Lodger lied during application, outcome on page 29...!

themastergoose

If the lodger wanted to criminal records check me, I'd just open a draw and let him pick one of the 6-montlhy enhanced checks my employer keeps updating!!!

He wouldn't dare ask! On a positive note, he's left the property this morning. All he had to say was that I'm apparently an ******* because I refuse to provide towels, cleaning equipment and consumables to his en-suite and consumables in the kitchen. Apparently it's his first lodging where this hasn't been included.

I find that very hard to believe, and best of luck to whoever's taking him on. 

Gentoo365

To be fair HMP may provide food and basic hygiene products

themastergoose

Gentoo365 said:

To be fair HMP may provide food and basic hygiene products

Oh stop, I'm laughing so hard it's starting to hurt!!!!!! xD

TBagpuss

themastergoose said:

If the lodger wanted to criminal records check me, I'd just open a draw and let him pick one of the 6-montlhy enhanced checks my employer keeps updating!!!

He wouldn't dare ask! On a positive note, he's left the property this morning. All he had to say was that I'm apparently an ******* because I refuse to provide towels, cleaning equipment and consumables to his en-suite and consumables in the kitchen. Apparently it's his first lodging where this hasn't been included.

I find that very hard to believe, and best of luck to whoever's taking him on. 

glad he is gone.

I would however recommend that when you next advertise the room you do frame it as 'bills included' not 'all inclusive' .
It's fairly standard for lodgers not to pay separately for bills (unlike a house share). It used to be quite common for a landlord to provide meals - I think it is much less common now, (maybe due to more people having microwaves, better ready meals, and fewer people sitting down for a single family meal round the table) so I don't think that someone interpreting 'all inclusive' as including food is unreasonable (and while I haven't ever been a lodger, and it's been a while since had one, I did provide things such as cleaning products.

I think if I saw n ad that simply said bills included then I wouldn't assume that anything else was included , whereas if I saw one which said all-inclusive, although I would probably ask for clarification, I would assume it meant that there were things other than bills that the landlord was going to provide. 

canaldumidi

and clear house rules, at least discussed but preferably written down eg

* guests? Yes or no? Overnight? Regularly?

* consumables provided? kitty for shared items? like loo roll, soap, salt/pepper washing up liqid etc etc. Or each person provides their own?

* Noise? How much? Till when at night?

* access? to the whole house? Lodger's room, kitchen, bathroom only?

* smoking?

* cleaning? all done by LL? Including lodgers room? Or all shared equally? Or what?

* heating? Reading threads here it seems to be a bone of contention.... Can lodger put electric fire in their room (expensive!)?

* what is / is not included? Gas, electric, council tax, meals, bedding. water, phone/internet, .....?

GDB2222

themastergoose said:

If the lodger wanted to criminal records check me, I'd just open a draw and let him pick one of the 6-montlhy enhanced checks my employer keeps updating!!!

He wouldn't dare ask! On a positive note, he's left the property this morning. All he had to say was that I'm apparently an ******* because I refuse to provide towels, cleaning equipment and consumables to his en-suite and consumables in the kitchen. Apparently it's his first lodging where this hasn't been included.

I find that very hard to believe, and best of luck to whoever's taking him on. 

Seriously, do you think it would be unreasonable for lodger and landlord to exchange CRB certificates?  Given that these are really pretty cheap, it's surprising that they aren't standard procedure for all lettings. 

Nothing personal, but before becoming your lodger I would want some evidence that your axe-murdering days were long, long ago.

themastergoose

canaldumidi said:

and clear house rules, at least discussed but preferably written down eg

* guests? Yes or no? Overnight? Regularly?

* consumables provided? kitty for shared items? like loo roll, soap, salt/pepper washing up liqid etc etc. Or each person provides their own?

* Noise? How much? Till when at night?

* access? to the whole house? Lodger's room, kitchen, bathroom only?

* smoking?

* cleaning? all done by LL? Including lodgers room? Or all shared equally? Or what?

* heating? Reading threads here it seems to be a bone of contention.... Can lodger put electric fire in their room (expensive!)?

* what is / is not included? Gas, electric, council tax, meals, bedding. water, phone/internet, .....?

He signed a written agreement covering all of this, that I've used on multiple long term lodgers before him without issue:

Guests - No couples/overnight stay without permission (unless they are his/her dependents - up to 2 nights a week permitted)

Noise - After 11PM and not before 7AM keep it to a minimum

Access - His room/en-suite, main bathroom on hallway, lounge, kitchen, garden. My room and use of the driveway that only holds one car are the only areas excluded by not being listed

Smoking - None in the property or garden

Cleaning - It says that provided bedding must be laundered and is their responsibility. Shared areas are stated as clean as you go and maintain a clean appearance (I've never actually had ANY lodger follow this tho so gave up enforcing it. They've all expected it to be the LL responsibility to say hoover the carpets in shared areas, clean kitchen and bathroom floors, sinks and basins etc) 

Heating - This is kinda on there. There's a small paragraph that outlines the use of additional high draw electrical appliances such as extra heaters, air conditioners / dehumidifiers or electric vehicles (list not exhaustive) must be discussed first. I'd always push back on heaters too, because the house has new electric oil-filled radiators that replaced the old boiler/radiators in each room with selective control. It shouldn't ever be cold. Electric cars appear on there as an earlier lodger tried that one under the "bills included" agreement he signed. Technically he was right, but my response was "You wouldn't expect your landlord to pay for your cars petrol or diesel, so how is this different if I let you plug the car in each day to run it?"

Lastly there's not a section covering what IS NOT specifically included, rather just what is included in the rent:
- All utility bills, TV licence, Broadband & council tax

I would assume when reading it, it's very clear what IS included, and would conclude anything not listed therefore isn't?

Rosa_Damascena

Swipe said:

I couldn't think of anything worse than having a lodger. I really struggle when guests stay for more than a day.

Totally with you! Nor do I like spending the night under someone else's roof. I am used to suiting myself and that's the way its gonna stay.

Having said that, my musing during my walk today was who will find me when I'm dead

FreeBear

Rosa_Damascena said: Having said that, my musing during my walk today was who will find me when I'm dead

If you have a dog or a large cat, possibly no one. During the summer months (or if you have the heating on high in the winter), the Postie might notice something amiss and call the police. Then again, some of us here will notice your absence and send out the search parties.

sourpuss2021

A question, if I may, about letting your lodgers use the lounge.

Isn't that a bit uncomfortable in practice?

Do you sit and watch television together? "Anything on tonight?"  That would then mean you had to be really quite relaxed in each other's company.   (And might exclude members of the opposite sex who might not want to spend so much time with you).  Or do you take turns to use the room?

Would it be difficult to find lodgers if lounge access was not allowed?