Lodger now Works From Home

Homeowner17

Hi, 

My lodger started working from home during lockdown (fine and temporary) and then subsequently was made redundant. They have since taken on a new role and it requires them to work from home.
The agreement we have from when they moved in is for private, residential use so I need to look at this and review (any advice welcome) and also, as we go in to the winter months, the energy usage will increase. I have discussed with them that I may propose a winter fee for the extra usage - could anyone suggest a feasible amount that this should be? I'm thinking October - March and on a monthly basis, should things change. Essentially, the business she is working for should pay for this - but that is for them to sort out/discuss. 
They are tidy and one person so although they are in my kitchen, for now I think this ok, although perhaps something to discuss.

Is anyone else experiencing this now that "normal" has changed?

Thanks.

princeofpounds

I guess this may be more common in future. 

She's a lodger and it's your house so it's really up to you how you respond. I wouldn't worry about her working from home as it doesn't really affect anything unless she starts up a business or receives visitors connected to work. You may just have to set a ground rule regarding cleaning up work materials at a particular time if it's done in a communal space.

You probably could ask for a little bit more money to cover utilities, but don't overdo it - assuming you still want a lodger, it's valuable to retain one who is tidy and you get on with. 

greatcrested

Have a look at the last coupleof years utility bills. See aprox what KW you use in the winter. Assuming till now the house has been empty during the day with heating etc off, I'd double the KW for having lodger there with heating on. Then calculate aprox how much that extra KW will affect the bill.

Consider insurance too. Usually does not permit business use. May depend what the lodger is doing, but if, say, the lodger burns the house down while working from home, will they still pay out......? You may need to think caerfully before asking ringing to ask the insurer as once you ring them it will be on their radar.

Grumpy_chap

This will probably be too small a difference to worry about.
Do you review the rent annually anyway?  It will all get lost in that.

macman

Many insurers are absolutely fine with 'clerical' work from home, but obviously not if she starts welding car parts or anything remotely industrial.

AdrianC

Homeowner17 said:

My lodger started working from home during lockdown (fine and temporary) and then subsequently was made redundant. They have since taken on a new role and it requires them to work from home.

Hardly unusual.

The agreement we have from when they moved in is for private, residential use

WfH IS "private, residential" use.

so I need to look at this and review (any advice welcome) and also, as we go in to the winter months, the energy usage will increase.

What work is she doing? Just typical office work, laptop and mobile phone?

I have discussed with them that I may propose a winter fee for the extra usage - could anyone suggest a feasible amount that this should be?

Do some calculation to see what the difference to the electricity bill is...
Laptop? Minimal electric use. <reaches for typical laptop power brick> 60w MAXIMUM. That's 2.4kWh in a working week. About 30p/week - but it won't be anywhere near that much in reality.
Lights? Trivial, assuming low-energy bulbs rather than old filaments. A typical LED replacement for a 60w filament is 8w - about a tenth of one penny per hour.
A couple of extra uses of the kettle...? So long as they make you one...
Will the central heating times be changed, once the weather changes? Essentially, the business she is working for should pay for this Nope. Doesn't work like that. Any kind of per-diem for working from home would be a taxable benefit in kind. The employee is actively benefitting from the opportunity, financially, because they no longer have to commute. ...so although they are in my kitchen I presume it's as much THEIR kitchen as it is yours? Part of the shared areas of the property to which they have access...?

Jeepers_Creepers

Homeowner17, is the sole issue the increased running cost of your home? Or are you at home during the day too, and kind of quite like having the place to yourself during that time (I presume your lodger is allowed in the kitchen during normal meal times)?

You say "The agreement we have from when they moved in is for private, residential use..."? What do you mean by this? Was there any suggestion/expectation that they wouldn't normally be in your house during most daytimes? Or are you simply questioning the difference between 'residential' and 'business'? If the latter, what difference does it actually make (other than things like insurance as mentioned by others)? If the former - if, for example, you are also at home during the day and like the place to yourself - then you need to decide whether you need a different lodger...


 

numbercruncher8

Adrian is right.

The additional costs are negligible. Even running a 2KW heater all day in the room where the lodger works is probably £1 or less a day (as the heater clicks off when a certain temperature is reached). 

Much like the other bugbear of partners staying, in the vast majority of cases it isn't much to do with the money but a resulting lack of privacy. Stuff like insurance is a bit of a cop-out.

I've been there myself. You could charge an extra £50 a month in the winter that more than covers any cost of them working from home every day, but I think you'll still have the same uneasy feeling that you have now.

It probably would be better to be honest at this juncture. You say it's ok for now, which kind of implies that it does bother you a bit. So I think money isn't really going to solve the problem.

getmore4less

Can they be allocated extra work space that is for their use that does not interfere with normal use most of the time

If not it will potentially get difficult even if you set time limits for a shared area like a kitchen table what happens for overtime or weekend working etc. kick in. 

AdrianC

numbercruncher8 said:
...You could charge an extra £50 a month in the winter that more than covers any cost of them working from home every day

MASSIVELY more than.

We both work from home. Our TOTAL electricity bill for an old 170m2 house is ~£70/mo.

Carrot007

AdrianC said:

MASSIVELY more than.

We both work from home. Our TOTAL electricity bill for an old 170m2 house is ~£70/mo.

~£70 a month is a DD value not a monthly cost though. You will use much more in Dec than Jul.

Consider maybe if you did not WFH it might be an averages £60 a month! (I really think your cost is ridiculously low, but many around here will not! Just be sure you are paying for your usage and give reads (even checking smart reads are correct)).

But yes After starting WFH I could easily have the central heating on 24/7 and still save money compared to my ~30 min each way commute on the petrol alone! ie. not even taking into consideration these lunchtime trips the government want us to prop up the economy with (mine were always to tesco anyway so not helping the small businesses anyway).