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I've rented a room for three months; the last two and a half months, pretty well without issue. There is the live-in LL, two other roommates and myself.
Since I've been there, I have, prepared mostly light breakfasts and suppers, with maybe a sandwich in between. The only thing that could be considered *heavy cooking* was making a couple of pots of gumbo and one pot of chili and beans. I clean up after myself and I clean the shared bathroom once a week, empty the trash and take out the garbage cans. I don't mind doing this.
A couple of weeks ago, I left a small uncleaned pot and bowl in the sink, soaking for a couple of hours. When I went into the kitchen next, she, the LL, had cleaned the pot and bowl and then berates me for ten minutes about how needs to stay off her feet and how it's not right to have to clean up after someone else, it's not part of her job and she was going to start charging for it.
Later that evening, I guess I forgot the porch light on, I don't remember. The next day we were all treated to sign on the wall about turning the lights off or be charged for 'training and babysitting'.
I guess the last straw was making a pot of gumbo using the Christmas turkey carcass for stock.
Everything was okay till I started straining the stock. She went ballistic on me claiming I poured animal fat down the drain. The fat was separated into a pan and I asked her what I should do about it. She tells me to put it in a glass jar and place it in the garbage. I did. Then, after I had cleaned up, she went ballistic again, claiming I had dropped a pot and chipped the tile on the sink, she saw me... running her finger for several seconds across the tile, and pointing out a small black speck on the white tile, that had obviously been there a while. I tried photographing it, and it's too small to show up in a photo. Then, she goes off again about how my kitchen privileges are suspended immediately for damaging property.
The next day, there was another sign posted with an article about the hazard of pouring grease down a drain.
I thought about it for a couple of hours and sent her a text stating that I have been around for a while, am not ignorant and this is ridiculous. The next day, she sends me a text stating that I will be charged for damaging property and Roto-Rooter because 'she saw it happen'... par. 13 of rental agreement.
I texted back that it this could be considered fraud. She texts me, "You rent and pay for a room. You have access to a shared bath, U [sic] were made aware Id [sic] extend a courtesy/privilege to you 4 [sic] laundry, and kitchen for Light cooking. A courtesy, not a Right. Providing you leave it clean, and clean my items used afterwords [sic]. You view [sic] several offerings so if you didn't like the terms you had other options. We do not Share the home or any other features of the home. I advertised a room for rent, and that's all. Hope this clears up any confusion."
Now the laundry room is locked, and there is a sign over the stove: "Hi there - If anyone wants to use my kitchen - please ask me first. If ONE abuses the privilege it affects ALL. Thanks."
We had a *long* discussion on the *rules* before I decided to rent and I had no clue I was getting involved in this. "Courtesy/privilege" for laundry, "Light cooking", and "A courtesy, not a Right" were never mentioned. Things were good and there were no issues for two and a half months. Neither was any of this stated in the Craigslist ad, which I still have a copy, or the Rental Agreement:
furnished
private room
no private bath
laundry on site
off-street parking
NICE FURNISHED ROOM IN 4 BEDROOM HOME, N.E. MODESTO VILLAGE ONE AREA. UTILITIES AND CABLE HOOK-UP, LAUNDRY AND KITCHEN PRIVILEGES. AVAILABLE FOR ONE PERSON. DRAMA FREE ENVIRONMENT.
RENT $485.00 MONTHLY PLUS DEPOSIT.
***-****(phone number redacted) TEXT IS PREFERRED, LEAVE YOUR INFO. THANKS
---
"RESIDENTIAL MONTH-TO-MONTH RENTAL AGREEMENT
[...]
13. MAINTENANCE: Tenant shall properly use and operate all furniture, furnishings and appliances, electrical, gas and plumbing fixtures and keep them clean and sanitary as their condition permits. Excluding ordinary wear and tear. Tenant shall notify Landlord and pay for all repairs and replacements caused by Tenant(s) or Tenants invitees negligence or misuse. Tenant's personal property is not insured by Landlord.
[...]
23. ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS: (handwritten) tenant to maintain room & furnishings in good clean condition, clean up after self in Regards to Bathroom and Kitchen."
[...]
FORM RA-14, CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS, c.1987.
---
What did I do wrong? I need some kind of temporary relief from this hostility while I'm still living there. Suggestions?
I have enough to pay the rent, but not to move. It seems to me that this is a crazy person that has some serious OCD control issues and feels the need to change the *privileges* depending on their mood. I cannot afford to eat out all the time, and am waiting for my bathroom privileges to be suspended... there has already been one sign placed in the bathroom about not leaving the seat up on the toilet because the dog drinks from it.
Last edited by Ultrarunner; 01-01-2016 at 10:21 PM..
Stay in your room, clean up the bathroom after yourself only, do not cook, do not clean the kitchen, take your clothes to the laundromat, move as soon as possible.
Stay in your room, clean up the bathroom after yourself only, do not cook, do not clean the kitchen, take your clothes to the laundromat, move as soon as possible.
Thanks! This confirms my suspicions. I kinda figured it would only add more gasoline to the flame if I interacted and didn't lay low. It's distressing because it took almost three months to manifest and is really putting a kink in my mental attitude and work schedule. I've literally been camping out at Starbucks and working off my laptop.
Thanks! This confirms my suspicions. I kinda figured it would only add more gasoline to the flame if I interacted and didn't lay low. It's distressing because it took almost three months to manifest and is really putting a kink in my mental attitude and work schedule. I've literally been camping out at Starbucks and working off my laptop.
Your place of residence should be a place to relax and unwind not be stressed and nervous
Stay in your room, clean up the bathroom after yourself only, do not cook, do not clean the kitchen, take your clothes to the laundromat, move as soon as possible.
^ This. She's an unreasonable nutjob.
And (unfair as it is) don't plan on getting your security deposit back.
Last edited by Jkgourmet; 01-02-2016 at 08:33 AM..
And (ufair as it is) don't plan on getting your security deposit back.
Why wouldn't the OP get their deposit back? They are on a MTM so if they give their required notice to move they should get their deposit back if there is no proved damage or unpaid rent. Nutjob or not.
Can you get a 2nd job for a month or two so you can save extra money to move asap? Maybe a weekend job somewhere? Don't tell them you will quit after a month or two else they won't hire you. Who knows, maybe you like the 2nd job and can keep it for a longer period so you can keep saving to have emergency money for the future too.
While still living there, stay in your room as much as possible at the current rental or stay away like you have been doing. She's too picky to have roommates.
She will find issues with other things you do pretty soon also. Like closing a door too loudly or TV too loud in your room or if you leave the house early and take a shower and awake her early or who knows what. Maybe if you get a package delivered she will have issues. You will never please her so you have to come up with a plan to save enough money so you can move out.
Why wouldn't the OP get their deposit back? They are on a MTM so if they give their required notice to move they should get their deposit back if there is no proved damage or unpaid rent. Nutjob or not.
I predict the nutjob will refuse to refund it. Which is why I used the word "unfair".
I predict the nutjob will refuse to refund it. Which is why I used the word "unfair".
Thanks for clarifying otherwise it could have been misconstrued by the OP to believe if they move there is no way they will get their sec dep back. They should fight for it back, if need be, whether LL is a nutjob or not.
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