Urgent advice needed about flatmate

acidbotti

I moved in with a guy in July sharing a two bedroom flat. Found it on daft, the ad looked perfect as I have a dog and the place was pet friendly. The ad stated that it was owner occupied, I asked him and yes he said he was the owner. So after I moved in all my stuff (including a sofa I found on adverts), we started talking and it turned out he wasn't the owner and he was subletting the room. At this point I realise I'm stuck as I can't find another place so easily that's pet friendly so I decided to stick it until something comes available.

Over the next few weeks the relationship went from friendly to just two people sharing the same house. I had some expensive car trouble, so to offset the damage I told him I was gonna have to sell the sofa. He did not react to this well, saying it was "our" sofa repeatedly. He then sent me an incredibly threatening message about it saying basically there was no way in hell that he was going to let me sell it.

I came home from work that night to a major confrontation. He told me he wanted me out, I said fair enough I'll leave when I can. I asked him about the message, and he flipped completely. Started screaming and shouting at me, kicked in a door, scared the **** out of my girlfriend. His friend who was downstairs took him aside, calmed him down. Didn't see him the rest of the night. Yesterday he apologised, I told him today I'll be out before the end of next month, so use the deposit as the last months rent. He was fine with that until again tonight I come home and he's aggressive with me again telling me he wants me gone by the 1st.

Obviously I know my rights are limited here but what can I do? Can I contact the guards? I seriously doubt he has the deposit too. I am seriously stuck here as I don't have basically anywhere to go, considering I have the dog.

foggy_lad

You may get rid of the dog(find a home for it and quickly!) as no landlord will move you in with a dog!

Stheno

You are a licensee and have little rights here

acidbotti

I can't do anything about the threatening behaviour? He is being hostile, refusing to let me do what I want with my belongings, he is openly doing drugs in the house too. If I am going to leave I won't go quietly. I'm sure his landlord would like to know he's been breaking his tenancy agreement and doing all the above...

Stheno

acidbotti wrote: »

I can't do anything about the threatening behaviour? He is being hostile, refusing to let me do what I want with my belongings, he is openly doing drugs in the house too. If I am going to leave I won't go quietly. I'm sure his landlord would like to know he's been breaking his tenancy agreement and doing all the above...

If you are not named on the lease you are a licencsee and he can literally tell you to move out tomorrow.

Same as renting a room from an owner.

If he is doing drugs etc, report him to the police, but have somewhere to go.

Mrs OBumble

Put the dog in kennels.

Find yourself somewhere short term (Air BnB springs to mind). Put your stuff in storage if necessary.

Get out today/tomorrow.

Then work on finding somewhere permanent to go to.

acidbotti

Okay.

Anything I can do if he acts up with the deposit?

Stheno

acidbotti wrote: »

Okay.

Anything I can do if he acts up with the deposit?

No tbh

Wright

foggy_lad wrote: »

You may get rid of the dog(find a home for it and quickly!) as no landlord will move you in with a dog!

Not true at all. I was looking recently and there were a number or properties that mentioned allowing pets.

Also if OP gets a studio or something could just move the pet in after all the business with the landlord.

OP is the couch your own purchase? Not clear on that.

If he's openly doing drugs, down the police station you pop. Explain the threats and see if you can get them to come round and do a search. Explain he's not the landlord but is acting like it, and is withholding return of deposit. Nothing might come of that though.

acidbotti

Wright wrote: »

Not true at all. I was looking recently and there were a number or properties that mentioned allowing pets.

Also if OP gets a studio or something could just move the pet in after all the business with the landlord.

OP is the couch your own purchase? Not clear on that.

I'm in Cork city and there is a serious lack of places that allow pets. Yeah the couch is mine, got it for free. It's in decent enough shape, that's why I reckoned I'd be able to get a few quid for it.

He wants to keep the sofa for himself.

Stheno

acidbotti wrote: »

I'm in Cork city and there is a serious lack of places that allow pets. Yeah the couch is mine, got it for free. It's in decent enough shape, that's why I reckoned I'd be able to get a few quid for it.

He wants to keep the sofa for himself.

There will be other couches.

I'd just cut your losses and find somewhere safe to live if I were you.

If it means putting the dog in kennels for a couple of weeks, and staying in a hostel till you find somewhere it's probably worth it. It's a horrible situation to be in

Chucken

acidbotti wrote: »

I moved in with a guy in July sharing a two bedroom flat. Found it on daft, the ad looked perfect as I have a dog and the place was pet friendly. The ad stated that it was owner occupied,



.

foggy_lad wrote: »

You may get rid of the dog(find a home for it and quickly!) as no landlord will move you in with a dog!

What am I missing?

Stheno

Chucken wrote: »

What am I missing?

the guy who was advertising was a tenant and not a landlord and sublet without permission?

acidbotti

Chucken wrote: »

What am I missing?

The guy is not the owner of the place, he just said he was.

newacc2015

Honestly the guy sounds mentally unstable. If he is freaking out at minor things. I wouldnt leave him alone with your dog.

I would call what he did as fraud. He lied to you about the rental agreement for his own gain. Is it criminal so you can go to the gardai? Extremely unlikely. If he doesn't give you back your deposit. I imagine you it will be very difficult to get your deposit back. I don't think there is a whole load you can do. You can go to a solicitor. But the legal fees will probably be more than the rent or deposit. Ask your bank is there a possible way to reverse last month's payment. But I doubt it

Chucken

acidbotti wrote: »

The guy is not the owner of the place, he just said he was.

He cant call the shots then?

Stheno

Chucken wrote: »

He cant call the shots then?

He can as he's named on the lease and OP is not

acidbotti

The guy has a massive chip on his shoulder, desperately wants people to take him seriously. He said he was "putting his foot down" in regards to the couch. I don't think he's mentally unstable, but I do think he has a learning disability. Said he had meningitis as a kid, was in a special needs class, was told he'd never make it in life etc. He's tall and skinny. Goes to the gym now, I get the feeling he wants to be seen as a tough guy who can intimidate people as a means of being listened to.

I would have thought it was fraudulent to claim that myself about being the owner, but I think that's irrelevant at this stage.

Stheno

acidbotti wrote: »

The guy has a massive chip on his shoulder, desperately wants people to take him seriously. He said he was "putting his foot down" in regards to the couch. I don't think he's mentally unstable, but I do think he has a learning disability. Said he had meningitis as a kid, was in a special needs class, was told he'd never make it in life etc. He's tall and skinny. Goes to the gym now, I get the feeling he wants to be seen as a tough guy who can intimidate people as a means of being listened to.

I would have thought it was fraudulent to claim that myself about being the owner.

Again that's something for the police, and probably not something they will be bothered about.

There really is little you can do here.

Move one and get yourself somewhere safe to stay

acidbotti

Yeah, I've a few calls to make in the morning I guess.

Thanks everyone so much for the advice, it has been most helpful.

Cheers!

Wright

acidbotti wrote: »

I'm in Cork city and there is a serious lack of places that allow pets. Yeah the couch is mine, got it for free. It's in decent enough shape, that's why I reckoned I'd be able to get a few quid for it.

Free? Ditch it or sell it to him maybe. Cut your losses.

acidbotti

Wright wrote: »

Free? Ditch it or sell it to him maybe. Cut your losses.

Asking him to buy it was what started all the aggression!

foggy_lad

Stheno wrote: »

the guy who was advertising was a tenant and not a landlord and sublet without permission?

He's also seriously looped and gets aggressive and is argumentative and takes drugs which is most likely the cause of his mood swings. He has told the op to leave.

hanna200

actually most of respondents here are incorrect.

Yes you may report him to Gardai (police), yes you can report fraud and forgery. Ask police to write a statement and come down to the house and to contact landlord.

Be ready to take things from there i.e. have an alternative accommodation arranged and have a witness with you.

professore

hanna200 wrote: »

actually most of respondents here are incorrect.

Yes you may report him to Gardai (police), yes you can report fraud and forgery. Ask police to write a statement and come down to the house and to contact landlord.

Be ready to take things from there i.e. have an alternative accommodation arranged and have a witness with you.

While you are legally correct, practically you are setting yourself up for a world of problems if you do this. Cork is a small city - do you want to go everywhere looking over your shoulder from here on? If he's a native he's probably got lots of brothers / "friends" only too happy to beat the crap out of you.

Someone like this has no money so is for all intents and purposes outside the law and will get 100 warnings in court until they kill someone. The guards probably know him on a first name basis. I've seen this kind of thing first hand when a teenage family member was attacked unprovoked in broad daylight with several witnesses by an 18 year old off his head on drugs.

I would walk away, go into a hostel or AirBNB as someone else said, while I get things sorted, and you'll probably have to get rid of the dog.

You've been conned my friend.

karenalot

Wish people would stop saying "get rid of the dog" like its the same thing as the sofa.

OP there are plenty of animal rescues in Cork that may be able to help you get a temporary foster place for your dog till you sort yourself out. PM me if you need names.

gl0Rob

Unfortunately you have been unlucky with your choice of house mate. As others have suggested I would seek alternative accommodation. Clearly staying isn't a long term solution.

I guess you don't know who the landlord is. The landlord could be close family so the whole sublet/rent a room thing could be a very grey area.

I would also be taking my sofa with me. I have no time for the bullying behavior shown by your house mate. I would be straight onto the guards if I was prevented from removing it from the house. Have some proof of ownership ready.

Threshold are a charity you can contact and they would be able to provide good advice.

Wright

Wright wrote: »

Free? Ditch it or sell it to him maybe. Cut your losses.

I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of keeping it. If it meant throwing it straight in a skip somewhere I would rather that than let him keep it.

oppenheimer1

karenalot wrote: »

Wish people would stop saying "get rid of the dog" like its the same thing as the sofa.

OP there are plenty of animal rescues in Cork that may be able to help you get a temporary foster place for your dog till you sort yourself out. PM me if you need names.

In fairness, renting and pet ownership are not compatible. Surrendering the dog is probably the OPs only real option if he wants to find somewhere else given how tight the rental market is.

It may sound harsh, but it is the most pragmatic.

acidbotti

professore wrote: »

While you are legally correct, practically you are setting yourself up for a world of problems if you do this. Cork is a small city - do you want to go everywhere looking over your shoulder from here on? If he's a native he's probably got lots of brothers / "friends" only too happy to beat the crap out of you.

He is not a local, he is English. Okay so right now I am scouting for somewhere to move into. I will contact the guards as soon as I have somewhere to move to.

acidbotti

professore wrote: »

While you are legally correct, practically you are setting yourself up for a world of problems if you do this. Cork is a small city - do you want to go everywhere looking over your shoulder from here on? If he's a native he's probably got lots of brothers / "friends" only too happy to beat the crap out of you.

He is not a local, he is English. Okay so right now I am scouting for somewhere to move into. I will contact the guards as soon as I can.