Landlord Woes...

wndsr · 4 May 2015 at 11:49

I took a job in Edinburgh in November last year and moved into a flat that has a resident landlord. At the time it seemed like the best option given that I had barely any time to find somewhere to live.

I pay (an eye watering) £700 per month for my bedroom and use of the main bathroom. I paid a £700 deposit up front along with my first months rent. Their flat is clean, well furnished and has everything I could ask for. Unfortunately, they are by no means the ideal landlord.

Often I come back from work to find my electric toothbrush has been unplugged in my bathroom, or my bedroom window has been opened. I've been asked a couple of times if I could refrain from cooking certain foods because they smell too much. I was told one morning that I must leave the handle on the toaster in a certain position (see below). I left the handle down and they spent a good 10 minutes telling me the handle must be left in the 'up' position.

So, as you can imagine living with them feels like treading on egg shells all the time. I certainly don't want to be living like this so I need to move, but I'm unsure of the best way to approach it. Having spent 6 months with them, I don't feel they'd be particularly receptive to feedback but instead they would overreact and claim that it is simply 'their way or the highway' meaning they would try and keep my deposit.

Would appreciate some advice on how you would tackle this situation. I want to try and keep it civil in order to get my £700 deposit back, but I fear that because I signed some sort of 12 month contract that they'll make it hard.

platypus · 4 May 2015 at 11:51

Just approach them and say you would like to move somewhere with more personal space and see what compromise you can come too.

If they can't be reasonable about it...well you're best off out of there but would suggest just playing along until you get your deposit back. I know it can be hard living somewhere you aren't happy.

scorza · 4 May 2015 at 11:55

WTF is that toaster???

You say you have use of the main bathroom, but then also say it's your bathroom. If it's a shared bathroom, unplugging your toothbrush doesn't seem that unreasonable to me. And the toaster looks so archaic I can well imagine if you don't put the handle back up it'll burn down the flat or something. As platypus says, just be polite and move out as soon as you're able. The last thing you want is to fall out with your landlord.

Diddums · 4 May 2015 at 12:00

For £700 a month you should be in a small flat, not a room.

Living with others, especially those who pay the bills or own the place, is an absolute nightmare. I certainly won't do it again.

dowie · 4 May 2015 at 12:01

they could get all butt hurt over it... IIRC there was a thread on here by a poster who had a friend as a lodger - the friend wanted to move out early and the poster was adamant that he still had to pay until the end of the month (despite having stated in the thread that he was definitely not going to have another lodger in)... people get irrational when it comes to things like this so don't be surprised if they try to get something out of you even if you offer to find a replacement lodger etc..

Bear · 4 May 2015 at 12:04

scorza said:
WTF is that toaster???

You say you have use of the main bathroom, but then also say it's your bathroom. If it's a shared bathroom, unplugging your toothbrush doesn't seem that unreasonable to me. And the toaster looks so archaic I can well imagine if you don't put the handle back up it'll burn down the flat or something. As platypus says, just be polite and move out as soon as you're able. The last thing you want is to fall out with your landlord.

The toaster looks like it is a Dualit type toaster which is a catering style one. They are actually very good.

With respect to the OP, I too live in a shared flat and have my room, use of the main bathroom (she has an en suite), shared kitchen and living room in Edinburgh and pay £340 a month

Orionaut · 4 May 2015 at 12:09

You are not living in a flat of your own, nor are you living in a "Share" You are living in a room in somebody else's home. They want you to use the domestic appliances in a certain manner, ventilate your bedroom, and not stink the place out with smelly cooking. How is that unreasonable?

wndsr · 4 May 2015 at 12:37

Thanks for the responses all. I'll try and have a chat with them when I go back in a couple of days. As you said, try and keep it civil and offer to do everything I can to help them find a new lodger as soon as possible.

Orionaut said:
You are not living in a flat of your own, nor are you living in a "Share" You are living in a room in somebody else's home. They want you to use the domestic appliances in a certain manner, ventilate your bedroom, and not stink the place out with smelly cooking. How is that unreasonable?

Perhaps it isn't unreasonable, but if I was renting out a room in my home I'd accept that other people may not live in exactly the same way as myself. I'd have to deal with it, but the fact they would be paying my mortgage plus some extra would more than make up for it.

norm · 4 May 2015 at 12:41

Orionaut said:
You are not living in a flat of your own, nor are you living in a "Share" You are living in a room in somebody else's home. They want you to use the domestic appliances in a certain manner, ventilate your bedroom, and not stink the place out with smelly cooking. How is that unreasonable?

OP obviously thinks his £700 per month entitles him to more.

Sit down and discuss leaving. Maybe they are eager for you to leave anyway, clearly their toaster is too precious.

Bear · 4 May 2015 at 12:43

I wonder if they are paying tax on the money they are getting from your rent? I think £350 pcm is the threshold for renting a spare room tax free.

chaparral · 4 May 2015 at 12:55

wndsr said:
I was told one morning that I must leave the handle on the toaster in a certain position (see below). I left the handle down and they spent a good 10 minutes telling me the handle must be left in the 'up' position. .

Every toaster I ever owned or used the handle most be left in the up postion when finished with....

The down postion on a toaster normally switches it on...

Bear · 4 May 2015 at 12:57

chaparral said:
Every toaster I ever owned or used the handle most be left in the up postion when finished with....

The down postion on a toaster normally switches a toaster on...

Not on a Dualit style toaster, the handle only lifts the bread up and down. The power is controlled via a rotary timer.

wndsr · 4 May 2015 at 12:58

chaparral said:
Every toaster I ever owned or used the handle most be left in the up postion when finished with....

The down postion on a toaster normally switches it on...

Definitely doesn't switch it on. If anything, the down position on this one would be used for the end of toasting time.

Wizzkidy · 4 May 2015 at 13:00

£700 for a single room that you can't cook what you want or use certain things the way you want? time to move on!

wndsr · 4 May 2015 at 13:02

norm said:
OP obviously thinks his £700 per month entitles him to more.

I don't think any amount of money entitles me to more. My point is that, in my opinion when somebody opts to have a lodger in their home, they forfeit some of their home comforts in return for an amount of cash. That's my opinion, by no means the golden rule of having a lodger.

beamer · 4 May 2015 at 13:22

Because the OP is paying SEVEN HUNDRED POUNDS EVERY MONTH TO THEM for that room.

Orionaut said:
You are not living in a flat of your own, nor are you living in a "Share" You are living in a room in somebody else's home. They want you to use the domestic appliances in a certain manner, ventilate your bedroom, and not stink the place out with smelly cooking. How is that unreasonable?

Jono8 · 4 May 2015 at 13:24

Is Edinburgh really that expensive?

£700 a month for just a room! That sounds absurd!

Under a year a go i was renting a lovely 1 bedroom flat, in a gated development with it's own grounds, in an expensive, rural part of Surrey for £800 a month!

dowie · 4 May 2015 at 13:25

wndsr said:
I don't think any amount of money entitles me to more. My point is that, in my opinion when somebody opts to have a lodger in their home, they forfeit some of their home comforts in return for an amount of cash. That's my opinion, by no means the golden rule of having a lodger.

Did they introduce these extra rules after you agreed to move in... if they kick up a stink about you moving out within the 12 month agreement then start breaking the rules they've imposed after you moved in... go cook that curry in the kitchen etc.. maybe they'll then want you to leave early.

the_r_sole · 4 May 2015 at 13:28

where are you staying op? £700 is a lot for a room!
most simple solution is to move - some is reasonable, some isn't but you'll never convince the person who's house it is either way

Orionaut · 4 May 2015 at 13:31

beamer said:
Because the OP is paying SEVEN HUNDRED POUNDS EVERY MONTH TO THEM for that room.

My inference (and it is only a guess) would be that the family concerned is doing this out of necessity rather than desire, Are not particularly comfortable about having some stranger of unknown provenance sleeping under their roof and, as a consequence, are only willing to do so if it pays really well and they still feel in control of their own home!.

I know it is something that I would never countenance (Far too creepy!) but if I really really had to I would charge as much as I could get away with and impose rules too.