Last night I had my roommate (who owns the house I live in, although I do pay my fair share of the rent) tell me that our living situation is "not a Democracy and that things are not up for negotiation." How would you react to this statement?
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ANSWERS: 9
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That would all depend on what she was referring to.
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Technically, she's right, of course. The owner or realtor does have a say over what type of behavior is permissible in her home. But she should at least give you some choices and display a willingness to negotiate. Maybe you should start looking for a new place to live. She sounds like she might be irascible, arbitrary, and difficult to please.
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Find a new place to live.
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There are two options: Live with her attitude. Move.
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Good good, I'd say as things are not up for negotiation, you can do the washing up, and clean the bathroom, I'm off to the pub, bye bye now
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I'd probably say or do something stupid.... What I'd like to think I’d do is give them time to cool down & then talk to them about it. I'd ask them whether they really felt like that or if they were just blowing off steam. I'd also express the fact that I am reasonable person & are quite happy to compromise about things if they are. Finally if they remain intransigent I'd explain that as a paying tenant I do actually have quite extensive rights protected by law if it came to that. Also, that if that’s going to be their attitude that I would move out, in my own time so kiss my arse!
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It is true: renting a house is a business transaction, not forming a community. Which means there is some contract, albeit it may be implicit - that you have agreed the way things are. If your roommate/landlord wants to change that contract, it cannot be done unilaterally, just as a normal landlord cannot suddenly change the terms of a lease without your consent. So you are not talking about a democratic election, you are talking about two parties to a contract negotiating for a change of terms. And if the basis for such a change was not written in the first place, it cannot be imposed, though it can be agreed.
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I'd rather live in my car than spend another night in the same house with a person who would speak to me that way.
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From a legal perspective, I suppose the home owner is correct. However...it sounds as if trouble is brewing and unless you've been kind of a jerk, I personally would be rather hurt and offended and I would probably start looking for a different situation. Perhaps one where all of the house mates are RENTING a place together and no one person of the roommate group OWNS the property! Unless the two of you have been disagreeing about some things...it seems rather a harsh statement to just spout off with!
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