Divorcing and needing a lodger...

*Kat*

Long story short, I've lived in our new build home for 3 years and we are now separating. He is moving out in a few weeks.

I am buying him out of the house - so that I can keep it, but I need to somehow make up the additional income from him...

In comes lodger. I am away from the house 3-4 days per week for work, so they would potentially have the house to themselves for that period of time. My issue is that I like my own space, really the perfect lodger would just hang out in their room - kitchen etc and leave me to my business - but I appreciate that is completely unreasonable...what are some reasonable 'rules' for a lodger?

My lodger package is - virgin internet, tv, netflix, amazon prime, all utilities paid, council tax, and room rental - how do you figure out a reasonable price?

Im worried I'll get a student who just parties all the time too...how do you vet people? What sites are good to find a lodger?

I am in a 4 bed detached, my options are:

• Rent the en-suite room, so that the bathroom is 'mine' - I like to have a bath
• Rent out the spare room (double - same size as master), and we share the bathroom
• Rent out two double rooms - keep the master en suite for myself and they share the bathroom

TIA

00ec25

you vet people by asking them blunt questions

you sound like a nightmare LL who wants their cake money whilst eating it at the same time.

you advertise on the usual places lodgers look: spareroom.co.uk, newsagents windows, local papers. You word you advert clearly so you do not waste other people's time if they do not meet your requirements (but you do NOT illegally discriminate against the now protected "types" of people)

there are countless other threads on here about house rules, use the search function

pphillips

Someone I know has had success in using spareroom.co.uk, they live near a university and mainly lodge to postgraduate students.

G_M

You set your own rules. There's no right/wrong as everyone is different.

Write down (initially for yourself)

* what your limits are
* what you're willing to offer
* what you might compromise on.

When you meet prospetives, talk openly about all this and guage the reaction. Don't accept a lodger who is clearly not going to suit you.

They all vary. Some are student party animals, some are quiet reclusves you'll never see - and everything in between!

The important things is to establish up front, and very early, what you each expect.

* Guests? In your living area or just their room? Overnight? How often? How many?
* cleanng? What do you expect them to do?
* cooking? Shared consumables in kitchen or not?
* other shared consumabble- loo rolls bathroom cleaners etc - you provide or share costs?
* smoking
There are no right answers.Only right answers for you. And the lodger

And once all the rules and understanding have been discused/agreed, write them down for future reference. Nothing formal needed, just an aide memoir

This may also help:


* Lodgers: advice & links for landlords & lodgers

Mojisola

There's a few other threads about having lodgers like this one -
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5968377/reasonable-rules-for-lodgers

FreeBear

*Kat* wrote: »

My lodger package is - virgin internet, tv, netflix, amazon prime, all utilities paid, council tax, and room rental - how do you figure out a reasonable price?

Look at some of the sites advertising rooms, compare the rates, and pitch yours to suit. A new build in good condition with parking could be pitched at the top end. A tired ex-council property, towards the bottom.



Most places will include CTX, and utility bills. Broadband is pretty much standard unless you are well out in the sticks.

00ec25

FreeBear wrote: »

Most places will include CTX,

legal liability for CT, where there is a lodger, rests 100% with the owner of the property. A lodger's LL cannot legally exclude "CTX" since only the LL is liable for it

It would be wrong to seek to specifically charge extra for CT since the lodger has ZERO legal liability to pay it
the LL of a lodger simply factors the extra cost , if there is any (ie loss of single person discount) into their calculation of the rent figure - which of course may, or may not, be a value that is competitive in the local marketplace

tlc678910

Hi,
If the days you are away from home are in the week you could try “wanted Mon - Friday lodger - would suit someone working away from home” if you think you would have any luck finding someone like this in the area you live.

If renting one room I would rent the room with en-suite to give them privacy while allowing you and your guests to use the bathroom. If renting two rooms then you have the en-suite and everyone has use of the bathroom.

Have you considered whether you would be better to sell up and buy something where you can afford to live alone?

Tlc

zagubov

*Kat* wrote: »

Long story short, I've lived in our new build home for 3 years and we are now separating. He is moving out in a few weeks.

I am buying him out of the house - so that I can keep it, but I need to somehow make up the additional income from him...

In comes lodger. I am away from the house 3-4 days per week for work, so they would potentially have the house to themselves for that period of time. My issue is that I like my own space, really the perfect lodger would just hang out in their room - kitchen etc and leave me to my business - but I appreciate that is completely unreasonable...what are some reasonable 'rules' for a lodger?

My lodger package is - virgin internet, tv, netflix, amazon prime, all utilities paid, council tax, and room rental - how do you figure out a reasonable price?

Im worried I'll get a student who just parties all the time too...how do you vet people? What sites are good to find a lodger?

I am in a 4 bed detached, my options are:

• Rent the en-suite room, so that the bathroom is 'mine' - I like to have a bath
• Rent out the spare room (double - same size as master), and we share the bathroom
• Rent out two double rooms - keep the master en suite for myself and they share the bathroom

TIA

You're better keeping an en-suite bedroom for your own use as well as occasionally using a shared bathroom. Also don't rent out a lockable room. The fact you're not there for half the week suggests you might want to avoid any lodger becoming confused that they might actually be a tenant of some kind.

Ask the local education authority if they know of any staff needing lodgings.

HollySocks_2

00ec25 wrote: »

you sound like a nightmare LL who wants their cake money whilst eating it at the same time.

Wow!
The OP is in a situation where they need to look at extra income but want advice on how to maintain some level of privacy, their own space. Nothing wrong in that at all.

OP, what is the layout of your house? I’m about to buy a semi detached with a front lounge, back lounge, and space in the kitchen for dining room table..if I needed to have lodgers, as it would be my house, I would keep the front lounge for myself for example..is there any way you can do this? Sure, sit with the lodgers in the kitchen or shared lounge, but know you still have your own space to go to when you need that alone time.

I think the only other way is to do your best when interviewing potential lodgers. I have been looking on SpareRoom for a while. Some adverts , well, they have profile pictures of them out drunk in bars - great for a Tindr dating profile maybe, but puts me off them as a potential lodger.

As you will be living there and the lodger doesn’t have the same rights as a tenant, if it’s not working out, at the end of the day, you can simply give them adequate notice to leave.

Good luck with it all.

sevenhills

*Kat* wrote: »

My lodger package is - virgin internet, tv, netflix, amazon prime, all utilities paid, council tax, and room rental - how do you figure out a reasonable price?

Im worried I'll get a student who just parties all the time too...how do you vet people? What sites are good to find a lodger?

Why would anyone want to live near your location, university, work, coastal or school?
Those are your potential lodgers, these days some might be happy in their room 24/7, because they go online.
Starting price should be £300 per month, but if you have a low price you will attract the poor and desparate. That being said, someone on housing benefit could be low maintenace, depends on who you choose.