Lodger found!

freeisgood

Why can't she sort out council tax etc...it was all her idea!

Jagraf

AFK_Matrix wrote: »

Here is some advice that spareroom.co.uk give for live in landlords:

http://www.spareroom.co.uk/content/info-landlords/advice-landlord/#LILs

As for insurance you will find that a lot of insurers are fine with a lodger but that they will not cover the lodger if they break things etc.

Spareroom recommend this company: EmberJD Lodger Insurance

Also I am confused if your mother has a gas certificate or not as its not usual to have one as a homeowner. This is not the same as a boiler service certificate etc, it is a specific certificate that costs £60 a year and checks the safety of not only the boiler but any gas appliances in the property.

Thank you - I thought that, we will have to check. Hers I believe is a normal homeowner one. That's very helpful.

Jagraf

freeisgood wrote: »

Why can't she sort out council tax etc...it was all her idea!

Don't get me started :cool::)

katejo

phill99 wrote: »

Nothing at all has to be PAT tested. Sweet mother of God.

She wont need a CO alarm, although having one is a good idea regardless.

In terms if insurance, there aren't many companies that insure you if you have a lodger so you will have to do some research.

Insurers who do cover lodgers include Aviva, Nationwide and Direct Line. Also Halifax but I haven't used them. However you aren't covered for theft if there is no evidence of a break in. Insurer assumes that the lodger is guilty!

Also lodger needs their own TV licence if they have a TV in their room for live broadcasts. Each time I say this on MSE, someone disagrees with me. However I have challenged the poor wording on their website myself (it bunches lodgers together with tenants for a start) without success and have an email from the TV licence Capita agency to say that it is required.

katejo

booksurr wrote: »

disagree, most household insurers don't bat an eyelid over the policy holder taking a lodger. You may be confused with a tenant where you would need to switch to a specific landlord policy

Not true when I tried. I enquired with several insurers who said No. These include Sainsbury's and (I think) M & S home insurance. Perhaps they have changed their policy now.

Angie_B

katejo wrote: »

Insurers who do cover lodgers include Aviva, Nationwide and Direct Line. Also Halifax but I haven't used them. However you aren't covered for theft if there is no evidence of a break in. Insurer assumes that the lodger is guilty!

May I add Barclays to that list as well. I found them very reasonable for a good contents insurance policy which included a lodger (I live in a flat, so no 'home insurance' per se as it is included in my service charge).

Kynthia

Don't give a lodger a fixed term or a long notice period as if things go bad you don't want to be living with them for weeks/months.


She will need an annual gas safety certificate, not a service but she could obviously get both if she wants. Smoke alarms and CO detectors aren't a requirement but why wouldn't you have them in your home anyway? It's best to have house rules agreed up front as living with people is very difficult. If your MIL is unsure about whether to have a rule or not, put it in the list as it's always easier to relax the rules than implement new ones once someone is living there.

Jagraf

Who can carry out the electrical installation check? I think British gas can do a package but I don't know how much that will be - probably the same as rent for a year. Starting to get frustrated .....

I feel we need to do this for her safety, but it's taking up our already precious time.

Jagraf

Just to say thank you for all your help on this.

I compiled a list and needless to say my OH has organised most of the stuff for his mum.

It will be interesting to see whether it works out. If it does and it makes her happy, that's great. If it causes myself and OH more work not so great.

I'm learning that she's a great delegator, a skill she probably doesn't even realise she has... Maybe!

What I have learned is that I don't necessarily agree with all the hype around lodger= company, something that seems to be promoted to the older generation. It's a business arrangement as far as I am concerned. Still, that's just how I see it.

Thanks again.