Lodgers - what bills they can contribute to?

daphne_descends

roses, at least you COULD ask her to leave - you've just described my ex-housemate, who was also my best friend - until we lived together. it's hard to be bossy with your mate, especially when the one time you ask them to do something you are compared to their evil stepmother. good riddance to bad rubbish.

oh, and I bought a digibox last year and got chased for a TV licence, as it's in my partner's name. PITA.

bristol_pilot

Unlike tenants, lodgers have no rights - you can chuck them out anytime. A fixed price is best for rent, make sure it covers all that you would want it to cover. It is not reasonable to expect that the bills will not go up if you get a lodger - they will. Also the lodger will expect to keep warm, take baths etc ! Foreign students often find the UK cold and will turn the heating up. If you charge more than about £350 pcm in total, you have to declare it on your tax form. A lodger would not normally expect to take part in cleaning, except their own room.

olly300

bristol_pilot wrote: »

A lodger would not normally expect to take part in cleaning, except their own room.

That explains it and it actually matches what Shelter says on their website:
"A lodger rents a room in the landlord's home. S/he may receive some services from the landlord, such as meals, laundry or cleaning."

Out of all the people I know the only ones happy with their lodger have:
1. A lodger who works longer hours than they do so they control the heating
2. Don't expect them to do any cleaning but don't let them make a mess in any communal areas.

pinkshoes

I would include all the fixed bills (TV, Sky TV, council tax, phone line, broadband etc...) in with the monthly rent, and the other bills (gas, electricity, water, phonecalls) can be added on accordingly, because then they might be a little more careful about how much electricity they use.

Melissa177

There is another aspect: how is having a lodger going to affect your relationship with your girlfriend?

Two of my friends (a couple) rented out a room to a lodger. The guy got along with the lodger, and didn't mind the mess he made, but the girl did. The couple ended up their four year relationship over it.

They are now back together - minus the lodger! However, one of the girl's friends has just broken up with her boyfriend, and is staying with the couple. The guy is starting to get a bit annoyed, although the girl likes having her girlfriend around. I hope this isn't another relationship breaker!

roses

bristol_pilot wrote: »

....It is not reasonable to expect that the bills will not go up if you get a lodger - they will. Also the lodger will expect to keep warm, take baths etc ! Foreign students often find the UK cold and will turn the heating up. If you charge more than about £350 pcm in total, you have to declare it on your tax form. A lodger would not normally expect to take part in cleaning, except their own room.

There is a big difference in a small increase because of 1 extra person in the house & your bills tripling because your lodger doesn't want to wear a jumper when she is cold & prefers to prance around in a tiny mini skirt & tiny top (even in January!). I also don't think it's unreasonable to share the cleaning. I treat a lodger as if they are a housemate. We share the responsibilities as if we were renting from another landlord, the only difference being I will fix things asap when they go wrong & do small things around the house to make it a nice place to live.

Just make sure you are clear from the start before they move in about what is important to you to set some expectations & try to document it in an informal contract.

litaus

roses wrote: »

...I also don't think it's unreasonable to share the cleaning. I treat a lodger as if they are a housemate. ...

You could always add £40 a month and employ a cleaner for the communal areas, stating in your contract that own rooms are own responsibility, and that you expect it clean when returned.

As a reformed foreigner, I must admit that I was extremely resentful of people having cold houses (used to be a nanny too, so spent most of my time in someone else's house) and the one cardi I did have was acrylic - I was going to say hopefully she'll outgrow it, but as she's already older than me...

roses

My house is very hot, when I have guests over they always ask me to turn the heating down. I am also quite a cold person. I normally wear 4 layers to work in the winter. I can assure you it's not me being stingy with the heating. My lodger just likes to be insanely hot. It's not normal using the central heating at 25'C in addition to an electric heater in this weather! Also she is UK born.

emma396

i'm a lodger myself, to make things easy, my landlady charges me £320 a month and this includes all bills and the internet (everything) . Soooooo much easier for me as i know how much i will have to pay each month. you might prefer to do that.

Rimo2021

I've had lodgers for >15 years.
I include a share of the council tax in the monthly rent as i pay the full amount by direct debit. I don't do a fixed amount for bills as I have found in the past it just encourages people to have heating on all the time, tumble-dry clothes etc. I just take meter readings whenever someone moves in or out and periodically in between and then every 2/3 months or so calculate the cost. It's easy to do and takes minutes (I used to do the gas properly using all the conversion calculations etc but now I don't bother ,I just use the last bill and a calculator to find out the amount paid per unit which is close enough) I have it all in a folder and can tell prospective lodgers the average amounts for winter/summer so they can budget.

That way it doesn't matter when people move in/out as I can easily calculate exactly what they owe at any time and it also doesn't matter when I get estimated bills as i charge lodgers according to the actual meter readings.

I can understand people preferring to just charge a fixed amount but I prefer a few mins work every few months and then not to have to think about how much heating/etc is being used as they will at least be paying for 1/2 of it.