Hi all, I would like your opinion on a situation.
I had to leave my university accommodation over the summer on 15th June and find somewhere else while classes aren't on.
I asked a friend in my class if she knew anyone as she is quite well connected. She said she had space or if not her, her friend had space, in their respective houses. I told her how much money I make, not a lot, and gave some ballpark rent estimates. She said it (the money) wasn't for her, it was for her friend.
She gets back to me and tells me her friend's room is taken but I can stay at her house. I had a viewing of her house and agreed to rent the room she offered, which is technically her daughter's but her daughter is a grown woman and moved out a long time ago.
I took the room.
She immediately becomes very controlling as soon as I move in and there are rules that I didn't know I was breaking. She has 2 cats and unbeknownst to me they could not be in my room; she tells me this weeks after I moved in. The cats are allowed in her room, no issue. She never explained why. I am not allowed men over either, even though I am 29 this month.
She also blew up when she learned I had registered to vote and forced me to unregister to vote, so now I can't even have the option of voting. She would not allow me any mail from the doctor, the university, the bank etc. Only allowed parcels from eBay etc. She said it was disrespectful of me to register to vote without her permission. I have never ever had to ask any landlord for permission to vote.
She also gave me her bank details and asked for money. I messaged asking how much she wants, because we made no agreement. She blew up again and told me we'd made an agreement on 2nd March (see first paragraph). We made no such agreement, but I paid her what she asked for anyway.
She drew up no tenancy contract and therefore I had no clue about what I could and couldn't do in her house.
She told me I could eat her food and then told me off for eating 2 eggs. She apologized after but I'd already seen another red flag. She portions everything for her diet and yet wouldn't label anything so I had no idea what I could or couldn't eat; I ended up buying my own food.
She would wash pots I'd already washed.
So after all this, I told a few close friends, relatives etc. and they all agreed this is horrible behaviour. I went to the uni and asked for alternative accommodation. I didn't name who I was living with but mentioned she's on my course.
They found me accommodation, but due to my landlady's prior behaviour I didn't let her know I was moving (she knew anyway). So I moved in.
I came to retrieve some of my stuff and she asked if I was moving. I said yes, I have a place. She lost her mind, started insulting me, calling me dishonest etc. I asked if we could sit with a cup of tea and talk about the situation. She just wanted to yell at me and become angry. The cleaning lady was there too and I felt uncomfortable arguing infront of her. I mentioned this. Later, the lady tried telling my landlady to calm down.
After all this the landlady asked me for this month's rent, which isn't due at all, and we have no contract.
Landlady threw me out with my bags of stuff, took my key, locked me out and 90% of my belongings are still at her house until she allows me to take them this evening.
I don't even know where to start.
I had to leave my university accommodation over the summer on 15th June and find somewhere else while classes aren't on.
I asked a friend in my class if she knew anyone as she is quite well connected. She said she had space or if not her, her friend had space, in their respective houses. I told her how much money I make, not a lot, and gave some ballpark rent estimates. She said it (the money) wasn't for her, it was for her friend.
She gets back to me and tells me her friend's room is taken but I can stay at her house. I had a viewing of her house and agreed to rent the room she offered, which is technically her daughter's but her daughter is a grown woman and moved out a long time ago.
I took the room.
She immediately becomes very controlling as soon as I move in and there are rules that I didn't know I was breaking. She has 2 cats and unbeknownst to me they could not be in my room; she tells me this weeks after I moved in. The cats are allowed in her room, no issue. She never explained why. I am not allowed men over either, even though I am 29 this month.
She also blew up when she learned I had registered to vote and forced me to unregister to vote, so now I can't even have the option of voting. She would not allow me any mail from the doctor, the university, the bank etc. Only allowed parcels from eBay etc. She said it was disrespectful of me to register to vote without her permission. I have never ever had to ask any landlord for permission to vote.
She also gave me her bank details and asked for money. I messaged asking how much she wants, because we made no agreement. She blew up again and told me we'd made an agreement on 2nd March (see first paragraph). We made no such agreement, but I paid her what she asked for anyway.
She drew up no tenancy contract and therefore I had no clue about what I could and couldn't do in her house.
She told me I could eat her food and then told me off for eating 2 eggs. She apologized after but I'd already seen another red flag. She portions everything for her diet and yet wouldn't label anything so I had no idea what I could or couldn't eat; I ended up buying my own food.
She would wash pots I'd already washed.
So after all this, I told a few close friends, relatives etc. and they all agreed this is horrible behaviour. I went to the uni and asked for alternative accommodation. I didn't name who I was living with but mentioned she's on my course.
They found me accommodation, but due to my landlady's prior behaviour I didn't let her know I was moving (she knew anyway). So I moved in.
I came to retrieve some of my stuff and she asked if I was moving. I said yes, I have a place. She lost her mind, started insulting me, calling me dishonest etc. I asked if we could sit with a cup of tea and talk about the situation. She just wanted to yell at me and become angry. The cleaning lady was there too and I felt uncomfortable arguing infront of her. I mentioned this. Later, the lady tried telling my landlady to calm down.
After all this the landlady asked me for this month's rent, which isn't due at all, and we have no contract.
Landlady threw me out with my bags of stuff, took my key, locked me out and 90% of my belongings are still at her house until she allows me to take them this evening.
I don't even know where to start.
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