I'm renting a room and paying half the bills, what are my rights?
 

I'm renting from an (home) owner. I want to smoke in my room but the owner says no way. Must smoke outside. Is it my right to smoke in my room that I paid for?

Not unless you agreed to the terms beforehand.

He owns it. His rules.

Edit: If it's within his home, the smoke and smell will proliferate throughout.

Nuts. Thanks.

PS actually I smoke a pipe. Many people like the smell and it doesn't stick to things like cigs do. So I'm actually pretty sure so long as I keep my door closed it wouldn't spread much. And it goes away quicker than cig smoke too. I figured if I burned some incense it shouldn't be too bad.

But oh well, guess I can't do anything.

Zeraph did you sign a lease or was this a verbal agreement?

If you want to have any protections and rights you really need to get them in the lease and upfront, especially if the landlord is sharing the same residence as you.

Verbal. Close friends. Wouldn't consider a contract or lease.

Then it looks like you and your pipe will be outside. Sorry.

Yuup. But its kinda lame though, roommate/landowner won't even give me a chance. I smoked it once in my room without thinking and no one noticed.

Its one of the perks of being the one making the rules, you can actually choose what you want.

You don't know how reason for making it - it could be smoke allergies, air quality, or just simply the fact that he doesn't allow smoking in his own house, period.

If it is that important to you to be able to smoke in your sleeping quarters, then your choice is really to sit down and ask him again, or find another place to live.

As a renter, you have the least rights of anyone. It's a hard fact at times and I feel the discrimination as a pet owner - my dog isn't hurting anyone, doesn't tear up places, and isn't much of a barker. Yet many places do not even give me the chance to make a case, and that is their right.



Y

Just checking: Is it you or the close friend who would not consider a contract or a lease? On the one hand 'hey ... we're buddies .. c'mon!' On the other hand, there are securities each of you hasn't got. Some might be relevant. I'm not questioning whether you trust each other, rather "we're making a survival and security-related agreement, so let's do it right at the beginning and at least have thought ahead toward possible unexpecteds"

As for my thoughts on the matter as it stands. Yup. Pipe outside. Fact that s/he's a close friend gives added reasons for either sticking to the rules regardless of owner notices on this or that day, or having jolly good talk, of moving somewhere else. Two of you operating on trust, therefore trust to be honoured.

Check also whether, because you're close friends, you might encounter further expectations. Eg to have guests sleep in your room from time to time, like after a party, etc.

One of my professor friends was truly disturbed one day when she came home unexpectedly to find the people renting her basement were burning incense. There was a "no smoking" clause in the lease. Incense, in her mind, was no different. She gave them a week to move out.

She has serious asthma problems and was messed up for a month after the incense disaster. Some landlords have valid reasons for demanding a no-smoking environment. Try to be sensitive to their needs.

Its me, there's just no way I'd ever consider needing to put our trust into some sort of cold contract.

I will just say that is a risk you take. I've personally chosen never to mix business and things like where I live with friendship for this very reason, because people DO change. It's not fun to think about and it is not a pretty sight, but I wish you the best.

It's kind of a "common law" thing that a tennant should do nothing that interferes with another's "peaceful and quiet enjoyment" of the premises, whether it is in writing or not.

Lindy

What they said, and as a smoker you are not part of a protected class so the owner can make that rule.

I wouldn't allow smoking in my house either so I can't really relate to your side of things.