Short term lodger

zoomy

I'm currently looking for a sharer/lodger to help we with the mortgage and have been approached by someone who needs somewhere for about a month as their tenancy agreement runs out before they get the keys to the house they have purchased. The disadvantage to me is obviously that with only a short term let I'll have to find another sharer in the very near future. I think this probably warrants charging a little more - how much do you guys think is reasonable?

G_M

Lodging is not like renting. Lodgers have no security, so it's often a shorter term arrangement. I don't think a premium is justified.

You've saved on advertising costs, got a lodger easily, can dip your toe in the sharing experience and see how you like (or dislike!) it.

Make sure you have a deposit though, and clear agreement/rules.

Many agencies will credit check your lodgers eg Paragonadvance (£8 basic, £35 full)

Check your insurance policy too.

Tax details here.

Incyder

I'm a lodger and pay £70 cash a week, in advance each week. Thats inclusive of all services (no bills) exept phone which I don't use anyway.

I paid no deposit and would never do as with no rights it doesnt benefit me in any way, and may be a nightmare to get back.

It depends where you live and how nice your house is how much to charge.
Does the lodgers room have en-suite and sky tv and broadband wi-fi, MINE DOES NOT.

tbs624

Have you paid out for any advertising or just been approached after word of mouth ? If the latter not sure why you think it warrants an increase over what you had originally planned to charge. Look at this way, it gives you a trial run at being a Lodger LL

Yorkie1

I think you need a gas safety certificate if you have a lodger in your house, check this out first.

paddyz

I have 2 lodgers and i think you should just charge the going rate but if you really think it warrants more dont go overboard, and i have enjoyed the experience fully we all get on really well, hope it goes well for you, i have aways asked for a returnabe deposit and my lodgers pay monthly, all in all you have to be fairly open minded, and be considerate of them as you like them to be of you, try not to have too many rules, and pick your lodgers wisely, Good luck

tomitma

Why do you warrant that you have to charge extra, actually this person is doing you a favour, you havent a lodger at the moment, so you are getting no money, when she moves in for a month, you will then have a month, to look for a new lodger, moving in on the day she moves out. SIMPLE.

I STILL DONT UNDERSTAND WHY SOMEONE WOULD CHARGE EXTRA

G_M

tomitma wrote: »

Why do you warrant that you have to charge extra, actually this person is doing you a favour, you havent a lodger at the moment, so you are getting no money, when she moves in for a month, you will then have a month, to look for a new lodger, moving in on the day she moves out. SIMPLE.

I STILL DONT UNDERSTAND WHY SOMEONE WOULD CHARGE EXTRA

Greed?.....

zoomy

G_M wrote: »

Greed?.....

Maybe? After all I am looking for a lodger as I'd like some money:rotfl:

In my defence I'd rather have someone who would stay longer term as
1) it costs to advertise
2) Time commitment - have to be in for viewings/interviews and when someone is moving in or out
3) Normally end up with a gap between lodgers so taking someone short term will give me 5 weeks rent then a gap where as someone looking to stay longer term is more likely to result in a longer term income ... say I charge £70pw my income for the next 8 weeks is likely to be £350 with the short term lodger (5 weeks rent, 3 week void) or £560 with a longer term person (and yes, I know, no guarantees the longer term person will stay but it is more likely!)

I sympathised with the person looking for (and struggling to find) somewhere to stay for a short time and wondered if a slightly higher rent would be a compromise and was asking for peoples views as I didn't want to be too greedy with what I asked. Based on your responses it looks like it's the longer term lodger for me and the local B+B for the house mover!

Brb

LMAO

I do love these threads when ppl come asking for advice and then totally ignore it because it wasn't what they wanted to hear.

I wish you good luck, hope the "what if" fairy doesn't bite you in the bum and you end up without a lodger for 6 weeks.

Brilliant residential LL on here is badger_lady - search for her monumental thread, makes for glorious reading

Actually, I'll pop back with an edit with the link in a mo.

Edit: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/917993 it's 86 pages long mind you LOL

tbs624

I don't follow your logic on the advertising - if the short term bod has come to you without you needing to advertise and you would be turning them down,, then you would have to pay to advertise anyway surely? What's the difference between doing that now and doing it later for when the short term lodger would be moving on?

What's with the pre-determined 3 week void? If you handled it well you could have the short term one moving out and the new one moving in within the next couple of days.

It's not a huge time commitment for move ins/outs and ,as with the advertising, you still have to do the viewings bit whether the long term lodger moves in straight away or after the short term person. It's not additional.

Good luck anyway, with however you choose to handle it. You may find it useful to look at the Lodger Landlord.co.uk webpages.