Roommate Issue

[Jay_Bunny]

Ok, so here's the story. Our friend's lease was coming up in June and he had no place to go. He was planning on couch hopping for the summer until he figured out where to go. We, the ever so helpful friends had a second bedroom we were using for the snakes and rats. Come live with us, we said. We won't charge you too much in rent and you can take the second bedroom. We will just move everything downstairs into the living room. He agreed. Then his friend comes to visit. Friend asks if his friend can stay for a while. We agree. This then turns into a stay for a year deal. Oy!

So friends move in and bring with them 3 ferrets. They also find a stray and say "Can we keep him?" Sure why not. *bangs head on wall* <-This was fine then, but now the cat just annoys me. Everything was fine and dandy for the first month or two. Then the problems start. I get down on my hands and knees and scrub the upstairs bathroom spotless. Its beautiful and smells wonderful. Two days later, my roommate cuts second roommates hair in upstairs bathroom and leaves a mess. Does not clean it for 2-3 days! We are talking hair in my sink! When he does finally clean it, he does a HalfA** job.

Oh did I mention that said roommate gave his car to his mother because he didn't want anything to do with his mother...who owned the car. So, he began asking us for rides at 5am in the morning. This was fine at first, but then it just got old. I used to be a morning person, but now not so much. Oh, did I mention they also use my cat food and cat litter for their cat without saying so much as thankyou? *bangs head on wall a second time* I have told them once before that the AC has to stay at 75, since I have snakes and fish. This is a good temperature. Not too hot for the mammals, not to cold for the reptiles. This morning we wake up and someone has turned the AC down to 65. The thermometer I keep in the living room with the reptiles reads 63. I was about to punch someone in the face.

They let their ferrets poop on the carpet upstairs! They let their cat out into the main part of the apartment where my dog is, after we asked them not to. (When the dog first came home, the cat scratched him above his eye. There was a lot of blood. We were not happy...neither was the dog). They also bring in a new ferret without even sending me a text while I'm at work to say "Hey is it ok if we bring in a new ferret." Nope, instead they show up after I get off work with the ferret with them. I was pissed.

So, we are in a bit of a dilemma. Do we talk to them, make them angry (they will get angry or very upset with us, which will make things worse)? Do we kick them out? Find new roommates? Keep it just the two of us? We want to be good friends but I feel we are being taken advantage of. If I want to go around cleaning up after someone, I'll have a damn child. If I want to leave stuff around and not clean, that is my choice. Its my house. I'm on the lease, I pay the majority of the rent. (they say they shouldn't have to pay equal shares of the rent because OUR snakes and rats are in the living room which is community space. Might I mention the snakes and rats were moved down there so that they would have a fricken place to live!)

Ugh! I just don't know what to do. *bangs head on wall a third time*

[TMoore]

I feel your pain. I've had so many problems with roommates in the past two years, its been ridiculous. I know from experience that if you talk to them about the situation they're most likely going to get defensive. Its really a catch 22. You deal with the stuff happening or you talk to them and run the risk of getting them angry.

But in your case if your the one who has signed the lease and they haven't I think you have the upper hand. Let them know how you feel and what changes you want made. Then if they don't change you can tell them to leave. It sounds like you've been more than kind helping them out.

good luck

[Nate]

Things won't change...I can tell you from experience. Finding a good roommate is a difficult thing to do...for some reason People don't respect you and your belongings the way one should expect them to.

You could tell them how annoyed you are...but that won't change the fact that they still have animals that use your home as their bathroom.

In this situation, you should probably write down a list of everything thats going on...every little thing...laziness, poo everywhere, mooching, etc. etc....and present this as a list of why you wish for them to be gone in 30 days. Do it as nicely as possible without pissing them off.. for some odd reason, people that get pissed will only stay longer to spite you.


Also, check out A Roommate Survival Guide, which, incidentally is called "The Boa's Gotta go"

I bought this book and it has worked wonders for helping me find roommates and lay down rules without getting walked all over.

Roommates tend to push boundaries, and when that pushing is never pushed back, the limits only increase on what they feel they can do.

[RoyalGuardian]

OMG! I would be so hissed.... I would talk to them now before something REALLY bad happens.. Cause if you let it go on things are just going to keep adding up. Pretty soon after that its natural that you might blow up and that would be scary. I suggest talking to them before they get to your breaking point. I would say NO MORE ANIMALS! holy crud I bet your house smells just like a ferret litter box too... my friend has only one ferret and don't get me wrong its cute and all but MAN do they STINK!! Sorry bout your problem! Hope everything goes ok!

[OhBalls]

If it were me, they would be gone....I would give them two weeks

Why would you want to be a good friend to someone who isn't? They're overstepping your welcome and from the sounds of things, they have NO consideration for you or your animals


get ta steppin'!!!

[edie]

Thats why I don't think I would ever be able to have a roommate!

They set the AC to 65???? Its over 100 outside here in AZ and our thermostat is always set to 77-78, sometimes 79, and 77 is FREEZING! I actually have to close the vents in my room because it gets so cold.

Just talk to them I guess, its your place and they need to understand you're doing them a favor by letting them live there and if they don't want to comply with you then they can find a new place. If you don't talk to them they will just keep doing it or get worse and eventually something will happen where you probably won't be able to keep it to yourself anymore.

[starmom]

Speak with them and explain to them why you are needing them to move within 30 days.

If you don't want anger/confrontation/whatever issues, then just let them know you have issues or are in need of space or whatever. In other words, take on the 'fault' of this situation not working out without blaming them.

Since they are not on the lease, they have no recourse.

As an aside, are you permitted (in your lease) to rent out rooms? If not, blame it on the lease and the owner wanting this situation to cease.

[Nate]

One more thing....you HAVE to check your local laws. you cannot boot someone out in 2 weeks, you cannot change locks. You may have to resort to eviction....which will kill friendships...it's one of the reasons why friendships go down the drain.

[blo0]

We won't charge you too much in rent and you can take the second bedroom. *

Is the rent charged enough to keep you sane?

Then his friend comes to visit. Friend asks if his friend can stay for a while. We agree. This then turns into a stay for a year deal. Oy! *

Was rent increased?

Two days later, my roommate cuts second roommates hair in upstairs bathroom and leaves a mess. Does not clean it for 2-3 days! We are talking hair in my sink! When he does finally clean it, he does a HalfA** job. *

Did you complain about it? atleast tell him to clean that !!!!

So, he began asking us for rides at 5am in the morning. This was fine at first, but then it just got old. *

Let him know "I used to be a morning person, but now not so much."

Oh, did I mention they also use my cat food and cat litter for their cat without saying so much as thankyou? *bangs head on wall a second time* *

You are banging the wrong persons head. No pun intended.

I have told them once before that the AC has to stay at 75, since I have snakes and fish. This is a good temperature. Not too hot for the mammals, not to cold for the reptiles. This morning we wake up and someone has turned the AC down to 65. The thermometer I keep in the living room with the reptiles reads 63. I was about to punch someone in the face. *

Now it boils down to the well being of ur pets... Shoulda punched someone

They let their ferrets poop on the carpet upstairs! They let their cat out into the main part of the apartment where my dog is, after we asked them not to. (When the dog first came home, the cat scratched him above his eye. There was a lot of blood. We were not happy...neither was the dog). They also bring in a new ferret without even sending me a text while I'm at work to say "Hey is it ok if we bring in a new ferret." Nope, instead they show up after I get off work with the ferret with them. I was pissed. *

Again well being of pets at risk. You should add a monthly fee for each of their pets.

(they say they shouldn't have to pay equal shares of the rent because OUR snakes and rats are in the living room which is community space. Might I mention the snakes and rats were moved down there so that they would have a fricken place to live!) *

Well i have experience similar situation with my roommate but i wrote up a contract/lease agreement with rules, regulations and boundaries breach the agreement your gone. Its technically your house so Fukc them if they dont comply. Make them pay more or then give them the living room and take back you Snake room.

sorry for the long post its just that i can really relate.....

[Jay_Bunny]

We have ferrets so we know what the poo can smell like (trust me, I just cleaned their cage.) Ours are not litterbox trained, not even in their own cage. (We are in the process of training.) And so we make sure that all out of cage play is supervised (they let theirs run around at night in the room unsupervised while they sleep), and if there are any signs of impending poopage (backing up into a corner) we scoop them up and put them in the litterbox/cage. If we don't catch them in time, we clean up the poop. Simple, no?