advise ryan re: her living situation

even though the rental agreement says you must give 30 days notice to leave, you have an understood right called 'quiet enjoyment'. This entitles you to be able to use all parts of the property included in the lease without any unreasonable outside interference. This right is being violated by the extended house guests and their refusal to stop using your stuff. You can legally move out whenever you please...

I get the feeling that you would like to stay where you are but not have the extra non-rent-paying houseguests around. I would approach the house owner(s) with the fact that you have every right to move out and still receive a full return of your deposit and any rent which was paid for time after you move out. Also state that you would like to stay, but are having a hard time with the houseguests. You should NOT confront the houseguests personally, as it is not your resposibillity, it is the owner's.

If you have any questions or need me to try and track down the exact wording of the quiet enjoyment law pertaining to your area...feel free to ask in my journal...as I will probably not be checking the boards any more tonight.

also...if you do decide to stay in the house...I would start looking for sales on items like a microwaves, furniture, ect. You can usually find good deals on these things around the hollidays and just before a college semester starts...also christmas is around the corner...you may put some of these things on your list...they arent quite as nice as new clothes or CD's, but they are a practical gift.

If you have the agreement scanned, It'd be nice to see it -- at least as far as seeing what exactly is guaranteed in terms of waiving your need to a 30-day notice should you decide to vacate.

Also, is your rental agreement a month-to- month agreement or is it for a fixed term? How much warning do they have to give you if they are not going to accept your rent for the next month and extend it for another month if it is a month-to-month affair? I just ask because you never know how people will react to a letter of complaint.

When you do write your letter do you have any contingencies planned? If these two are bandmates and your landlord is the owner, will the endgame be you leaving if the owner decides to basically say "Their having a place to stay and be comfortable trumps whatever you think you are entitled to under the agreement. Take it up with them as a matter of personal courtesy, not as a landlord/tennant matter"?

I don't know the financial situation at all, but perhaps a move to a small place of your own would allow you the breathing space to find the job that would allow you to pay for a better place more easily. Anyway, sorry I'm only admitted in New York and not Oregon, or I'd be of more help, but my gut is that at a very personal dealing of acquaintance to acquaintance room renting, principles of landlord/tennant law such as enjoyment of common areas and constructive eviction really have no bearing. Those really only matter practically if one is willing to go to court to litigate them . Those doctrines could be best used anyway as defenses that would be raised if you withheld rent and the landlord moved to evict or sued you for back rent. I mean it's not like you are going to go to a court and move for an injunction against the bandmates.

If the bandmates have a little income, how about they use it to move their crap into a storage locker if they are going to be slobbing around much longer?

As a last resort, maybe try a Ryan's New Place Security Deposit Fund. We got you to San Francisco, after all.

Having a solid and quiet home is essential. If you can't base out of a good place, there really is very little good feeling to take into your day. Is

Start looking for another place when you get back. While this situation might resolve itslef while you are off on your trip, as long as you have roommates there will always be issues with them. You won't really have a safe calm place to call home until you live alone.

If you do start to look for a new place, check out portland rental service. This is where I got my place specifically because they are pet friendly. There is no pet deposit, you just pay additional rent. I believe for pets over 55 lbs it is an extra $30 a month.

Other than that, I think you have gotten some pretty good advice. Be clear with your landlord that this has to be resolved soon or you will have to go. It is as simple as that. Once this issue is resolved, I would really sit down with R and make sure that this kind of situation is not going to come up again. That would be my biggest concern.

Back in the day when I lived with my ex, and a room-mate, it was a constant rollercoaster. We all had friends surfin for awhile then just the three of us then some one else would crash. It was back when we did alot of drugs tho and those personal space things never bugged me as much as they do now. I freak out on my kids sometimes when they're in my room without permission. But then again I do live on my own for the most part. So I have no one to blame for my troubles but myself. That in and of itself is scary enough to keep me living on my own for awhile longer still.

The thing that ultimately did it for me and my ex was when she stepped on a syringe needle that had been broken off from the shaft. She was four or so months pregnant. I had to literally keep her from punchin the dude(more for her health then any other reason). We moved out the next week and had never lived with another person as a room-mate since. I guess I'm saying don't put up with too much shit, not that you haven't already. You definately need to set up a line. An ultimatum if you wish. get a lock for your shit. Or start to casually look for apartments at the kitchen table. A subtle hint...Of course on the other hand maybe their trying to drive you off? In which case you can email me to break some legs or somethin...capiche?

I think that the way that you've handled it so far is cool, and now you need to approach the house owners/elders (T and J?) and say "them or me" and follow up. Pet deposits, especially in the Northwest, are an option at moist places. From what you say, you're the only one with a backbone, and decorum has prohibited you thus far. Adage: If it happens once, shame on them. If it happens twice, shame on me.
People will hook you up, if you go it alone. Treana and I have a pretty much new microwave that we bought right before we bought our house, which has a built in one. Just a thought, but it's yours, if you want it. Good luck, Kid.

advice?