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Landlord's issues with my girlfriend staying over

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  • 17-08-2015 10:09am
    #1
    AlabarAlSol
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭


    Hi there,

    I recently had a run in with my landlord visa vie having had a guest over at the weekend.
    It is a room in a house. He had not given me a tenancy agreement only a rent book and did not stipulate on guests in the house.

    He only said that he did not want parties and that was it.
    The trouble kicked off when my girlfriend came to visit me. One week she stayed a couple nights. The next weekend she spent the night and then again the following weekend she stayed one night. We spent most other nights out and about, going on trips or house sitting for my folks.

    I received a call one day from the landlord requesting her phone number and that he wanted to talk to her. I asked what it was about and pretty much refused him outright. She was with me at the time though and out of courtesy she spoke to him. He was very rude and aggressive telling her she was not to come near the house etc.

    I was furious and have in the interim fortnight since had put in notice for the termination of the lease (I was not even 2 months into tenancy). I had tried explaining the circumstances of when she visited, how long she stayed etc. To which I was dismissed off hand. The man assumes I had her in longer and was very aggressive. He was even saying he would "set her (my girlfriend) on the kind of person I am". Then said to invite him to our wedding in the same conversation.

    Now I am stuck in looking for a place to live for 3 months while my girlfriend and I get ready to find a place of our own. I can't tolerate living in the place where I am and I am genuinely concerned about not being able to find a place before 1st October (applying to Uni next year as Independent Mature Student - need to be living in a place).

    Could anyone help, please?


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Comments

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    #2
    Michael D Not Higgins
    Registered Users Posts: 7,223 ✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    Does the landlord also live in the place you're renting?


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    #3
    hytrogen
    Registered Users Posts: 952 ✭✭✭hytrogen


    If you're a lodger and landlord is living in the house too I would have asked if it was ok that she came over before she arrived out of courtesy each time. Rookie mistake


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    #4
    AlabarAlSol
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭AlabarAlSol


    The landlord does not live in the property.


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    #5
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,845 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    Is it a one bed property or what?


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    #6
    Michael D Not Higgins
    Registered Users Posts: 7,223 ✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    Did a housemate complain about you having guests over? That's the only way he'd know. What does your lease say about guests?


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    #7
    keith16
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,061 ✭✭✭keith16


    Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »
    Did a housemate complain about you having guests over? That's the only way he'd know. What does your lease say about guests?

    Here you go, second sentence in the OP
    He had not given me a tenancy agreement only a rent book and did not stipulate on guests in the house.


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    #8
    Squeeonline
    Registered Users Posts: 2,559 ✭✭✭Squeeonline


    Check for hidden cameras! How the hell does your landlord know the comings and goings every day of the week.

    You can also raise the issue with the PRTB, especially if you haven't been registered with them. Last time I checked, it's a €3000 fine per tenant not registered.


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    #9
    Michael D Not Higgins
    Registered Users Posts: 7,223 ✭✭✭Michael D Not Higgins


    keith16 wrote: »
    Here you go, second sentence in the OP

    Ah misread that bit.

    The problem being is that if the OP is renting a room, there is a chance that it is a licencee agreement, with the landlord having access to the common areas. This is more common in student rental type accommodation. The OP would then have fewer rights conferred in law. Since we cannot confirm this as there's no written lease, we can't rule out the possibility.

    If it is a standard tenancy, the OP has the right to quiet enjoyment of the property and the landlord cannot interfere with guests like this (unless of course they are causing anti-social behaviour, damage, interfering with other tenants, etc.).


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    #10
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,845 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    If you have housemates then one of them has complained. If you have housemates and you want to bring a girlfriend over you really need to be asking first, especially if she is staying for a few nights a week. That is probably enough to annoy the other people who pay rent to live there.

    If you don't have housemates and live alone I would suggest he is being unreasonable, though again it really depends on the circumstances and where you live etc.


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    #11
    Graham
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 17,642 Mod ✭✭✭✭Graham


    awec wrote: »
    If you don't have housemates and live alone I would suggest he is being unreasonable, though again it really depends on the circumstances and where you live etc.

    From the opening post it appears that the OP is renting a room rather than a house/apartment.


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    #12
    Peregrinus
    Registered Users Posts: 26,511 ✭✭✭✭Peregrinus


    If it's just a room in a house, then you having overnight guests over does impact on other tenants. Are there shared bathrooms, etc? A kitchen where people eat breakfast?

    As a good housemate, you need to square overnight guests with others sharing the house. The fact that the landlord has heard about it does suggest that someone has complained to him, so being a good housemate aligns with self-interest here.


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    #13
    Graham
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 17,642 Mod ✭✭✭✭Graham


    AlabarAlSol wrote: »
    Could anyone help, please?

    OP, if you've already handed in your notice which part of your post are you looking for help with?


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    #14
    keith16
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,061 ✭✭✭keith16


    Graham wrote: »
    OP, if you've already handed in your notice which part of your post are you looking for help with?

    I would imagine that the OP sees the entire situation as a massive inconvenience to him which is possibly illegal. I would also guess he is wondering if there are any further actions he can take.


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    #15
    Graham
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 17,642 Mod ✭✭✭✭Graham


    keith16 wrote: »
    I would imagine that the OP sees the entire situation as a massive inconvenience to him which is possibly illegal. I would also guess he is wondering if there are any further actions he can take.

    I'm not sure what part would be illegal if it's a shared house. Doubly unsure what further action could be taken after handing in notice. (that's why I asked)


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    #16
    AlabarAlSol
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭AlabarAlSol


    Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »
    Did a housemate complain about you having guests over? That's the only way he'd know. What does your lease say about guests?

    He saw her once in the kitchen (I never got any notice he would be popping round), when she was cooking lunch for both of us. Then once outside of the house. He never said anything either times.I can only assume that a flatmate took issue with her being there and never cared to mention anything to anyone but the landlord. I have wracked my brain as to what may cause consternation about her having visited. She is a quiet woman and we spent most of the time in my room (inc. Eating our meals).

    I feel in a dilemma considering after asking two of the four other tenants, they have risen no fault. The other three are a group of girls who are all friends and all work together (nurses). I don't really know what they think considering they never mention anything to us lads and generally just get on with their own thing.
    Squeeonline wrote: »
    Check for hidden cameras! How the hell does your landlord know the comings and goings every day of the week.

    You can also raise the issue with the PRTB, especially if you haven't been registered with them. Last time I checked, it's a €3000 fine per tenant not registered.

    Can I just call them up and ask if I'm registered with them?
    Graham wrote: »
    I'm not sure what part would be illegal if it's a shared house. Doubly unsure what further action could be taken after handing in notice. (that's why I asked)

    Oh sorry, I guess I was venting a bit. I am looking for a new place but only for short lets. If anyone knows of a place available in Cork for a few months, could you PM me please.


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    #17
    syklops
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,966 ✭✭✭✭syklops


    I received a call one day from the landlord requesting her phone number and that he wanted to talk to her. I asked what it was about and pretty much refused him outright. She was with me at the time though and out of courtesy she spoke to him. He was very rude and aggressive telling her she was not to come near the house etc.

    This is the bit that stuck out for me. Start looking elsewhere. Asking for your girlfriends number smacks of unprofessional-ism of the highest order in my book. Don't go fighting it, just move out as soon as legally possible.


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    #18
    Speedwell
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭Speedwell


    AlabarAlSol: I had to recently check whether my tenancy is registered (it is not, as a matter of fact), but you do the checking from the PRTB website. I can't post the link because I'm a new forum member, but it should be the first link when you Google "Is my tenancy registered". If you find that it is not, then you can call the PRTB to file a report. Not being registered does not prevent you from filing a complaint against your landlord, but it does prevent him from filing a complaint against you. The fine mentioned above is only imposed if the landlord willfully disregards the notification to pay up and a court case goes against him. If he obeys the notifications to register you, he pays double the normal fee.


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    #19
    athtrasna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,420 ✭✭✭✭athtrasna


    The published register is woefully out of date, don't pay too much heed to the list available online.


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    #20
    Speedwell
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭Speedwell


    athtrasna wrote: »
    The published register is woefully out of date, don't pay too much heed to the list available online.

    Updated the 8th of August actually.


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    #21
    Sarn
    Registered Users Posts: 3,082 ✭✭✭Sarn


    I think what was meant is that it is woefully inaccurate.


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    #22
    Speedwell
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭Speedwell


    Sarn wrote: »
    I think what was meant is that it is woefully inaccurate.

    Oh, I see. I've been calling the PRTB when I see the list update and my tenancy is still not on it. They can't give an update on the case, which I don't care about because all I want is for my tenancy to eventually show up. But they did tell me that "a few months" was not an unreasonable time to wait to see things show up.


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    #23
    athtrasna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,420 ✭✭✭✭athtrasna


    Speedwell wrote: »
    Updated the 8th of August actually.

    Yet still not up to date. I know several landlords who have registered new tenancies and they're still not showing.


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    #24
    Speedwell
    Registered Users Posts: 3,809 ✭✭✭Speedwell


    Fair enough, that's good to know. I was getting a bit worried that my landlord wouldn't comply, and I need to prove residency when I apply for citizenship in a couple years.


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    #25
    the_syco
    Registered Users Posts: 37,301 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    AlabarAlSol wrote: »
    He saw her once in the kitchen (I never got any notice he would be popping round), when she was cooking lunch for both of us. Then once outside of the house. He never said anything either times.I can only assume that a flatmate took issue with her being there and never cared to mention anything to anyone but the landlord.
    From this, I'm assuming that you didn't ask if it's okay with their first either? Respect works both ways.


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    #26
    AlabarAlSol
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭AlabarAlSol


    the_syco wrote: »
    From this, I'm assuming that you didn't ask if it's okay with their first either? Respect works both ways.

    I appreciate it was an oversight on my behalf, that is clear. I had assumed that given other guests had been around that my girlfriend would be no exception.


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    #27
    AlabarAlSol
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭AlabarAlSol


    Thank you to everyone for their messages.

    Cheers to everyone. I am just a little stuck looking for a short term let now. If anyone catches sight of this and knows of a place going in Cork, could you PM me please.

    Thank you all.


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    #28
    cerastes
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,601 ✭✭✭cerastes


    You should have bitten the bullet and been a bit more considerate of your housemates, you even think retiring to the room to eat meals is acceptable, as a person that shared in let and in licensee situations, you just sound oblivious to how you can bother paying people, probably not happy that your girlfriend seems to stay over at will, cooking meals? You think that's OK for that to be ad should be accepted by others in the place? Despite that limits heir access to what they are paying for? Also retiring to the room in a shared property can be seen as quite ignorant and why a lot of times couples aren't accepted, I appreciate people do their own thing also but in a shared place it can be seen as usual to interact with others living there, plus as a person that let rooms, I'd have an issue with people eating meals and generally having food in bedrooms, it might sound unusual but people leave food mess, stains in places they shouldn't be expected and food scraps in out of the way places can encourage, at best insects at worst vermin, aside from the anti social aspect.
    You haven't mentioned using the shower etc which given she's been over a bit I suspect is likely and you just aren't saying as you're either oblivious to the extra cost that runs up for others or dont want to make it sound worse than it already is, on top of this you seem to resort to a vindictiveness despite cutting off your own nose to spite your face, when you needed accomodation for just 3 more months, I say you should have grinned and bore it, but really maybe others were, landlord/owner had no right to your girlfriends number but had every right to raise it with her and you, it seems likely you ran foul of another person living there, you hardly expect them to admit that to you, you seem to have expected they accept a new resident at no benefit to them without even informing them and just assuming it would be OK, you appear to be a licensee as you are renting a room. Maybe next time consider your housemates.


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    #29
    bigbrotherfan
    Registered Users Posts: 227 ✭✭bigbrotherfan


    The joys of sharing a house with a diverse group. From reading the thread it sounds like one of the other tenants must have complained to your landlord alright. Best of luck with the search. Are you confined to any particular area?


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    #30
    AlabarAlSol
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭AlabarAlSol


    cerastes wrote: »
    you hardly expect them to admit that to you, you seem to have expected they accept a new resident at no benefit to them without even informing them and just assuming it would be OK, you appear to be a licensee as you are renting a room. Maybe next time consider your housemates.

    Thanks for your opinion. It was a bit presumprtuous but I can consider some of them to be fair points. It would be safe to assume that adults can discuss some matters with eachother in a civil manner. In particular given there is no precedent to assume we could not.
    bigbrotherfan wrote: »
    The joys of sharing a house with a diverse group. From reading the thread it sounds like one of the other tenants must have complained to your landlord alright. Best of luck with the search. Are you confined to any particular area?

    Ain't that the truth bigbrotherfan! Thank you very much. Just restricting myself about a 30km radius of the city. So long as the public transport is good enough.


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    #31
    the_syco
    Registered Users Posts: 37,301 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    AlabarAlSol wrote: »
    It would be safe to assume that adults can discuss some matters with eachother in a civil manner. In particular given there is no precedent to assume we could not.
    From their perspective, new guy moves in, and suddenly his gf is over multiple days at a time. If you're renting long enough, when this starts to happen, it generally is followed by gf moving in full time. Sounds like they snipped it in the bud before it became an issue. Next time, say hi to the housemates.
    AlabarAlSol wrote: »
    Just restricting myself about a 30km radius of the city. So long as the public transport is good enough.
    Do a search for sharing in Cork and suburbs, and search by the map. Have ye looked at getting a small place to rent for both of ye?


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