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I recently moved into a great big old Florida cracker house with housemates. However, my room came with it's own bathroom so I more or less consider it a studio apt. within the house. I signed the lease with the landlord and pay $50 more than the other tenants in the home due to having private bath/own entrance. All
I have a housemate who is Mr. Know it All. He is an a/c technician. He's always telling everyone including me how to do everything & anything. About two weeks into my first month in the house, he asked me, as I was leaving, if I was going to turn off my a/c. I believe I kind of looked at him with amusement, thinking to myself, WTF? Since it's an old home, we all have our own box units in our rooms. My rent includes all my bills except cable/wifi. I also have first edition books & an oil painting. I don't feel that the humidity is good for either my books, nor my oil.
Yesterday, when I returned home from a friend's house, he told me, again, that he was speaking with the landlord and that I need to look at my lease agreement because I'm supposed to turn off the a/c when I'm not around. Again, I'm giving him the WTF look....and he told me he unscrewed my flood lights, outside my door because I left them on. Double WTF! Excuse me for forgetting them? I didn't even know they were on...so this dude gets up on a ladder & unscrews them.
I have a copy of my lease & it says nothing about me turning my a/c on or off any which way. In fact, it states nothing about the a/c!
I am ready snap on this person for trying to tell me what to do when he is not on my lease, does not pay my rent and has never even seen my lease as it's between me & the landlord.
I didn't know whether to sit him down and have a face to face over why he feels the need to try and control my a/c usage or email the landlord regarding the situation, or both.
I was speaking to my other housemates outside about this last night & it came to pass that this dude was sitting in his A/C truck listening as best he could (with my a/c unit huffing & puffing) most likely to this conversation. I say his face in the mirror off the driver side but pretended I didn't & continued my conversation. I thought I could see him smirking...(rotf over this one)...anyhow......
What did your other housemates have to say about the guy? Is he bothering them, too?
It's difficult to decide which road to take in dealing with this guy. Is there any hint as to whether or not he is dangerous? Unscrewing your light bulbs is truly an invasion of your personal space and your "stuff." If you think he won't be dangerous then I would have a chat with him.
My advice is to leave the landlord out of it unless it becomes unbearable.
What is a cracker house? Does that mean it is shaped like a cracker box?
You said your rent includes all utilities except cable and wifi. Any chance Mr. Know It Alls rent includes everything except electricity? Maybe he is paying the power bill, and so is wanting you to keep the power usage down to a minimum.
Tell him to mind his own f-cking business and not to touch any of your stuff. Then write a letter to the landlord threatening to move out if this harrassment does not stop. Include in the letter that you will be expecting a full refund of all deposit moneys if you are forced to move out because of his behavior and that you will go small claims court over said moneys if need be. Chances are the landlord will tell him to cut it out and, if it escalates the landlord will start looking for any excuse to evict him.
In the meantime, I would look for an actual apartment to move into instead of sharing a house.
What did your other housemates have to say about the guy? Is he bothering them, too?
Yes, he's like this with everyone. They just listen to him & blow it off.
It's difficult to decide which road to take in dealing with this guy. Is there any hint as to whether or not he is dangerous? Unscrewing your light bulbs is truly an invasion of your personal space and your "stuff." If you think he won't be dangerous then I would have a chat with him.
I don't believe he's dangerous. These were outside lights on the outside of the house.
My advice is to leave the landlord out of it unless it becomes unbearable.
What is a cracker house? Does that mean it is shaped like a cracker box?
A Florida cracker house is a big old wood house from back in the 20's to 40's. It's actually on the historical register as well. It was previously owned by a well known circus family. Not shaped like a cracker; just terminology.
It's actually a very cool home to live in, with the exception of Mr. Know It All.
You said your rent includes all utilities except cable and wifi. Any chance Mr. Know It Alls rent includes everything except electricity? Maybe he is paying the power bill, and so is wanting you to keep the power usage down to a minimum.
But even then, that's not the OPs problem. If that's the case, he needs to take it up with the Landlord.
Quite simply say "Touch my s*** again and we will have a discussion about whats yours is yours and whats mine is mine. Mkay?"
I would put a motion detector on the flood lights. Its just easier all around no matter what wierdie does.
Agree on the motion sensor. I would also put up a motion-activated hidden camera so I could document what the weirdo does. Give you ammo for the landlord to kick him the hell out.
You said your rent includes all utilities except cable and wifi. Any chance Mr. Know It Alls rent includes everything except electricity? Maybe he is paying the power bill, and so is wanting you to keep the power usage down to a minimum.
The landlord pays for all utilities except cable & wifi. The rooms rent for $425. I pay $50 more as I have the studio.
It's possible he's thinking his rent is going to go up if the a/c bill goes up. However, we have one person in the house who's home all day long, with his a/c on so I don't know get it.
Tell him to mind his own f-cking business and not to touch any of your stuff. Then write a letter to the landlord threatening to move out if this harrassment does not stop. Include in the letter that you will be expecting a full refund of all deposit moneys if you are forced to move out because of his behavior and that you will go small claims court over said moneys if need be. Chances are the landlord will tell him to cut it out and, if it escalates the landlord will start looking for any excuse to evict him.
In the meantime, I would look for an actual apartment to move into instead of sharing a house.
My rent is cheap, I'm in a great section of town and I'm paying off some debt at the moment so I don't want to move. Everyone else in the house is very cool.
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