Boards
What's the best way to tell your flatmate you'd rather they didn't renew their contract at your flat?
Hi everyone
I touched on this in a thread the other week but I'd really appreciate some advice on how not to be a complete arsehole. Or at least how to be an arsehole in the least arsehole-y way possible.
My flatmate's contract expires in early April. Mine doesn't (I've got a rolling contract 'cos I'm friends with my landlord). I'm not too keen for her to renew it and I'm trying to think of the best way to tell her as gently as possible. Background info is we're not friends (I found her through a "flat wanted" ad, she's not going to be utterly high and dry (her Dad lives in London and she lived with him before and could again, I'm going to give her two months notice and, if he found a job in time, she'd move out when the contract ended to live with her boyfriend anyway.
I'm not too keen to renew partly 'cos of finance (I pay about £50 more in bills than she does for various reasons due to me agreeing to things I shouldn't have agreed to when she moved in) and partly 'cos I know she doesn't really want to commit to six months and I might have to move out after six months so, if she stayed, but mostly 'cos it just isn't working. We have different lifestyles, want to watch different TV programmes, want to use the lounge for different things at different times (there's only two bedrooms and a lounge plus small kitchen and a bathroom so not may rooms) we've got different tastes in decoration (I find the flat very cluttered), different hobbies and interests, we don't socialise together and, particularly crucially in a small flat without much space, I really don't click with her boyfriend and things are tense whenever he's around.
I'm a bit passive and quiet about all this and just hide in my room so she may not realise how much all these things matter but I want to live with someone who I actually get on with rather than just lead a separate life to. And, you know, not hide in my room.
The other thing of course is technically I can't kick her out because it's the Landlord's decision. And I'd rather encourage her to understand we'd probably both feel more comfortable living with someone we were more suited to living with rather than force her out. Although I'm aware I am kind of doing that.
Anyway, so what's the nicest (but still firmest) way to try and sort this?
tl:dr yeah?
PS 100 points for the first "link her to this thread".