was a shock to the three of us. Anyway he arrived up later that night and packed his stuff. He stayed the night and then left promptly earlier that morning. So ads were placed regarding a room to be let out and as of yet there has been no luck, but he also has had no luck and realistically won’t as he wants a short term lease in the city centre and isn’t able to afford such accommodation. So whilst bitchy emails were sent pretty often (read daily) about what he should do, nothing came of it until one day he emailed to say that he wasn’t having any luck and was being told by his parents to sort it out as soon as possible and get out of his cousins house, so it looked like he would be moving back in with us.

None of the three of us were happy with this but finding a new tenant wasn’t looking likely and rent is due tomorrow. So last night I texted him to say we need the rent money tomorrow and would he drop it to me at work today. He said fine and would I bring a key for him. So I e-mailed him today to find out when he was coming over with the money (I’d of met him half way if he had asked, heck I’d of gone to his work to get it if he had asked) and he said he was too busy and he’d email me later. So some bitchy emails were sent to and fro and eventually I said we’d drive over tonight and collect it off of him. We’re awaiting an address to come collect the money off of him and as of yet it hasn’t come so we’re beginning to think that it’s not going to be given to us. So this is my Question. Do we have any rights to make him pay for it? He agreed to live there for the summer with us and paid the landlord his deposit and first months rent. I’m not sure if a verbal contract has any sustenance so I’m looking for a hopeful response from one of you knowledgeable landlords/tenants

Thanks in advance.
- Moll.

mathie

Molly wrote:

So this is my Question. Do we have any rights to make him pay for it? He agreed to live there for the summer with us and paid the landlord his deposit and first months rent. I’m not sure if a verbal contract has any sustenance so I’m looking for a hopeful response from one of you knowledgeable landlords/tenants

Thanks in advance.
- Moll.

If he didn't sign anything then forget about it.

The whole situation seems quite odd. Why would you get involved with 'bitchy emails'. He either wants the room or he doesn't. If he doesn't pay by a deadline then hard luck. Bitching isn't going to solve anything.

Out of curiosity how old are you?

M

Molly

As i thought. We're all 20-22 in the house and on internships for the summer and we WERE all friends. The bitchy e-mails were generally with regard to him wanting to advertise the house when he had/has no clue about it or its surroundings, and other minor stuff and the ones today were him agreeing to do something and then not do it or offer any kind of solution. He doesn't want the room and we don't want him in the house but it's quickly becoming his and our last option.

lomb

Molly wrote:

He doesn't want the room and we don't want him in the house but it's quickly becoming his and our last option.

well desperation is the best form of motivation

mathie

Molly wrote:

As i thought. We're all 20-22 in the house and on internships for the summer and we WERE all friends. The bitchy e-mails were generally with regard to him wanting to advertise the house when he had/has no clue about it or its surroundings, and other minor stuff and the ones today were him agreeing to do something and then not do it or offer any kind of solution. He doesn't want the room and we don't want him in the house but it's quickly becoming his and our last option.

No offense but you sound a little young and niave. The 'bitchy' emails sound like a complete waste of time. What do you hope to acheive with this?

Don't mix business and pleasure. It rarely works.

Put an ad on www.daft.ie. You'll get someone.

M

Molly

No offense taken. I can see how it looks to an an outside point of view and any comments are appreciated. Regarding the naive comment I agree and I'm quite pist off with myself over the whole situatioin but tempers flare sometimes The emails come down to him making bitchy comments and they get responded to in a similar fashion. We were always civil until provoked. I and I'm sure most people don't respond well to being insulted so rather than ignore, we generally tend to act our respective ages.

We have an ad on daft, and should have one on next Mondays Evening Herald aswell but pay day falls after rent day unfortunately.

mathie

Molly wrote:

No offense taken. I can see how it looks to an an outside point of view and any comments are appreciated. Regarding the naive comment I agree and I'm quite pist off with myself over the whole situatioin but tempers flare sometimes The emails come down to him making bitchy comments and they get responded to in a similar fashion. We were always civil until provoked. I and I'm sure most people don't respond well to being insulted so rather than ignore, we generally tend to act our respective ages.

We have an ad on daft, and should have one on next Mondays Evening Herald aswell but pay day falls after rent day unfortunately.

Well its good that you didn't start making bitchy comments but in general you'd want to question why you're in contact with someone who so quickly starts making bitchy comments and seems to show little respect for you or your fiends. I'd write them off as a bad lose, be polite when talking to them and even if they plead for the room say 'Sorry its gone'.

You'll meet an awful lot of idiots in this world. Just dont sink to their level.

Good luck finding someone for the room.

M

Chalk

tbh, is it really worth the hassle?
if hes a bitvh now hell be a bitvh in a month,
except thell be a bitvh with a contract that you cant get rid of.

stump up the cash,
live on beans on toast and find someone wholl pay the rent and follow the rules.
getting on with each other is a bonus.

no point being able to have a drink with someone if theyre not gonna be forthcoming with the moolah.

Molly

Well it's all sorted now anyway, he ain't coming back. To mathie, when you know someone for 3 years you think you would be a good judge of their character, in this case it's not true. Thanks for all the advice/help. Beans and toast it is

Victor

You / the landlord have his deposit. Take this month's rent (until you get a replacement) and advertising expenses out of the deposit.

Victor

Do you know AlanMacK

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=2809927#post2809927

mathie

Victor wrote:

Do you know AlanMacK

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=2809927#post2809927

Sherlock Holmes is $h!te-ing himself.

dearg_doom

mathie wrote:

Sherlock Holmes is $h!te-ing himself.

lol