Yes just one months notice is required to end the lodger agreement, since they pay rent monthly, hence I can take a chance and see how things work out. I would not have offered a room to this person if I was a live out landlord. I have in the past been a live out landlord, in that situation landlord references are essential. When I was last advertising there were red flags for all who were interesting in viewing the property. This was the only person who turned up to the viewing who was in employment. The room had been empty for two months, with no voids prior to that time other than a day or two between tenancies. These aren't normal times, although hopefully things will start to improve soon.
Live in landlord situations put some people off, I fully understand that due to past experiences I have had myself as a lodger. I learned from my own bad experiences. So in times like these I feel I can't bee too choosy.
The situation with this lodger now is that they are not speaking to me, don't even respond when I say hi to them. They have twice spilt sodium hydroxide on wooden kitchen worktops in the past month while making large batches of soap. I spoke to them after first seeing damage, as shown by the black spots on the worktop in the attached picture, and they did this again a few weeks after. I have twice had to sand down worktop sections and oil again, looks a little patchy now, ideally I need to refinish the whole surface. I had to chase for the last rent payment which was overdue. They keep closing the bathroom window before having a shower and leaving it closed, this leaves walls covered in condensation. They play bass music in their room, below mine, not loud but the bass and vibrations affect my concentration while working from home.
The reason for leaving the last place was they say due to a problem with the heating. The central heating wasn't working they said. The landlord had supplied mobile heaters for bedrooms but not communal spaces. At the time of moving it was getting warmer so I doubt now that was the reason for moving. They advised they couldn't give a reference from the last landlord so it seems the relationship had broken down and it has with me too, so there is a pattern here. They mentioned the street the house was on, around the corner from my place. I saw the full address on boxes they threw outside I then needed to break down for recycling. Their last place has an immaculate high maintenance front garden full of flowers, the house looks well maintained, the look of the house tells me that was likely also a live in landlord situation.
They brought stuff to my house in two stages, a second van load arrived two weeks after the first, far more stuff than any of my lodgers has had, perhaps some was in storage, they are even filling up spaces on top of the kitchen cupboards.
I plan to move out of the property in a few months, I'm applying for new jobs in other places. When I move the lodgers become tenants. I have another lodger who has been here 2.5 years and no problems there. I think future damage to the kitchen, mould in the bathroom, annoying the next person I rent my current bedroom to, and potential high tenant turnover is a likely outcome of this lodger becoming a tenant. As a tenant in this situation I would feel this person has taken over a bit. Also I feel a risk of not paying rent given I had to chase for the last payment.
I feel with this lodger the problems are too many to resolve and they aren't likely to be resolved and that my best option is to give notice before I move out? Thoughts on this are appreciated.