Hoping to rent a bedsit room - questions

top_drawer_2

Hello,

I'm considering renting a bedsit, very small but separate own bathroom (downstairs in the cellar) I have been researching small room solutions all weekend and have questions re possible things I can do. I am also little hesitant as I have been "had" in the past and don't want it to happen again.

1st what sort of money should I be setting aside for the gas/elective - one room bedsit/washer shared with the building/running fridge-freezer-oven occasionally etc.

TV aerial - where can I find out what the chances of me not being able to get a signal are .... its a downstairs room in a PR1 location in a fairly built up area. Any suggestions here. I will ask the agent re an aerial in the room, just in case I'm very lucky.

2nd I am looking at putting some sort of pulley system up on the ceiling for my bike - again I will have to speak to the agent but is it possible - what should I be checking beforehand? Are there likely to be issues with the agent once I move out? Also would like a hanging maiden if possible - will have to ask, but any issues here too?

Any other issues anyone can think of?

Thanks

TD

G_M

Is this a bedsit in a shared house? Does the landlord live in the same house? Do you share a kitchen (or anything else)? With who - landlord? How many other bedsits are there?

Depending on the answers you may be a lodger (very few rights/protection) or a tenant (much stronger rights). It may also be an HMO (House of Multiple Occupation - google it) in which case it may have to be licenced by the council and comply in many ways.

Is there a seperate gas/electric meter? Is it on a pre-payment system? Will the account be in your name or is the supply shared in some way? With who?

You will certainly need written permission to screw a pulley into the ceiling. You would be liblefor any consequential damage (eg if the weight of your bike brought down the plasterwork - the pully should be attached to a joist - again: permission in writing! Same with the hanging maiden. Do NOT be satisfied with a casual "yes that's fine" from the agent.

The only way to check if an internal stand-alone TV earial will work is to try. The agent might know, but unless they put it in writing, if they are wrong there will be no comeback.

top_drawer_2

Thanks g_m for your reply. This is a bedsit room in a converted. I would have my own kitchen and bathroom. Shared hallway - bin etc I guess. its being let through an agent and the landlord is unlikely to live there too.

There is a electric meter - ea said it took pound coins no mention of change of ownership.

I am doubtful they will know if there are joists in the ceiling - any ideas on how to check?

TV aerial - anyone? My local transmitter is winter hill I believe.

Had a walk along the street after finished work at 10pm and all was quiet - no one about really, just a family leaving a house,oading up the car to go home.


Thanks for any input.

G_M

top_drawer wrote: »

I would have my own kitchen and bathroom. Shared hallway - bin etc I guess. its being let through an agent and the landlord is unlikely to live there too.
find out. Big difference.

There is a electric meter - ea said it took pound coins no mention of change of ownership.this is the most expensive way pssible to pay for leccie.

I am doubtful they will know if there are joists in the ceiling - any ideas on how to check? Get a contractor to install the pully, or the landlord. If you don't know what you are doing you'll cause expensive damage.

TV aerial - anyone? My local transmitter is winter hill I believe.
only one way to find out.

:beer: :beer:

top_drawer_2

G_M wrote: »

:beer: :beer:

Maybe I'm being dumb here but approx how much can I expect to pay in electric/gas - is there a difference in paying with cards as opposed to cash?

How would I go about checking tv signal strenth? Apart from lugging tv, aerial etc round there and trying it out ...

I have no intention of doing the job myself! How do I "tell" if there are joists in place? Hoping to arrange to get a 2nd viewing asap but will need to make a decision quickly as these types of arrangement don't come up too often.

Fire_Fox

top_drawer wrote: »

Thanks g_m for your reply. This is a bedsit room in a converted. I would have my own kitchen and bathroom. Shared hallway - bin etc I guess. its being let through an agent and the landlord is unlikely to live there too.

There is a electric meter - ea said it took pound coins no mention of change of ownership.

I am doubtful they will know if there are joists in the ceiling - any ideas on how to check?

TV aerial - anyone? My local transmitter is winter hill I believe.

Had a walk along the street after finished work at 10pm and all was quiet - no one about really, just a family leaving a house,oading up the car to go home.


Thanks for any input.

If you would have your own kitchen and bathroom you are self contained, so not what I think of as bedsit (share either kitchen or bathroom) more of a studio flat tho that may depend on the entranceway.

Double check all the arrangements as regards building being registered for HMO and/ or flat being registered for council tax if you have not already, mildly concerned about fire access since you are basement and possibly kitchen in sleeping area. If the house was properly converted into flats there should be a functioning TV point, otherwise if you have a telephone point you could have broadband and watch TV that way. You might ring TV licencing and see if that studio has been separately registered?

Need to know if the studio is on a sub meter for the electricity, my guess would be it is given the coin arrangement. If so you might be being scammed on the amounts so find out the price per KWH is and any standing charge. Sometimes these things can be attached to a main meter on a commercial tariff which is super expensive.

There are joists or the floor above would fall on your head. :eek:

G_M

Fire_Fox wrote: »

There are joists or the floor above would fall on your head. :eek:

But you have to find them and (apologies top_drawer) I suspect the OP is not sufficiently skilled for this. The risk of getting it wrong is too great, hence my advice to use the LL or a contractor.

top_drawer_2

Thanks Firefox for the reply.

I think its a bit grand to call it a studio flat as the kitchen/bed/lounge area are in one space. Only the shower room/toilet is in the basement. Enterance way is a tradional house ... Room is what would be the first room on your left - posh lounge or front room in family home.

Will check out electric issues and ask about tv point.

Fire_Fox

G_M wrote: »

But you have to find them and (apologies top_drawer) I suspect the OP is not sufficiently skilled for this. The risk of getting it wrong is too great, hence my advice to use the LL or a contractor.

Definitely: us amateurs can poke a lot of holes in plasterboard before we find a joist. And even more before we find the centre of a joist.

kyana

i'm in a basement not so far from where you are looking and i know the person before me had a tv no problems so if you're going to be on ground level i can't foresee any problems. there is a tv in the communal ground level lounge here. one note: there is now no analogue signal so you will need either a digital tv or a freeview box.

Dunroamin

Couldn't you watch TV on your computer?