A
female
age
36-40,
anonymous
writes:Interacting with your housemate is a kind of relationship, right? My housemate and I are moving out. So we have to clean the place up thoroughly to get our bond money back. He's been living there for 10 months and I've been there just under 2 years, so he thinks it's only fair if he does less than half of the cleaning. I want to know if you think he should do less than half the cleaning or if half is fair? I did clean the place up a lot before looking for a housemate because I wanted someone tidy to move in, so the place was quite clean when he moved in, which is why I think he should contribute equally.Ok, that's my question over with, now feel free to stop reading and answer now, because the rest of it is a rant to make me feel better :)I think he should do more than half the cleaning because the whole time he's been here, he hasn't lifted a finger. Actually the last 2 months he has started to wash his own dishes, every 5 days or so. Before that I'd leave his dishes as long as I could handle it (usually a week) before doing them myself. He never once emptied the rubbish bin, though was an expert at filling it up with take away containers. He played loud movies and video games until 1 am most nights. He often spilt things like chocolate cake on the carpet and walk over it so it was hard for me to get it out. Now he's saying he never used the lounge room (he did at least as much as me) or the kitchen (he didn't cook often but when he did, it meant a 3 hour cleanup for me) though he did manage to drop an awful lot of take away pizza toppings on the kitchen floor. So yes, I feel like I've been cleaning up after this 35 year old boy for too long. Yesterday was our cleaning day for moving out and he showed up 3 hours late then kept going out for snacks and cleaning products. All he did was clean his ensuite and wash a stain he somehow made on his bedroom wall. While I scrubbed the stove and kitchen benches (he'd somehow got little black spots all over them), vacuumed the lounge room, dining room and kitchen floors, walls and roof, cleaned the toilet, shower and bathroom and I forget what else. Then my housemate complained when my boyfriend came over and I sat outside having a beer with him (after 7 hours of cleaning). I just feel like saying either you do all the weeding and pruning in the garden, or I keep your bond. Is that over the top of me? I can't tell because I'm fed up.
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female
reader, k_c100  +, writes (7 February 2011):
 Well yes he should have done some more cleaning, it was not fair for him to be so lazy and leave it all to you.
However it would be very wrong of you to keep his bond, unless he has caused damage to the property where you would need to pay for repairs. This sounds like a rental property (correct me if I'm wrong) so it is up to the landlord to decide whether he should get his bond back, not you.
All I can suggest is to talk to him if you still have more cleaning to do, and explain (calmly) how much mess he has made and how you are upset with the lack of contribution he has made to the clean up. If he is still acting like an idiot well there is not a lot you can do, you dont want to lose your bond so the place just needs to be cleaned up! Or hire a cleaner and get him to pay half - that would be another alternative.
Look on the bright side - at least you are moving out and dont need to live with the guy any more! Living with housemates is always tricky and sometimes annoying, it is just part of life that you need to accept and try to not let it get you down.
I hope this helps and good luck!
A
reader, anonymous, writes (7 February 2011): Of course that's not fair. It's petty and childish of him to insist he pay less than half.
What I would have originally suggested is this: get a third party/cleaning service to do and split the cost.
Why is he complaining about you having a beer?
Because he feels guilty that he didn't contribute and is looking to distract himself with any apparent laziness that you exhibit. He probably isn't aware you're so angry.
I don't think you can "talk" him into this. I wouldn't give him an ultimatum either. Tell him calmly that you are upset, and tell him you'de appreciate it if he did at least half the cleaning work...don't mention the bond. Ask him to do the weeding since you cleaned the common areas of the house. Don't be angry when you ask. This way you at least give him a fair chance. If he refuses, just do it yourself to get the bond money back.
If it's only your name on the leasing contract and the bond gets returned to you, I think you are justified in withholding more than half of that money back. For instance, pay yourself hourly for the hours he didn't contribute. Look up an average wage for a maid or cleaning service and pay yourself accordingly.
Explain it in a note when you send it. Just do it in a way that he can't come after you. Mail it to him.
The thing is, you are angry, but he isn't acknowledging it and he doesn't want to, so don't waste your time being angry. I've lived in a lot of houses and know how housemate drama can get. Hope you are moving on to a better place. Good luck.
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