I rent a room from a coworker temporarily until I get out of the Marines and move elsewhere. I've lived there for about 4 months just me and him until his fiancee's visa was approved. Now she and her two kids live there as well. Since I am paying to live there I believe the kids should be kept out of my space however my friend and his fiancee don't see the harm in it. I also have a dog which I do not want table fed because he gets sick and it just isn't healthy. I also don't want him walked by the kids without adult supervision. For one, the dog only listens to commands from me so if he did get loose the kids wouldn't be able to call him back. Secondly for the kids safety, my dog is pretty strong and can pull me off balance at times so I fear the dog could pull the kids into the street and get hit by a car. I obviously can't be home at all times to make sure they respect my requests. The dog was sick this past weekend obviously from tablescraps and I came home one day to find the kids preparing to take him for a walk. My roomate thinks I am to picky about these things and I feel that it really isn't that much to ask. I mean how hard is it to 1. dont feed dog 2. don't walk dog 3. stay out of room. The situation is difficult because it's not my place to discipline the kids or tell the fiancee what to do in her own house. My roomate is for the lack of a better term &@$$^ whipped so he'll do anything to please her and doesn't have the cahones to enforce the rules. How do you think I should go about enforcing these rules without coming across like an @sshole?

 

I have to side with you on this. This guy is a Marine? Withhold rent until your requests and legal right to (quiet enjoyment) of the premises are respected. Tenants do have rights.

 

Yes, we are both Marines.

 

What jrfblueeyes said: Withhold rent until your requests are met. They're not impossible, merely what any person should have - privacy and respect for them and their possessions. NO ONE should be in your room without your permission, especially. That's a big no-no.

 

It sounds like you've got your boundaries in the correct place, but your landlord doesn't. The law is very clear, once you rent a space, the landlord has no right to access without your permission.

Once the fiancee, wife and/or kids enter the equation, the situation changes a lot. He may now be looking for a way out.

1. If he's a friend and you don't want to screw that up, keep asking him to respect your boundaries and start looking for a new place.

2. If he's a coworker and you don't want a lot of bad blood, try the withholding rent idea but start looking for a new place.

3. If you think he or his fiancee will be jerks or if you are worried about legal ramifications, you should deposit the rent withheld in an "escrow account" and notify him in writing of the conditions.

 

Jonboy - Doug Adams!!!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 'smyroad
[B]Jonboy - Doug Adams!!!