Lodger experiences

mathilde

Hi everyone, 

I'm mulling over taking in a lodger. I've a 600 sq ft flat with two big bedrooms.

I'm confident about the tax and housing law implications, but I'm wary about the quality of life implications.

I was close to having a student doctor move in, but I ended up saying no in the end because she revealed that she doesn't like cats.  She said, "But it's fine, I'll just avoid yours". Good luck with that!

A friend of mine takes in lodgers and she loves it-- but she is very sociable.

Any positive stories of taking in lodgers--or conversely, any nightmares?

Bookworm225

have you ever lived with anyone before?

in a lodger scenario there are only 2 ways it  will pan out

1. They are NOT YOUR BUDDY
they pay money to you in return for you allowing them to use whatever facilities you have agreed they can access. 
You may need some rules relating to noise, guests, and cleaning. You lead separate lives under the same roof showing some respect to each other. You are not living together because you share the same interests etc 

2. They are your friend, (but not your "partner").
You blur the line , for example you may watch the same TV programme together in the same room, you might cook for each other, you might do some chores for each other.
BUT there will always be that distance imposed by the fact it is your home and their room they pay to sleep in, . Conflict can be harder to resolve if they think you are their friend since at end of day: your house, your rules. .

anselld

Bookworm225 said:

have you ever lived with anyone before?

in a lodger scenario there are only 2 ways it  will pan out

I suspect the OP is concerned about some of the many other ways it can pan out!

The thing with lodgers is that if you dont think it is working out you can ask them to leave at relatively short notice, typically a week.  Don't offer an agreement that extends that any longer.

If you don't think you will have the nerve to ask them to leave for entirely your own reasons then don't even go there.

Murphybear

mathilde said:

Hi everyone, 

I'm mulling over taking in a lodger. I've a 600 sq ft flat with two big bedrooms.

I'm confident about the tax and housing law implications, but I'm wary about the quality of life implications.

I was close to having a student doctor move in, but I ended up saying no in the end because she revealed that she doesn't like cats.  She said, "But it's fine, I'll just avoid yours". Good luck with that!

A friend of mine takes in lodgers and she loves it-- but she is very sociable.

Any positive stories of taking in lodgers--or conversely, any nightmares?

My experience with cats (which is probably at least 60 years) is they love to approach non cat loving people and sit on their laps and beds as much as they can 

horsewithnoname

Murphybear 

My experience with cats (which is probably at least 60 years) is they love to approach non cat loving people and sit on their laps and beds as much as they can 

I love cats, my sister is allergic to them. Guess which one of us all cats gravitate towards 😁

mathilde

Thanks for responding!

I mean, it's the cats' home. We're just here to serve.

To answer the questions above, yes I've lived with others before. With family of course, and then in shared houses as a student/young professional. I didn't like shared housing, but honestly I think that's because the people I lived with went home to their parents every weekend and saw the shared house as student digs  whereas for me it was my home. So I couldn't understand why they'd just leave messes etc. and they couldn't understand why I wanted it nice.

I was a lodger twice. The first time was really nice, a nice landlady who was frankly a bit mumsy (I was young). Another place was awful because the couple just screamed at each other all day long. And they got mad at me because I didn't leave over Christmas --they'd invited family over and thought they'd use my room. No!

swingaloo

 My sister once had a lodger, started off ok but then she would come home from work to find her lodger had invited a mate round and they had taken over the kitchen so she had to wait to make her meals.  The lodger would also come into the room when she was watching tv and tell my sister she wanted another programme on. Sister was far too soft.

I once had a lodger which started off ok but then I married him, its still ok! 

Baldytyke88

I am very easy going and sociable, but it doesn't sound like the OP is. I also did it for the money, why is the OP doing it?

I have had 2 lodgers, one was a Colombian teaching assistant and the other was an alcoholic from India. Both kept themselves to themself, but both ok for me.

The chap from India had to leave because his visa ran out, but the Colombian lady lived by the coast with her boyfriend and family. She just stayed at mine Monday through Friday for work, so it was easy for me to tell her my daughter came home. It won't be easy if they have nowhere to go.

mathilde

Oof I would not want an alcoholic in my house. 

I can see from the above that you have o be quite easygoing to have lodgers. I like to think I'm easygoing but we can underestimate how differently others live.

goldfinches

Had you considered language students instead or doing a Monday - Thursday for someone who would otherwise commute into your area?
Both of these can be more lucrative than a lodger and also easier to adapt to because language schools keep their pupils occupied for all day and into the evening during the week and then take them off for day trips to tourist attractions at the weekends so you get regular time to yourself. The same with a Mon-Thurs stayover as they always return home on Fridays and tend to be older so easier to live with.

I've had language students before now and really enjoyed meeting some of them. Some weren't so great but they soon went home so it wasn't a problem really, although I could have done without the German girl who scandalised the neighbours by undressing in front of the bedroom window without drawing the curtains! They were so tactful about telling me the following day!

FreeBear

Bookworm225 said: You may need some rules relating to noise, guests, and cleaning.

No. You must have rules relating to not just noise, guest, & cleaning, but also cooking and energy usage. My lodger agreements had a section for house rules that included stuff like no naked flames and not to use my toiletries/makeup.

A short tail of when things go pear shaped -> https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5848168/lodger-wanting-to-cook/