Housemate restricting access to communal areas | Discuss

Welcome to the Property Forum where we can share our knowledge & experiences together to become better at what we do.

 Forum Terms & Conditions


Enlarge/Change font size here

A A A

Please consider registering
guest

sp_LogInOut Log In sp_Registration Register

Register | Lost password?
Advanced Search

— Forum Scope —





 

— Match —





— Forum Options —





Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters

sp_Feed Topic RSS sp_TopicIcon
Housemate restricting access to communal areas
24/10/2016
12:00 pm
vickyw
New Member
Members
Forum Posts: 1
Member Since:
24/10/2016
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I'm currently in a joint tenancy with 3 other people. We got on well and everything was fine until one of the other tenants started acting strangly. She started by emptying out our kitchen cupboards and then progressed to putting anything we left in the communal areas into bin bags outside our bedroom doors.

We made an agreement with the landlord that we can all leave the property as long as we find new tenants for the property. I offered to find tenants for the difficult housemate in order to speed up the process and it was agreed. But now she has refused access to her rooms for viewings and has locked the communal shower room from the outside and left the property. She hasn't vacated the property permanently as all her belongings are still there.

I'm now currently at a loss as I feel I can't do any viewings with the shower room being not accessible and I've had no luck getting in touch with my landlord. It has been locked for 3 days now and I have had to stay with my mum during that time.

With the cost of moving, I cannot also afford to pay for a locksmith. If I were to break the door down, I assume I would also be liable for that damage.

Any advice on my situation would be useful, as I feel I am now currently out of options. Thanks

26/10/2016
11:30 am
johnta7
Member
Members
Forum Posts: 5
Member Since:
26/09/2015
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

How long is your tenancy agreement, and how far into it are you?

26/10/2016
6:37 pm
ringi
Member
Members
Forum Posts: 179
Member Since:
29/06/2012
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline

I assume you are on a “group AST” where you are jointly the tenant renting the complete property, if so this is not the landlords’ problem…..

The bad news is if she stops paying her share of the rent, or does any damage, the landlord can sue any of the group, as the group is  “one tenant” as far as the law is concerned.   Likewise if she does not leave at the end of the tenancy, or leaves any rubbish behind.

You seem a bit confused talking about tenants, as there is only one tenant that happens to be a group of people….  Likewise you all have a full legal right to access ALL of the property at ANY time, therefore no rooms should have locks on them.

The police are unlikely to be helpful…  You could take legal action against her for your loses, but that takes time.

There is a very good reason you pay less rent on a “group AST” then when renting “by the room”.

Forum Timezone: Europe/London

Most Users Ever Online: 755

Currently Online:
19 Guest(s)

Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)

Top Posters:

PaulBarrett: 2902

Mary Latham: 2194

LyndonBaker: 1805

David Price: 1700

Patricia: 1054

DATA CONTROL: 979

Member Stats:

Guest Posters: 2635

Members: 6862

Moderators: 5

Admins: 1

Forum Stats:

Groups: 1

Forums: 3

Topics: 4689

Posts: 31580

Newest Members:

anne_1, steveando, hiretradies, ulises22, caylinbr, nowthen

Moderators: News @ Tenant Referencing: 1636, laura: 15, Chloe: 107, lucybarr: 0, jaswhite: 20

Administrators: Paul Routledge: 3433