Renting a room

lindylootoo

I am considering taking on a lodger and am finding some of the posts on here very helpful. I've found someone on facebook, who in theory appears to be ideal, but as this will be a first for me I'd appreciate the views of others. 
The person in question currently lives/lodges in London and holds an impressive position in education. He is changing his job and from May 1st will be taking up a similarly impressive position in education local to me. I have asked if he will be visiting my area prior to moving over, so that we can meet up and he can look at the room - and get absolutely no response! Using Rome to Rio - it would take four hours from London to my home, so perhaps he has a point?
As mentioned, he'd want the room from May 1st and I'm due to go on holiday on May 10th for two weeks - so feel a bit uncomfortable about having a total stranger in my home while I'm away. 
Is there a beginners guide to renting a room? 

canaldumidi

There are a number of guides. See below.

Do not under any circumstances agree, verbally or in writing, before meeting the applicant.

Do a credit search.

Take up references: current landlord and current employer - anyone can say they work at "an impressive position in education"

Make clear the house rules.

Make clear the notice period (1 week either way)

Now read

Post 10: Lodgers: advice & links for landlords & lodgers

and see the links within it too.

ps  "I have asked if he will be visiting my area prior to moving over, so that we can meet up and he can look at the room - and get absolutely no response!" is a significant warning sign. Anyone serious and reliable would at least respond even if they had practical difficulties getting there. But I repeat:

Do not under any circumstances agree, verbally or in writing, before meeting the applicant.

https://www.spareroom.co.uk/content/info-landlords/lodger-screening/

https://www.tenantverify.co.uk/

FreeBear

canaldumidi said: Do not under any circumstances agree, verbally or in writing, before meeting the applicant.

Better still, have an initial meeting in a neutral location, Have a good long chat over a coffee (or beer). Once you have had a chance to check the prospective lodger out, other questions may come to mind. These questions can then be asked when the candidate visits to view the room. Do not invite the first person to respond to your advert in to your home straight away. Plenty of people looking for accommodation, so you can afford to be picky. The fact that this one isn't responding to messages would be a red flag for me..

I made the mistake of letting someone stay based on a single visit to "view", and regretted the decision. Second time round, I met a young lady over coffee in town - She was homeless at the time and on benefits due to health conditions. From my perspective, she turned out to be an ideal lodger. Three years on, she has moved out into a council place, so I'm now looking for a replacement.

zagubov

By all you hold holy, NO, the red flags are rising right at the start of this. He's not communicating so look for someone else.

And yes, references, house rules, meeting before the move, insistng on short notice periods, and all the other things FreeBear and canaldumidi have mentioned.

MalMonroe

lindylootoo said:

I am considering taking on a lodger and am finding some of the posts on here very helpful. I've found someone on facebook, who in theory appears to be ideal, but as this will be a first for me I'd appreciate the views of others. 
The person in question currently lives/lodges in London and holds an impressive position in education. He is changing his job and from May 1st will be taking up a similarly impressive position in education local to me. I have asked if he will be visiting my area prior to moving over, so that we can meet up and he can look at the room - and get absolutely no response! Using Rome to Rio - it would take four hours from London to my home, so perhaps he has a point?
As mentioned, he'd want the room from May 1st and I'm due to go on holiday on May 10th for two weeks - so feel a bit uncomfortable about having a total stranger in my home while I'm away. 
Is there a beginners guide to renting a room? 

You say "Is there a beginners guide to renting a room?"

I say, "yes there certainly is". First of all, use your common sense. Secondly, DON'T DO IT.

Thirdly, if you are a woman - and I'm guessing you are by your name, then please do NOT even consider a male lodger.

Fourthly, how do you know that everything (or indeed anything) you have been told by this person is true? Even if you ask him for references, he can forge them. I could even make up a couple for myself now on my own laptop. It's easy when you know how.

You sound like a very nice person but to this con man, you are nothing but a sitting duck. The fact that he hasn't responded to your message is good. Don't contact him any more and block him on social media. And for goodness' sake, do NOT let him into your home at all without having someone else there with you. And don't even think about leaving him - or any stranger - in your home while you're away for two weeks.

If you do ever let out a room, please be sure to get locks on all your doors. Locks on their doors and a very strong lock on your bedroom door. Please consider having a female lodger. 

Sorry to appear slightly neurotic but I recently watched one of those true crime programmes where a woman opened her home to a male lodger (stranger) who told her he was wealthy with a great job (all lies) and he forged himself a couple of brilliant references. She ended up being found dead in a ditch a few months later with his DNA all over her. 

If you can find another way of making money, please do that. Anything else. Taking in lodgers isn't an easy way to make money, your home will never be your own and you'll be constantly on edge. Or maybe that's just me. Just say NO. And there's my advice in a nutshell. (Coconut shell!)   

zagubov

MalMonroe said:

........
If you do ever let out a room, please be sure to get locks on all your doors. Locks on their doors and a very strong lock on your bedroom door. Please consider having a female lodger. 
.......

Could I just recommend locks on your room but absolutely NEVER allowing locks on the lodgers rooms.
This is an important rule. You're in danger of converting them into difficult-to-evict tenants rather than lodgers.
They're in one of your rooms; it's not their room.

canaldumidi

zagubov said:

MalMonroe said:

........
If you do ever let out a room, please be sure to get locks on all your doors. Locks on their doors and a very strong lock on your bedroom door. Please consider having a female lodger. 
.......

Could I just recommend locks on your room but absolutely NEVER allowing locks on the lodgers rooms.
This is an important rule. You're in danger of converting them into difficult-to-evict tenants rather than lodgers.
They're in one of your rooms; it's not their room.

Re-quoting this for emphasis.

sourpuss2021

I believe a lodger could have a thumb-turn lock, aka a bathroom lock, on their bedroom door, without there being any risk of them claiming to be a tenant. It would allow them to lock the door when they were in the room, but they could not lock it when they went out.  This might put some lodgers at ease, for instance if they are younger/female.

But I think the best policy really is no lock of any kind on door, but landlord never goes in lodger's room (even though he/she has the theoretical right to). That way everything is clear and nobody gets upset.

FreeBear

sourpuss2021 said: But I think the best policy really is no lock of any kind on door, but landlord never goes in lodger's room (even though he/she has the theoretical right to). That way everything is clear and nobody gets upset.

If a lodger is granted exclusive use of a room, it could be seen (in conjunction with other factors) as creating a tenancy. I have a clause in the "License to Occupy" agreement that allows access to the room for electrical & safety checks along with maintenance and occasional cleaning. Not that I would enter the room without notice..

SuseOrm

I hundred percent agree with the do not rent to a single male I did online dating for a year and the number of men who genuinely hate women would blow your mind.  

sourpuss2021

Yes, true. 

But as a male LL who sometimes has had female lodgers, for them to feel comfortable you really need to never go into their room.   Just make clear in the contract that you have the right to do so, but don't actually do it unless there's a really serious reason for it.