Living with landlord

byjimini

Hi everyone,

I'm moving to a new job and a new city in a few weeks, leaving my parent's house for a rented room, just me and the landlord in his home.

I'm going round for a look and a chat tomorrow evening after work; I've taken a look at the 50 Tips For Renters on MSE but a lot of it is geared towards people renting a house on their own or a room in a house with a live-out landlord. Is there anything more specific to living with a landlord that I need to know/look for/ask?

Thanks.

ProDave

Nothing unusual. It's called being a lodger.

Alter_ego

Ask about bills, electric, gas, council tax etc. You get the idea.

greendoor665

Bear in mind the biggest difference is that as a lodger you have less security than a tenant and can usually be removed from the property far more easily.

G_M

These links are geared towards the landlord, but may prove informative:


LODGERS (Licencees/Excluded Occupiers)
A lodger (broadly) lives in the same property with a resident landlord & shares facilities. Unlike tenants, lodgers have few rights.

The Housing Act 1988 provides definitions of 'Resident Landlord' & 'same property' (S31 & Schedule 1 (10).

See:

LodgerLandlord (21 tips from solicitor Tessa Shepperson + General information site)

Landlordzone (Various articles on taking in lodgers)

Renting out rooms in your home (Government info)

Rent a Room Scheme (HMRC guide for tax-free income from lodgers)

CIS

You don't personally have a council tax liability as a lodger - the landlord is responsible for the council tax charge (although they can recoup monies from you).

Are you intending on living in the property as your 'sole or main residence' ?

00ec25

the major factors are psychological....

you say you are living with your parents...

do you have any experience of living away from home? THE most important factor to being a lodger is that it remains the landlords home, and therefore your LL can be totally horrid to live with if your standards are very different to their standards. Hairs in the shower!, Dishes in the sink! Ironing not done! Too much use of electricity! I want the house cool, you want it desert like! Celibacy and overnight "guests". Too much noise! You make it feel like it is not my home! House rules about cleaning rotas? Restrictions on when rooms can be used - lounge, TV, kitchen, washing machine .... the minutiae of life in other words

yes ask about rent and all that guff, but spend time sizing the LL up as someone you have to live with. Crucially they are in it for the money, it is unlikely you will be friends from the word go, they won't be your buddy or drinking partner, but you do have to get along..

I speak as both a LL of many lodgers and as a lodger myself from a stint about 3 years ago where I'm still in touch with the ex LL as we did become friends (hence I felt it best to move on anyway)

dawyldthing

greendoor665 wrote: »

Bear in mind the biggest difference is that as a lodger you have less security than a tenant and can usually be removed from the property far more easily.

Second this. I was on final placement and only needed somewhere for 2 months. Found somewhere on one of the sites, wasn't working out after a few weeks so she gave me a few days to find somewhere which was a challenge with placement. I'd be mindful, if it's cheaper possibly but o think of the pitfalls

Strebor123

I currently have a lodger and the advice I would give is the same for both. You have to live with each other, so have a walk round the property and have a chat about what BOTH of your expectations are.

I like my house clean and I like it quiet and I was really clear when my lodger was round for a viewing that this is what I wanted in a house and that if she wanted friends round or wasn't really tidy she'd be better somewhere else, importantly the rules I have for the lodger also apply to me.

So have a good chat with the landlord and make sure their expectations match up with yours and they don't seem to expect more from you just because you're paying to live there, whilst you're paying it's your place too.

Ogriv

I echo what others have said. Living in a flatshare where the owner lives elsewhere, you are all equals. That's not the case if you are a lodger. They will say "make yourself at home", but they will want you to do that within their own set of preferences for company, noise, cleanliness, etc. There is an inherently unequal power dynamic. It can work out sometimes, but equally it can be quite difficult.