Flatmate won't clean mould forming in bathroom

cloudatlas

I live with two other guys. When everybody moved in there was an expectation that everyone would help out with the cleaning. I created a rota which was very reasonable. It rota'd everyone to clean either the kitchen or the bathrooms ensuring that one person had two weeks off at a time and then three weeks on cleaning only one area at the weekends which takes a maximum of an hour to complete but more likely less if the area was cleaned the week before.

One of the housemates has refused to clean for months. I've tried everything, asked him politely to do it, asked him if he would like the rota to be changed in anyway to accommodate him, suggested we pay a cleaner, tried getting angry with him... it doesn't make any difference whatsoever. The other housemate has subsequently refused to clean because the other guy won't and he gets annoyed when I clean because he views it as me being passive aggressive??? They are both bizarre individuals the way they keep their rooms are also disgusting, clothes everywhere food and beverages left to congeal and rot etc.,

The bathroom has developed black mould and pink mould aka. (Serratia marcescens). I've shown the housemate the mould, he says it is normal and grows on the bathroom grouting anyway. In my experience this is not true if it is cleaned regularly.

We are with a rental agency. Is there anything I can do?

KilOit

Spray bleech on it, takes 5 seconds, repeat after an hour. No need to scrub

BrokenArrows

cloudatlas wrote: »

I live with two other guys. When everybody moved in there was an expectation that everyone would help out with the cleaning. I created a rota which was very reasonable. It rota'd everyone to clean either the kitchen or the bathrooms ensuring that one person had two weeks off at a time and then three weeks on cleaning only one area at the weekends which takes a maximum of an hour to complete but more likely less if the area was cleaned the week before.

One of the housemates has refused to clean for months. I've tried everything, asked him politely to do it, asked him if he would like the rota to be changed in anyway to accommodate him, suggested we pay a cleaner, tried getting angry with him... it doesn't make any difference whatsoever. The other housemate has subsequently refused to clean because the other guy won't and he gets annoyed when I clean because he views it as me being passive aggressive??? They are both bizarre individuals the way they keep their rooms are also disgusting, clothes everywhere food and beverages left to congeal and rot etc.,

The bathroom has developed black mould and pink mould aka. (Serratia marcescens). I've shown the housemate the mould, he says it is normal and grows on the bathroom grouting anyway. In my experience this is not true if it is cleaned regularly.

We are with a rental agency. Is there anything I can do?

Seriously it's not worth it. Just move somewhere else.
Life's to short to live with inconsiderate strangers.

Ticking and Bashing

"I created a rota which was very reasonable".

Just wondering if this is the issue? Did the 2 guys have any input into the rota, was there buy-in from the start?

In previous houseshares, people have randomly put up cleaning rotas without consulting with the rest, assigning names to do chores etc. without asking or seeking input and in all cases it never worked out. It's childish I know when everyone should contribute. Just wondering if this is the case - are they rebelling against the 'boss'? again childish but common.

If everyone was initially onboard - what happened since? How far are you happy to go, do you ignore the rota and clean regardless, or do you let the place get messy, or do you leave.

Sounds like the bathroom has poor ventilation, do you leave the window open? Regular bleach spray should work.

gmisk

Astonish do a mould spray it is amazing.
Did it a few months ago zero since.

runawaybishop

KilOit wrote: »

Spray bleech on it, takes 5 seconds, repeat after an hour. No need to scrub

Don't use bleach on grout, it will degrade it and it will crumble out over time.

Op, tell them to clean FFS. You are all adults.

cloudatlas

runawaybishop wrote: »

Don't use bleach on grout, it will degrade it and it will crumble out over time.

Op, tell them to clean FFS. You are all adults.

Like I've said I've asked point blank that they clean. They still won't do it.

Tiddlypeeps

cloudatlas wrote: »

Like I've said I've asked point blank that they clean. They still won't do it.

You could try get the landlord involved but they likely won't care.


Outside of that you can't force them to do anything. Your only options are to become ok with living in squalor, become ok with doing all the cleaning yourself or move out. Personally I would choose the move out option if it was at all viable.

Zimmerframe

All you can do for your own sanity is move out.
Will be better for you and sounds like the other two won't mind.

taytobreath

Do it yourself, twill make the flatmate feel bad, reverse psychology.

Teyla Emmagan

I think you should move out. Leave them to die from the mould spores, you have done all you can.

edanto

Incompatible living preferences. This will not work out. You can't change people unless they want to and it's not worth the effort for strangers you care little about.

Best to find a new share; there are lots of people who want to live with someone houseproud.

cloudatlas

Ticking and Bashing wrote: »

"I created a rota which was very reasonable".

Just wondering if this is the issue? Did the 2 guys have any input into the rota, was there buy-in from the start?

In previous houseshares, people have randomly put up cleaning rotas without consulting with the rest, assigning names to do chores etc. without asking or seeking input and in all cases it never worked out. It's childish I know when everyone should contribute. Just wondering if this is the case - are they rebelling against the 'boss'? again childish but common.

If everyone was initially onboard - what happened since? How far are you happy to go, do you ignore the rota and clean regardless, or do you let the place get messy, or do you leave.

Sounds like the bathroom has poor ventilation, do you leave the window open? Regular bleach spray should work.

The rota was in place when the last housemate moved out and the new one moved in he wouldn't clean and it was just me and the other girl cleaning then then she moved out and slob number two moved in and now I am the only one who cleans but I simply refuse to clean all areas of the flat every week when others refuse.

To be honest with you this is the fairest system I've ever come across in my life. Where you only clean for less than an hour on one day at the weekend for two weekends and then you get two weekends off.

When they were shown around the flat the rota was mentioned in the tour and they were asked if it was okay, they said yes. When they moved in I did the rota, the same rota system that was there before and emailed them saying it was on the fridge and if they didn't agree with it to let me know what system they wanted in it's place. If they can't clean there is an option to let people know and they can swap. If they don't like the rota then they can change it. I even offered the option where we pay someone. No reply from the first guy. They've been consulted multiple times. They don't clean every other week, they don't clean once a month, they don't clean. They don't clean. They don't clean their room. They don't clean. They do not like green eggs and ham.

The bathroom has a fan, sometimes they put the fan on sometimes they don't.

I suppose I'm wondering if I can put a complaint in with the rental agency about the mould as it is a health hazard the red mould particularly causes breathing problems. The whole flat is a bit of a health hazard at this stage, food is left to congeal and rot on the kitchen counters, spilt sauces are left, yeah. He won't recycle either or put food in the food waste so the bin stinks and fills up with all kinds of trash quickly.

cloudatlas

taytobreath wrote: »

Do it yourself, twill make the flatmate feel bad, reverse psychology.

The one who felt guilty about not doing it just got angry with me because he knows I'm angry I have to do it. Plus it's impossible to be happy about cleaning constantly if one person doesn't even wipe down counters, hobs when they finish cooking, they spill something in the fridge or on the floor and it is just left. As you can imagine it takes two seconds to create these messes but much longer to clean it all up.

cloudatlas

Tiddlypeeps wrote: »

You could try get the landlord involved but they likely won't care.


Outside of that you can't force them to do anything. Your only options are to become ok with living in squalor, become ok with doing all the cleaning yourself or move out. Personally I would choose the move out option if it was at all viable.

it's tough to move out at the moment given the situation plus I really like my room and there is a beautiful park nearby.

cloudatlas

Tiddlypeeps wrote: »

You could try get the landlord involved but they likely won't care.


Outside of that you can't force them to do anything. Your only options are to become ok with living in squalor, become ok with doing all the cleaning yourself or move out. Personally I would choose the move out option if it was at all viable.

Yeah I've thought about putting in a complain to the rental agency but I don't know what they can do, they will most likely just tell me to talk to the others.

Yeah I might have to move out for my own sanity.

taytobreath

cloudatlas wrote: »

Yeah I've thought about putting in a complain to the rental agency but I don't know what they can do, they will most likely just tell me to talk to the others.

Yeah I might have to move out for my own sanity.

do they not clean up after themselves at all?

Meeoow

Is there a window or extractor fan 8n the bathroom? There shouldn't be that much mold.
Oops, just saw the bathroom has a fan.
Why don't you get a cleaner, split between 3 mightn't be too expensive.

Quandary

I used to live in a house where the three other lads were complete slobs. It got to the stage where I had no other choice but to keep my own plate, fork, knife, spoon, mug etc, in my own room, along with a nice TV, PlayStation. I used to get too pis5ed off having to wash a plate before and after use.

The lads were actually bang on, aside from being slobs. When the majority of the house are happy to live in squalor you are the odd one out. It was always only going to end one way.

I stuck it out for 3 months and then found a new place.

cloudatlas

taytobreath wrote: »

do they not clean up after themselves at all?

Barely, it's never done totally, I can walk in after their meal and tell what they cooked three nights ago. They will cut a loaf on the table and leave the crumbs there interminably.

cloudatlas

Meeoow wrote: »

Is there a window or extractor fan 8n the bathroom? There shouldn't be that much mold.
Oops, just saw the bathroom has a fan.
Why don't you get a cleaner, split between 3 mightn't be too expensive.

I suggested we get a cleaner, no reply, they seem happy so like another poster said all I can do is change myself really if there's no health and safety recourse or whatever.

Murt10

cloudatlas wrote: »

I suggested we get a cleaner, no reply, they seem happy...........

Because they know that you're going to continue cleaning up after them and you don't cost anything.

Teyla Emmagan

I spent a weekend spraying black mould in the main bedroom and ensuite of an apartment my Dad owns recently. The tenants had moved out and at that stage we discovered the cistern in the ensuite was leaking. The bathroom, bedroom, doors, ceilings, wardrobes and blinds were all covered in black mould. His sheets had spores on them and he was sleeping in there. I nearly dropped dead when I saw it. And this guy was a junior doctor, breathing in that all night. Never underestimate how lazy people can be.

cloudatlas

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

I spent a weekend spraying black mould in the main bedroom and ensuite of an apartment my Dad owns recently. The tenants had moved out and at that stage we discovered the cistern in the ensuite was leaking. The bathroom, bedroom, doors, ceilings, wardrobes and blinds were all covered in black mould. His sheets had spores on them and he was sleeping in there. I nearly dropped dead when I saw it. And this guy was a junior doctor, breathing in that all night. Never underestimate how lazy people can be.

God, I hope you're dad got his deposit at least.

whippet

the reality is that you can't force anyone to do anything.

If you want to live there and have it clean - clean it yourself - otherwise adapt to living in filth.

If that arrangement does not suit - move out.

It really is as simple as that - house shares are painful; but so is living with a lazy spouse or teenage son / daughter.

cloudatlas

whippet wrote: »

the reality is that you can't force anyone to do anything.

If you want to live there and have it clean - clean it yourself - otherwise adapt to living in filth.

If that arrangement does not suit - move out.

It really is as simple as that - house shares are painful; but so is living with a lazy spouse or teenage son / daughter.

Yep, I'll start looking for a new place.