Divorcing and needing a lodger...

dimbo61

Spareroom and easyroommate are 2 of the big websites where you can advertise your spare room or rooms.
Put in the age group you are looking for !
Be clear on your advert what is included and what you want and expect from a lodger!
Full use of the kitchen but you clean up everything after yourself.
No pinching your food or you are happy to provide breakfast ?
You have a Tax free rent a room allowance of £7500 a year.
Depending on area, location, size of room, furniture, ensuite , type of lodger you want and local market will dictate rent.
Don't forget to do all the Landlord things ????
EPC, EICR, GSC, smoke alarms, heat and CO alarm and clear rules on smoking

FabFifty

I successfully used spareroom.co.uk to find monday to friday lodgers which meant that I had my own space from friday morning (when they left to go to work) through to Monday evening. I kept the en-suite bedroom for myself and put a lock on the door. Have you got a local big employer? If so, ask if you can put an advert on their staff noticeboard or similar?

nyc_451

So basically you want an introvert. There are private quiet people out there, you might be lucky.

I used to live with a lady who was away for 3 nights and I loved it, we barely saw each other and I would never be in her way as I liked my own space too. Tbh I never joined any of my landlords in a living room as I had no desire to socialise with them just because we lived together, I have friends for that.

Check spareroom website to get an idea how much you could charge.

I don't think it's possible to know the person until you live together, you can check them all you want. I rented out a room to a professional, all seemed good, but I couldn't stand him in the end.

Give it a go and see if having a lodger suits you, but you will need to make some compromises.

Good luck.

jonnygee2

You sound like your perfect lodger lives somewhere else and just mails you a cheque each month :-)

But really, I felt a lot like this before I got a lodger, but now it's become normal to share my space. I think making sure you are on the same place about noise and cleanliness is important, everything else you can work on over time.

As you have some spare rooms, consider making one into an office / second sitting room etc so you have some space if you need it.

Honeylife

pphillips wrote: »

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

*cough* Me!!

But I don't give them Netflix codes or a TV! They invariably have their own Netflix code and watch TV on their laptops.

Postgrad students are usually quiet and studying hard or writing up their Thesis, their party days are over or they don't want any partying in their space preferring to go out for downtime.

Start with one lodger in the en-suite for about 6 to nine months and see how that works. would eventually go for renting two rooms ad let them share the bathroom. that would give you time to adjust to having strangers in your house and the compromises you have to make.

Rules are essential and I went from nothing to a timid one page to almost a Booklet in 10 years! Do a search here there are loads written on Rules! Always use a Licence Agreement (WH Smith & Ryman) Always take a deposit. Include all bills.

Use https://www.spareroom.co.uk/. Scroll down to the bottom of the homepage and click on all the info for Landlords, read all. Study the ads for prices in your area (and room sizes) before you put up your own - pay for an ad it's worth it. Take decent pictures loads of them. Make sure the room has loads of storage -under bed drawers & shelves and a good size mirror will keep them from doing their makeup in the bathroom! A comfy chair or mini sofa (depending on the room size) with a small coffee table gives a chill out/entertaining zone so they don't feel they have to come into the living room. You have to give each adequate cupboard space in the kitchen and the loss of my cupboards still grieves me. I have a family fridge and a separate lodgers fridge freezer plus all rooms have a mini silent fridge

Don't take the first applicant, arrange to see several people then decide. Have someone else with you as most viewers come with someone and you don't want to be outnumbered.

Watch out for overnight Guests moving in! Set ground rules about that from day one!

This site I have repeatedly recommended even though I don't agree with everything she writes she is the most useful http://lodgersite.com/

Lodgers rooms should never have a lock but your own room should definitely have a lock. To compromise all rooms have night latches inside, so no one can sleepwalk into the wrong room at night!

My final advice is NEVER EVER friends on any social media with your Lodgers! Its business keep it as business.

Some useful rules here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/72110301#Comment_72110301

I have a market and have found people who want what I offer - a quiet place to study and be left alone.

If you want more help feel free to PM me.

snickersbars

If the master or the double are big enough, can you set up a small living room area in there too? I let out my largest bedroom to the lodger so that I could also put a small sofa (Argos do mini flatpack ones - https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4642811), coffee table and bookcase in there as well as the usual bed/desk/chair/wardrobe/chests of drawers etc. Then it was made clear on the listing and at lodger interview that whilst the kitchen, bathroom and dining room were shared, the living room was my private space. No one who contacted me had a problem with this.

Also, I personally wouldn't give them Amazon Prime and Netflix access unless there are guest settings you can put on.

Honeylife

snickersbars wrote: »

If the master or the double are big enough, can you set up a small living room area in there too? I let out my largest bedroom to the lodger so that I could also put a small sofa (Argos do mini flatpack ones - https://www.argos.co.uk/product/4642811), coffee table and bookcase in there as well as the usual bed/desk/chair/wardrobe/chests of drawers etc. Then it was made clear on the listing and at lodger interview that whilst the kitchen, bathroom and dining room were shared, the living room was my private space. No one who contacted me had a problem with this.

Also, I personally wouldn't give them Amazon Prime and Netflix access unless there are guest settings you can put on.

All the rooms including mine have this Ikea two-seater mini sofa https://www.flickr.com/photos/49592798@N05/5110357391/in/photostream/. It pops up fairly regularly on eBay quite cheaply. Comes apart in four pieces and even if stained is easily cleaned. I have acquired several different slipcovers & encourage the lodgers to add their own cushions for a pop of colour. The coffee table is Moroccan style so can fold away and the flat tray stored down the back of the sofa. I think it is important to really not spend too much on fixing up the rooms but to always think of what you would want in your room to be comfortable as they actually live in their rooms.

Tots agree! You the LL need your own chill out/entertaining zone and you don't want to have friends over and your lodger wandering into the living room. My living room is not part of the package. My "extra" which no one in my neighbourhood has (I check regularly) is the 30L mini silent fridge. So they can keep their snacks, yoghurt and milk in, so make a cup of tea in their rooms without traipsing up and down to the kitchen all night!

You asked about vetting. You absolutely must follow the https://www.gov.uk/check-tenant-right-to-rent-documents guidelines. Copy of passport. Employer reference, Uni registration certificate (tell council for student council tax reduction). Previous landlord reference. Ask blunt questions. I always ask if they are in a relationship so I can gauge if it's going to be a different girl every night or regular Katie on Wednesday nights! If they feel weird or awkward, don't take them. If it doesn't work out after two or three months give them notice and try again. Oh and never ever take the deposit in bits and pieces - All or nothing.

Comms69

*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? - See that would be perfect for some people. As long as you had decent wifi and set times for cooking and showering which accommodated their work.

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? £80-100 a week

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

How many lodgers are you getting?

KeeperOfTheMarsh

As a lodger myself, can I ask why people are advising against giving lodgers lockable bedrooms?

G_M

KeeperOfTheMarsh wrote: »

As a lodger myself, can I ask why people are advising against giving lodgers lockable bedrooms?

It gives 'exclusive occupation' and could create a tenancy.