My lodger won't pay her last month's rent and her room smells vile

blackboots

Kimia I did talk to her about keeping the house clean when she viewed, I told her that I like to keep the communal areas really clean and tidy but am not fussy about her room. I myself often have an untidy room, just never dirty!! I just never saw this coming.

And yes it's very hard to engage with her as she's always holed up in her room, as said of a weekend she will spend the entire time in her room - I've seen Single White Female, I don't want to have a row with a weirdo in my home. The smell crept up so gradually that by the time came that something had to be said it was early February - then I was away for a little while and then I remembered that she mentioned March as a possible move out date and thought I would ask her to move out then, she just beat me to it. Also tbh I was dreading the conversation of having to tell someone that their room smells like something died in it so could they please up their hygiene routine

Have I mentioned to her about the rubbish? eh I'm not supposed to know about that, that's the bad thing I did by looking in her wardrobe.

Costs - I'm kind of swaying towards having the pros come do it. Some websites say you shouldn't use a steam cleaner on a mattress. Also the hired version justs spits out steam whereas the things the pros use spit out steam and have a vacuum thing as well to make sure they really get rid of all the dirt.

Yawns

/ignores post #61

If you have a receipt showing you just purchased it, then yes go ahead, have it cleaned. I certainly would. I would also assume as she's leaving the country she will not put up too much hassle if you deducted €60 from deposit for cleaning costs.

So she's paid rent up to date. has she paid bills up to date too? It's because she's leaving the country she will want to make sure she gets her deposit so I think you could do one last thing that would be fair for both parties.

Have a chat about how you would like the room to be left as it was found. Give her a chance to clean it. You never know, she might surprise you (and us). Have a look when she is moving out. If you are satisfied then give her the deposit back minus any arrears. If the mattress is badly stained etc then inform her soon you will need a proper cleaner in to do it.

Again, we can only sympathize with you.

Yawns

Aye you did say you are not supposed to know about the rubbish. You could always ask her does she smell something funny when you walk near her door.

blackboots

Yawns as I said the girl is tidy, if I took a photo of her room you'd say it was perfect, apart from the grimy look of the mattress which is quite visible and was like new when she moved in. I know that you're right, I should give her the opportunity to clean it herself before she leaves but I would hazard a guess that she would just maybe go at it with some soap and water, damaging the mattress further and then lay a load of Febreeze on it, which is not a cleaning product in my opinion. So couldn't I just say to her that the room has to be clean when she leaves, not specifying the mattress in particular......

Yawns

Hmmm tough one. She is tidy but not clean. She's more a out of sight out of mind person. This will lead to akwardness as she will deny she is unclean. Perhaps your're right. Mention that it should be as clean as how she found it. Then hire a cleaner.

If she did decide to try to make a complaint her options are very limited. She hasn't got the usual tennant rights. If I were you I would prob get it cleaned and deduct but it's your call at the end of the day. Just get a receipt and then show her when she comes wondering why she got deducted.

GarRoIT

Im no expert but from what I have heard before the deposit is to return the property/room to its original state including any damages but excluding normal wear and tear.

I wouldn't consider a bad smell normal wear an tear, and the smell was not part of the original state of the room so in my opnion your fully right to take the money to correct it from the deposit.