Unwanted housemate

[sistermag]

Hi,

Does anybody know what I can do to get rid of an unwanted housemate?!! I share a 2 bedroom house with another girl. It's part buy, part rent and we pay entirely equal amounts. My housemate has recently all but moved her partner in. I've kept track over the last month, and she's stayed 22 out of 30 nights (they went away for 4 nights this month too so she's all but living with us!) I don't have a problem with my housemate having her to stay occasionally but I feel that this is too much. I have tried to speak with my housemate and suggest that she needs to either spend less time here, or start contributing. Apparently, I'm being unreasonable (I should also mention the house is tiny, with cardboard thin walls so I here everything and feel like a gooseberry in my own home) my boyfriend stays once a week at most but as the 2 of them are always here, he's made to feel uncomfortable too. I've tried reasoning with my housemate to no avail. Can our housing association restrict her stays?! We had to go through checks, so presumably as she is always here she should be treated as a tenant?!! I am saving to move out but in the short term, it's driving me crazy and I need a solution!!

[VHG]

There will be rules by the housing association about extra people in the house so say you will report her for having an extra tennant in the house.

[bednobs]

if it's part buy part rent, do you have a joint mortgage? Who is doing the buying?

[sistermag]

Thanks, that's what I thought!! I don't want to cause trouble, but I'm banging my head against a brick wall with them!! Thanks!!

[Richard1966]

whos name is the mortgage/tenancy in?

if its in both, there is nothing you can do about it.
if its in yours only, she's an excluded occupier and tell her to sling her hook

[sistermag]

We have a joint mortgage. We own 40% and the housing association owns 60%

[Richard1966]

nothing you can do except try to reason with her

[sandyRoe]

I think you need to buy some earplugs if it's a joint mortgage

[bednobs]

you can't just move ou then (well you can, but you'd be paying rent and mortgage on 2 places). It looks like you might have to sell up if you are unhappy

[sistermag]

Yeah I have told her I'm planning on selling my half, but in the meantime (as this could take a while), I was hoping the housing association could restrict it. They are majority owners and, for example, I can't just move out and rent my room out- it has to go through them. It's just very frustrating!!

[cathfromsaron]

this happened to my sis and she bought the other party out!

cath x

[bednobs]

i have no idea how you pl;an to sell your half (is that even possible with a joint mortgage?)plus who is going to want to comit to living with your housemate and her gf?

[sistermag]

Well, we would have to sell it and both move out. But as the housing association own a majority, they have to approve who buys so its going to be a very long process. I have told her my intention to do this, but I'm looking for a short term solution as I can't afford to rent somewhere else as well as just move out. It's a very difficult situation, made even more so by my housemate. I have no problem with her having a gf and them being here, but 22 out if 30 days is too much so I'm just trying to see if I have any rights as trying to reason with her is clearly not going to work!!!

[vodkancoke]

I hope she is paying towards the bills if she is staying that length of time out the month.

Could you sub-let your room or is that not allowed with that sort of scheme?

[ladybirder]

Why don't you seek advice from somebody at the HA first before you do anything too drastic. No harm done and just see what they say.
And would your housemate's friend want to buy your half out because I don't see how a stranger would want to buy half a house?

[sistermag]

Ladybirder- we'd have to sell the house and both move out. I have given her my intention to do this.
Vodkancoke- I can't sub let :( and she's not contributing. I have asked that she either spends less time here or does start to put towards bills. I have done a bit of googling and apparently anything over 3 days is classed as a tenant. I think I will contact the housing association tomorrow for advice as I am getting nowhere trying to talk to, and reason with them.

[Nini74]

i'd be wary about reporting anything to the HA if i were you as you'll just cause animosity between you and your friend. I assume you were close at one stage to have bought a house together, so just explain, more emphatically how you're feeling and see if you can agree to, say, 3 nights a week max for her gf and your bf to stay over.......how long have you shared the house? how long had you known her for before that? i'm sure if you explain the problem without having a go at her or her gf, you'll be able to find a compromise somewhere x

[boxtops]

If she's staying nearly full-time with you, at least she should be contributing a third to the bills, food, etc.

[ladybirder]

nini, I am not suggesting sisterm reports anyone to the HA, I am suggesting she has a confidential word with the residential manager or whoever in the hope they can give good advice. As I said she has nothing to lose.

This is the sort of thing that is best agreed between you before you share with someone but of course you don't think about it until it's too late.
Personally I would be wary about agreeing a sum of money for her to pay as that sort of gives her licence to stay as often as she likes. Difficult. I wish you the best of luck in sorting it. Your house mate is out of order IMO.

[cassa333]

This is not good for your long term credit rating and you would have to check your morgage agreement but.....

Move out and don't pay your half of the morgage and (obviously depending on the wording on your morgage) she will have to pay it. Although you are both probably liable to pay the morgage they will be interested in it being paid and won't worry if it is you or her but will make the easiest target pay it. Ergo the one living in the house!!

Then come back at some point in the future and ask her to sell or buy you out pointing out that even though she is paying the morgage you will be entitled to share in any profit made on the sale so she should do it now.

More often than not the agreements to pay don't actualy fall 50/50 with the morgage company...

[EDDIE51]

Do you buy food jointly or do you each shop for yourselves ? If it is the latter I don't see that there is much more you can do . The mortgage will be the same if there are 2 people or more there , morally she should pay more but legally I don't see it will go that way. Unless there is a clause in the tenancy agreement about only 2 occupants I cant see the housing association being intrested either it is not sub letting just sharing a room.