Housemate - Taking the P!ss??

DryBalls

Hi all,

I am just looking for some advice around my situation. About 5 months ago I finally found a room to rent in Dublin through an acquaintance who was moving out, I could take his room. I would be moving in with a man about 8 years older than me who had lived there for about 2 years already. The apartment has 2 rooms and the rent was split equally with the old housemate and this man. There was no lease, just simply paying the person moving out the deposit and the man who had lived there for 2 years dealt with rent and the landlord.

When I moved in, I was told I would be paying 100 more per month than the other man.So rent was split 450 to 650. He said it was because I have the en suite bathroom and he should have charged the last tenant that too but he was a friend so rent was split equally. That sounds fair enough but he has the main bathroom to himself with a bath and shower. It is double the size of my en suite (which has no bath) and he has stated that this is his bathroom that I am not to use it. His bedroom is also bigger with a double door leading on to the balcony. I didnt argue at the time as I was desperate.

He asked almost as soon as I moved in that he was going to get a dog and was that ok. I said it was fine as I loved animals so he got a puppy. I know it was my fault for saying yes but I didn't think this was how the situation would work out: Apartment stinks, the 2 sofas in the sitting room are destroyed with dog hair as the dog is on them constantly, the floors are covered in chewed up papers and toys. The dog is constantly barking and jumping all over you looking for attention which his owner just ignores. he also locks his dog in the bedroom for 10 hours or so while he works. He comes home, brings it outside for a 20 - 30 minute walk and then spends the night in front of the tv giving no attention to the dog. Its a puppy being locked in an apartment near 24/7

Another issue is use of the common areas. He has put his television and playstation in the living room and it is his to use only. We tend to work the same hours and every time I get home: He is sprawled in the living room. The kitchen and living area are the one room so I cook my dinner and go to my bedroom because I cannot use the space ever. He uses the living room to sleep in, to skype his girlfriend, to watch tv... never using headphones. And when I say constantly there, I mean constantly.To give an example, Once we were off on the same day and I had to study for an exam so I was forced to sit at the living room table to study ( no desk in my room). He was already in lying on the sofa watching tv before 11am. He knew I was studying and ignored his dog barking and jumping on me, had tv volume up on full and skyped nhs girlfriend and family with no headphones. I went to bed at 11pm that night and the only time he left the room was to pee. He was still in there when I went to sleep. The problem is worse now because for the last month he is only working 3 day weeks due to time owed so basically he is living in the living room forcing me to stay in my bedroom as I can hardly just sit there and watch his tv shows and skype sessions in a foreign language.

I am just looking for advice on this situation, I know I need to stand up for myself but I am so bad at that, I can hardly ask him to use the living room less, he lives there and I can hardly say we need to take turns with the tv as he owns it. I really dont know what to do and I am absolutely hating the living situation being stuck in my room all the time.

IsMiseMyself

Does the other fella own the flat? If not I'd be looking into the legality of it. No lease and an agreement that just changed because he felt like it is weird. Rent should be split evenly. Seems you both have nice rooms with bathrooms of your own. So that's a start.

As for the living room, he can hardly expect you to stay out of it because the telly is his. Whatever about the rent, you need to have a chat with him about that. The living room, in every house, should be a shared space. If the flat is his, it makes it more complicated, but he's just renting as well, then you've as many rights as he does!

El_Duderino 09

Like you said you just need to put your big girl panties on and stand up for yourself.

One thing I would say is that the TV belongs to him and it's not for you to use which might be fair enough (in a mean kind of way). But he needs to keep it in his room. There is no communal TV so if you bought a TV for your own use, where would you put it? Obviously you would be confined to your room unless you are prepared to share the TV and so should he be.

It's not a communal TV so it should not be taking up space in the communal area.

Besides that you need to be assertive or deal with being a second class citizen in your own house.

It's quite natural for the one who's been there for 2 years to assume more ownership of the house. You need to remind him that you both have exactly as much right to peaceful habitation of the house and I would have a serious word about how he treats the dog and how the dog impacts on your life in terms of smell and noise.

I hope it works out

qwerty1991

n/a ... my sister was logged in and used her a/c by mistake!

El_Duderino 09

Have a serious think about how the dog will affect your deposit. Passing on the deposit is a terrible way to do business. You have no idea of the condition in which the LL left the place so you could have accepted liability for all sorts of things that you don't even know about.

He might not want to give you the number of the LL but that has no bearing on whether you can have the number or not. Does that LL know hes subletting?

IsMiseMyself

qwerty1991 wrote: »

thanks for the reply, just to clarify he is just a tenant but he is the only one who has signed the lease and is basically subletting. He doesn't want to give me the landlords number or to contact the landlord over anything broken in the apartment as he doesn't want the landlord to put up the rent .

If you intend to stay in your flat, I'd have a proper look into that. I'd feel weird about someone (who's just a tenant) having so much of the power.

bjork

qwerty1991 wrote: »

thanks for the reply, just to clarify he is just a tenant but he is the only one who has signed the lease and is basically subletting. He doesn't want to give me the landlords number or to contact the landlord over anything broken in the apartment as he doesn't want the landlord to put up the rent .

Sounds more like he doesn't want the landlord to find out he is subletting

HeidiHeidi

bjork wrote: »

Sounds more like he doesn't want the landlord to find out he is subletting

Or has a dog. I'd be amazed if any apartment landlord would be ok with having a dog in his/her property. Never mind the management company.

I'd be getting the hell out of there, and reporting him to the DSPCA (for the dog's sake, not getting at yer man - who sounds like a right bundle of unpleasantness with whom I would most definitely not want to share an apartment!).

Endthescam

I'd get the landlord details. Tell him the situation, say he hit the dog without consultation and its destroying the house. Get him moved on.

fieldsmedal23

If you don't like living there op, I guess you could always leave. This is not North Korea.

IsMiseMyself

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

Or has a dog. I'd be amazed if any apartment landlord would be ok with having a dog in his/her property. Never mind the management company.

I'd be getting the hell out of there, and reporting him to the DSPCA (for the dog's sake, not getting at yer man - who sounds like a right bundle of unpleasantness with whom I would most definitely not want to share an apartment!).

Yeah I rent a house with three others and we're not allowed have a dog even though we have a big garden.

fieldsmedal23

IsMiseMyself wrote: »

Yeah I rent a house with three others and we're not allowed have a dog even though we have a big garden.

Good for you.

HeidiHeidi

Endthescam wrote: »

I'd get the landlord details. Tell him the situation, say he hit got the dog without consultation and its destroying the house. Get him moved on.

I'm hoping you meant this :eek:

Help!!!!

The main bathroom is then communal if you have en-suite & you are paying extra. Otherwise he needs to pay more as he also has a private bathroom

Tell him to remove his tv & playstation if you are not allowed to use them

The lounge is communal if he doesn't want to share then it shouldn't be there


Tell him if he doesn't comply to your demands you will look for legal advice or at the very least speak to the LL

beyondbelief67

Would the person you found the apartment of ( friend/acquaintance) know the landlords name and contact details ?

bur

You are living with an asshole. Find other accommodation, it's not worth the grief.

the_syco

bur wrote: »

You are living with an asshole. Find other accommodation, it's not worth the grief.

This.

Endthescam

the_syco wrote: »

This.

I'd tend to agree but part of me would take delight in messing up his cozy little situation. The OP might come out on top here if he plays his cards right.

MouseTail

Endthescam wrote: »

I'd tend to agree but part of me would take delight in messing up his cozy little situation. The OP might come out on top here if he plays his cards right.

How? By agreeing to the dog, they are both at fault here, and the deposit is likely gone.

El_Duderino 09

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Have a serious think about how the dog will affect your deposit. Passing on the deposit is a terrible way to do business.

Maybe, but it's fairly standard practice in houseshares especially if there is a fairly regular turnover of tenants. The op will most likely be doing the same (i.e. Getting deposit from the next tenant). It probably won't be until the apartment is handed back totally the LL will get involved.

Endthescam

MouseTail wrote: »

How? By agreeing to the dog, they are both at fault here, and the deposit is likely gone.

Don't tell the landlord that. The guy is being an asshole so best not to play fair.

Squatman

yea op you really need to stick up for yourself. First things first. Rent is to go back to 550 each - i would be inclined to look for receipts here too as he could be ovecharging you. 2ndly get his tv outta the living room, or demand equal use of it. Thirdly, if he is causing upset when skyping ask him to do it in his room (he may be blissfully unaware hes being a nuisance) 4thly demand he clean up after his dog, keep him quiet and looked after, otherwise the dog will have to go, as its #"just not working out". he may just need to have the line drawn for him - or just a kick in the hole. dont leave the apt without discussing where you stand

El_Duderino 09

MouseTail wrote: »

How? By agreeing to the dog, they are both at fault here, and the deposit is likely gone.

The OP didn't get a dog. It's totally normal to expect that the housemate cleared it with LL before getting the dog.

I'd want to be sure of the rent the LL is charging. For all OP knows, the housemate might be charging extra.

I'd get the number from the last housemate and call the LL to introduce myself and establish whether you are renting from them or from the housemate and how much the rent is in total. Don't mention the dog.
LL almost certainly doesn't know about the dog so I'd tell him exactly how things need to change or I'd speak to LL about how the dog is adding extra wear and tear. If he doesn't want LL to know about the dog then he'll have to cop on.

Sligo1

Seriously... WHY are you still living here?? You have no lease and have not signed anything. OP get the hell out. you owe him nothing. And you owe the landlord nothing if you have not signed a lease. Get someone else in. Or just leave and don't pay the last months rent. As you have not signed a lease he is not entitled to chase you for any further rent. Also to add... Obviously using deposit as last months rent advice is not permitted on this forum... However... For all you know, the last tenant who you gave your deposit to has your money. The landlord certainly hasn't... You didn't give it to him....

IsMiseMyself

Even then, for all you know there could be a rule about sub-letting and the landlord may not even know there is another tenant. Could be a major can of worms opened here, OP.

Doolittle51

DryBalls wrote: »

When I moved in, I was told I would be paying 100 more per month than the other man.So rent was split 450 to 650.
(

650-450 = 200. You're getting ripped off massively. €200 extra a month for an en-suite room, when he has exclusive use of the main bathroom, is insane. Start looking for a new place to live now. No good will come of this situation.

the_syco

Squatman wrote: »

Rent is to go back to 550 each

Why? Seriously now. Why? The OP is renting at 650.

OP; get a new house. How much of a deposit did you pay? Can't see anyone moving into the house with the dog there. The person you live with nor the landlord has your deposit, so unless you get someone to swap, you lose your deposit.

If you do move out, and can't get another tenant to replace you (and thus get the deposit) because of the dog, ensure you screw over the other tenant and let the landlord know that you're moving out due to the dog.

MouseTail

I agree, you wont come out on top here. The LL has a tenant who has been living there 2 years with the accumulated rights. You, being there less than 6 months, have very little rights. You agreed to the unfair rent allocation, you agreed to the dog. Cut your losses and find somewhere else.

El_Duderino 09

Doolittle51 wrote: »

650-450 = 200. You're getting ripped off massively. €200 extra a month for an en-suite room, when he has exclusive use of the main bathroom, is insane. Start looking for a new place to live now. No good will come of this situation.

You're probably right but it would be mad to just move without even trying to sort it out. The lad might be a pussy cat. One sign that the OP isn't willing to be taken advantage of might be all it takes too get an even split... or it might end up with the OP moving. Worth a shot at least

El_Duderino 09

MouseTail wrote: »

I agree, you wont come out on top here. The LL has a tenant who has been living there 2 years with the accumulated rights. You, being there less than 6 months, have very little rights. You agreed to the unfair rent allocation, you agreed to the dog. Cut your losses and find somewhere else.

If the other housemate has broken the lease by getting a dog then the op has leverage if he wants to use it. Either with the housemate or the LL

James 007

Buy a TV and put your TV beside his TV, make sure it has decent volume. Turn it on (of course put it onto a different channel to the one he is watching). Sit down beside him and offer him a cup of good Irish Barrys tea.