Furnishing room for future lodger

Kynthia

Make sure you get a lodger agreement and not an AST. Also make sure you are really happy with the terms of notice and any fixed length agreement, as it might sound good to require a month's notice money wise it doesn't sound good when you are living with someone who scares you. Shorter is better when they are under your roof.

katejo

RAS wrote: »

You need to start by learning the diference between a lodger and a tenant.

If you are only letting a room and your income is less than £370 per month, you do not need to declare your income to the HMRC - you use the rent a room allowance

It's less than £350 not £370 for rent a room. you don't have to put the deposit in a special account for a lodger. I have never done so (but have always returned deposits). The £350 includes gas, electricity etc.

Insurers who allow a lodger include Nationwide, Direct Line and Aviva. I have used them all at different times. You do need to let your mortgage lender know but there is not usually a problem with permission.

If your lodger has their own tv, they have to buy their own licence in their name. They can't share your licence and you can't buy one for them. The only exception is if they are related to you.

jc808

katejo wrote: »

If your lodger has their own tv, they have to buy their own licence in their name. They can't share your licence and you can't buy one for them. The only exception is if they are related to you.

no, only if they have a self contained room, ie you are a live out landlord

Kynthia

katejo wrote: »

If your lodger has their own tv, they have to buy their own licence in their name. They can't share your licence and you can't buy one for them. The only exception is if they are related to you.

You only need a separate license if the lodger lives in a separate flat or annex. The rules are complex though people should alway check with the TV licensing website rather than using common sense as house sharers with seperate tenancies for their bedroom need to have separate TV licenses even though they live in the same house.

summerholiday

I am taking all your comments on board.

Kynthia: Can I buy these lodger agreements or do you mean formulate one myself?

00er25: My boiler is just 2 years old and has, I realise now, only been serviced, not certified by Vaillant with a gas safety certificate.

The reason for providing a fridge and kettle was given to me by a friend who rents out a few properties. But of course he doesn't live with together with them.

I will now just place the fridge in the kitchen. They will have a place for provisions, etc. They will also have use of the dishwasher.

Also I ensured the shared bathroom has proper drawer units, so they will have a drawer in the bathroom and for towels.

Fire Fox: I like the idea of the Ikea Beddinge. I hadn't really considered it as I thought they were only for short term useage. I do actually have a sofabed in the lounge which I have found quite hard and unforgiving to sleep on and I have also seen some with a metal bar going right across the middle of the bed. But I will investigate this further as it would impact the space positively. If not would a 3'6" bed be acceptable? Given more space I would choose an adult sized bed.

It is surprising how alcoves and bay windows impact what you can and can't do in a space.

And no I am not trying to create a bedsit, it was a friend who rents out property who suggested it because he maintained people want to feel as though they are in a Travelodge.

I certainly do not want them to feel as though they are in a prison cell

anotherginger: Points taken.
Plenty of mirrors in this house - some are even stored in the loft!

BitterandTwisted: Always value your responses. I suppose I am not used to living with someone for a long time and want to keep things on a less family-type footing. The rent will definitely be over the £4,250 pa and therefore will be declarable.


Olly300: I have never lodged but only had 14 years of shared renting with others in a huge flats in West Berlin. We were all on an equal footing and divided everything up and had many many long discussions from cleaning rotas - sometimes ignored to washing up or kept their plates/trays in their room until they ran out, task divisions, politics, and emancipation, vistors overstaying their visits, telephone bills, coal purchasing and being at home to receive it on the 4th floor and not only tipping the coalmen but getting and giving them schnapps to drink after the job and so on. But as you know it takes some more time to be a responsible and considerate flat sharer than others. But it did get better. Exhausting but Happy days - cheaper too!

RAS: Despite having read yours and BitterandTwisteds' commentaries over the past year, it is only now that I am taking it all onboard- so I'm learning on the hoof.

I live in the south where rents are definitely higher that £370 exclusive. The difficulty with renting exclusive is that I would always be asking the lodger to pay different sums of monies for bills and thought it easier to clear with one payment per month - with a clause for extra during a really bad winter! I realise that I pay tax on the basic rent per annum inclusive of bills. I don't want to be discusssing money with them all the time.

breadlinbetty: Yes, and the smell of pot noodles, and I've just had the carpet deep-cleaned too and yes it is better to start on the right footing. Its so easy to be casual and then some thing like not clearing the plug of hair after use. Should they help me with the cleaning or not. Its different when you are the one on charge. I will definitely be checking out their general attitude to lodging and how often they will want to bring g/b friends.

Katejo: Re: televisions I do have quite a few tv connections but at present only use Sky - so how would the BBC licensing divison know whether or not the tv belonged to me or them?

Phew - new to this game of participating in a forum, tried once last year but could never seem to manage my password until now so this is my second time! So forgive the timelapse.

Yorkie1

Just to follow up one comment you've made about the boiler being serviced by Vaillant with a safety certificate.

You need a landlord's gas safety certificate. Any registered gas installer (gas safe) person can do one; it'll probably cost about £50-60. It's completely different from a boiler manufacturer's service.

Fire_Fox

You are doing great, plenty of information. Sounds like you will be a thoughtful and considerate landlord/ lady!

You are quite right sooooo many sofa beds are either horribly uncomfortable as a bed or as a sofa, I was pleasantly surprised with the Beddinge given I have insomnia. But you might feel differently if you sit/ lie/ jump on it, we are all different. A small double bed as you suggest would also do well, they give you space to stretch and are fine for occasional guests. As you say you have to work with the space. IMO using alcoves for tall storage like wardrobes or deep shelves diminishes the 'look' of a chimney breast and is practical.

katejo

Kynthia wrote: »

You only need a separate license if the lodger lives in a separate flat or annex. The rules are complex though people should alway check with the TV licensing website rather than using common sense as house sharers with seperate tenancies for their bedroom need to have separate TV licenses even though they live in the same house.

No that is not the case. I had a frustrating conversation with the TV licensing authority about this several years ago and they sent me an email about it. A lodger can only avoid having their own licence for a private tv if they both live in the same house as the landlord (not a self contained flat) and are a member of their family or an au pair.

This is stated on the TV licensing website.

Fire_Fox

katejo wrote: »

No that is not the case. I had a frustrating conversation with the TV licensing authority about this several years ago and they sent me an email about it. A lodger can only avoid having their own licence for a private tv if they both live in the same house as the landlord (not a self contained flat) and are a member of their family or an au pair.

This is stated on the TV licensing website.

I was always under the impression that one mark of a separate household is if they have a lock on the door - so student halls, nurses homes, HMOs need a license. But as you say
"If you are a lodger and you have a separate tenancy agreement for your room you need your own TV Licence if you watch or record television programmes as they are being shown on TV. This TV Licence will also cover the communal areas. You can buy a TV Licence online.
If you have a joint tenancy agreement one TV Licence may cover the whole house. However, there may be other reasons why you need your own separate TV Licence, such as whether or not you have exclusive access to a toilet or washing facilities. If you are unsure whether this applies to your particular circumstances please contact us to find out more information."
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs/FAQ51/

Wonder what happens if you are a lodger with no tenancy agreement? :think: Also would a landlady not need a license at all if they don't have a TV in their own bedroom, only in the living area?

katejo

Fire_Fox wrote: »

I was always under the impression that one mark of a separate household is if they have a lock on the door - so student halls, nurses homes, HMOs need a license. But as you say
"If you are a lodger and you have a separate tenancy agreement for your room you need your own TV Licence if you watch or record television programmes as they are being shown on TV. This TV Licence will also cover the communal areas. You can buy a TV Licence online.
If you have a joint tenancy agreement one TV Licence may cover the whole house. However, there may be other reasons why you need your own separate TV Licence, such as whether or not you have exclusive access to a toilet or washing facilities. If you are unsure whether this applies to your particular circumstances please contact us to find out more information."
http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/faqs/FAQ51/

Wonder what happens if you are a lodger with no tenancy agreement? :think: Also would a landlady not need a license at all if they don't have a TV in their own bedroom, only in the living area?

The link which you have is confusing as it refers to a tenancy agreement and lodgers don't have tenancies. When i queried the need for my lodger to have a licence, I was referred to the following:

If you’re a lodger and have a relationship with the homeowner – for example, a family member, common law partner, a nanny, au pair or housekeeper You’re covered by the homeowner’s TV Licence if they have one, provided you live in the same building. If you live in self contained accommodation such as a separate flat or annex you need your own separate licence.

Lodgers who are not relatives, nanny, etc. have to have their own licence.

This is taken from http://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/check-if-you-need-one/for-your-home/tenants-and-lodgers-aud2/

I am a landlady and have my own licence which covers me for use of a tv in the living area and my bedroom. The lodger is welcome to watch my living room tv but needs a licence for his own tv in the bedroom.