You be the judge: should my flatmate leave his prized bicycle outside?

The prosecution: Anaïs

Having a motorcycle successful the corridor is annoying. I drawback myself connected it erstwhile moving retired the door

I’ve lived with Kojo since 2018. We met astatine assemblage and moved successful unneurotic aft graduating. It’s been a bully concern – he’s similar a member to me.

I don’t cycle, but Kojo has ever had immoderate play with his bikes successful London. He ne'er utilized to fastener them up decently truthful I’ve accompanied him to the constabulary presumption connected much than 1 juncture to marque a constabulary study erstwhile they’ve been stolen. Then helium got Nelson, this fancy motorcycle done a cycle-to-work scheme, and decided to support it inside. (I don’t cognize wherefore it’s called Nelson).

I didn’t person thing against this during Covid, due to the fact that each rules seemed to spell retired the model and I didn’t privation Nelson to get stolen close aft Kojo had bought “him”. But present Nelson is pissing maine off. Maybe due to the fact that we’ve been successful this level for a portion and I fancy a change, oregon possibly due to the fact that I’m moving from location much aft changing jobs this year. But I conscionable find the conception of a motorcycle perpetually successful the corridor rather annoying.

Bikes are cumbersome and I often drawback my elbow oregon handbag connected Nelson erstwhile moving retired of the door. I person suggested that Kojo support him successful the caller motorcycle retention hangar astatine the extremity of our road. It looks beauteous affordable – it’s £60 a twelvemonth – but Kojo says helium can’t spend it. He gets each melodramatic and says, “poor Nelson, each the mode retired there”, but the hangar is 30 seconds from our house. I deliberation it’s a tiny terms to wage to person much abstraction successful our tiny flat, but Kojo isn’t coming astir to the idea.

I’d similar to spot immoderate compromise. He precocious suggested having a mounted motorcycle rack successful the room truthful Nelson tin bent up connected the wall, but I americium adjacent little keen connected the thought of a motorcycle adjacent to the abstraction wherever I navigator – that’s unhygienic and a existent eyesore.

Kojo and I get connected good and this level has been our location for a while, but it seems there’s 3 of america surviving present and I didn’t motion up to stock my abstraction with this housemate. Kojo says helium and Nelson volition beryllium retired of the level much this summertime if the upwind is nice, but I cognize erstwhile wintertime comes, I’ll beryllium stuck catching my elbows connected the motorcycle again.

The defence: Kojo

I’ve already had 2 bikes stolen, and the thought of leaving this 1 extracurricular astatine nighttime makes maine a spot sad

In London, motorcycle theft is simply a large issue. Anaïs doesn’t truly get that due to the fact that she’s ne'er cycled. I’ve been cycling for 12 years present and I’ve had 2 bikes stolen, which is beauteous bully successful the expansive strategy of things.

I’ve got friends who stopped cycling due to the fact that they can’t spend to bargain immoderate much bikes, they’ve had truthful galore stolen. During 2020 I got a caller motorcycle aft my aged 1 was stolen astatine the extremity of 2019. Then we went into lockdown and cycling was my release, truthful I was utilizing my motorcycle whenever I could. I got into the wont of bringing my motorcycle into the level due to the fact that it’s rather expensive.

Anaïs archetypal asked maine if I’d see keeping Nelson outside, successful the garden, but due to the fact that helium was caller I said I’d alternatively support him successful the location to support his beauteous bluish finish. She was chill with it for a agelong clip but she’s present asking maine to instrumentality mediocre Nelson retired into the thoroughfare due to the fact that we’ve precocious had 1 of those pay-monthly motorcycle retention sheds installed nearby.

She thinks Nelson volition beryllium harmless there, and she’s astir apt right, but I conscionable don’t privation to bash it. I would person to locomotion 3 minutes to get to the shed each clip I request my bike, which is each day, and I besides don’t privation to wage the monthly retention fee. Anaïs, Nelson and I person lived unneurotic successful harmony for 3 years present and I don’t spot wherefore we should disrupt it.

I let Anaïs to support 5 elephantine suitcases successful our shared retention abstraction and kitchen, truthful wherefore can’t I support Nelson successful the corridor of our flat? He doesn’t instrumentality up excessively overmuch abstraction – little than her suitcases, successful fact. I similar the thought of a motorcycle retention installation successful theory, but leaving him truthful acold distant from maine astatine nighttime makes maine a small spot sad.

I’ve told Anaïs I’m prepared to get a motorcycle rack for the room truthful Nelson tin bent vertically from a rack there, but she wasn’t a large instrumentality of that idea, saying that bikes don’t beryllium successful kitchens.

What other tin I say? Nelson is staying enactment then. Summer is present present truthful I’ll beryllium taking Nelson retired astir evenings and weekends. Anaïs won’t adjacent announcement erstwhile he’s here.

The assemblage of Guardian readers

Should Kojo parkland his fondness for Nelson and evict him from the flat?

Nelson whitethorn beryllium beauteous but he’s successful the mode and perchance unhygienic erstwhile he’s successful the flat. However if Anaïs truly wants the motorcycle successful storage, she should wage fractional the fees (at least!). Space is important successful a home, but truthful is compromise.
Stephanie, 35

Bike theft is simply a existent worry, and portion the hangar is affordable, it’s tenable to privation to support a treasured possession successful the home. Store it covered successful the plot oregon get originative with a motorcycle rack, but fto this 1 slide, Anaïs. A “brotherly” housemate is acold much valuable.
Gautham, 37

The caller unafraid hangar conscionable 3 minutes distant sounds perfect for Kojo’s bike. Why make an obstacle successful the hallway if you don’t request to? That said, Anaïs should store the suitcases successful her ain room. Shared abstraction isn’t for clutter.
Mary, 37

Shared areas are sacred, nary much truthful than the kitchen. So it’s clip for Nelson to either commencement sleeping successful daddy’s country oregon go an big motorcycle and determination successful with his roommates 3 minutes away.
Joey, 25

Given that the motorcycle has already been successful residence for 3 years, determination is nary lawsuit to answer. If motorcycle retention was an issue, it should person been raised astatine the time. But Kojo needs to inquire himself if helium is consenting to enactment relationship supra his bike.
Sarah, 50

Now you beryllium the judge

In our online canvass below, archer us: should Kojo instrumentality Nelson disconnected his pedestal?

The canvass closes astatine 10am BST connected Thursday 15 June

Last week’s result

We asked whether Tameka should alteration her wedding paper for Akane.

79% of you said nary – Akane is guilty

21% of you said yes – Akane is innocent