Unable to find lodgers, is this a dead period?

ReadySteadyPop

pieroabcd said:

That's the reason why In my contract there are the clauses "the licensee can't have guest staying overnight under any circumstances" and "guests are allowed as long as they frequent the house with moderation".

Ok fair enough, but again that limits your pool of potential lodgers as that would be similar to living with quite strict parents in that your lifestyle is going to be limited to some extent, most people would rather flat share or actually live with parents that lodge in a stranger`s home anyway in my opinion. You are probably looking for someone who lives elsewhere but needs to spend a few nights a week in London for work, so they will be so busy and don`t care about having people over sort of thing, you would probably need to agree a reduced rate for only staying part of the week though.

ReadySteadyPop

silvercar said:

It's holiday season. I would expect things to pick up in a few weeks. 

As for living with parents, if you read some the threads on the marriage and relationship board, people seem to think it acceptable to charge offspring full rent when moving back home. Most people don't have parents with spare rooms in suitable locations, so I would imagine that people tend to lodge where they can find work, rather than concentrate their job search on their parent's location.

Someone desperate enough to live in a small room in a stranger`s house under that person`s rules is unlikely to be on extended summer break in my view, they are likely to be pounding the street looking for somewhere to stay. The good news is that there are more To Let signs up than in many a long year so this task is a lot easier than it has been for quite a while, and that is probably one reason the OP does not have a line of people at the door.

pieroabcd

ReadySteadyPop said:

pieroabcd said:

That's the reason why In my contract there are the clauses "the licensee can't have guest staying overnight under any circumstances" and "guests are allowed as long as they frequent the house with moderation".

Ok fair enough, but again that limits your pool of potential lodgers as that would be similar to living with quite strict parents in that your lifestyle is going to be limited to some extent, most people would rather flat share or actually live with parents that lodge in a stranger`s home anyway in my opinion. You are probably looking for someone who lives elsewhere but needs to spend a few nights a week in London for work, so they will be so busy and don`t care about having people over sort of thing, you would probably need to agree a reduced rate for only staying part of the week though.

The last time that I let out this room (January 2024) there were several people that were happy with the terms, and at full price.
I think that I can only wait and see how this search evolves.

saajan_12

Fully agree with the OP's view on couples, its a very different dynamic to share the lounge with one other when you're both quiet or talking to eachother vs sharing with two people talking and you're on the edge. Also often less frequency of them sleeping elsewhere or be out on dates etc.
Back when I was doing this, I had a significant price difference if letting to a couple, as its the same bedroom usage but higher intrusion on the living room and slightly more on utilities. 

However on any online ad, you'll always get spurious replies from people who either didn't read and send mass requests or just chancing their arm which they see as harmless. Nothing personal, just ignore if you're definitely not interested. 

ReadySteadyPop

pieroabcd said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

pieroabcd said:

That's the reason why In my contract there are the clauses "the licensee can't have guest staying overnight under any circumstances" and "guests are allowed as long as they frequent the house with moderation".

Ok fair enough, but again that limits your pool of potential lodgers as that would be similar to living with quite strict parents in that your lifestyle is going to be limited to some extent, most people would rather flat share or actually live with parents that lodge in a stranger`s home anyway in my opinion. You are probably looking for someone who lives elsewhere but needs to spend a few nights a week in London for work, so they will be so busy and don`t care about having people over sort of thing, you would probably need to agree a reduced rate for only staying part of the week though.

The last time that I let out this room (January 2024) there were several people that were happy with the terms, and at full price.
I think that I can only wait and see how this search evolves.

The lettings market has changed since then, that is my wider point, but yes the only thing you need to care about is can you actually rent the space (why do you actually want lodgers though?) that may involve a price cut in this market though.

sheramber

pieroabcd said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

pieroabcd said:

That's the reason why In my contract there are the clauses "the licensee can't have guest staying overnight under any circumstances" and "guests are allowed as long as they frequent the house with moderation".

Ok fair enough, but again that limits your pool of potential lodgers as that would be similar to living with quite strict parents in that your lifestyle is going to be limited to some extent, most people would rather flat share or actually live with parents that lodge in a stranger`s home anyway in my opinion. You are probably looking for someone who lives elsewhere but needs to spend a few nights a week in London for work, so they will be so busy and don`t care about having people over sort of thing, you would probably need to agree a reduced rate for only staying part of the week though.

The last time that I let out this room (January 2024) there were several people that were happy with the terms, and at full price.
I think that I can only wait and see how this search evolves.

We’ve had a cost of living  increase since then.

Less money around. 

There may be cheaper  lodgings available. 

ChirpyChicken

But as said before August is such a quiet time for a lot of businesses. Unis and schools are shut. I don't know where you are but that may affect you.
Get out of holiday season and see what happens 
People often ask on local Facebook groups for rooms

FreeBear

saajan_12 said:

Fully agree with the OP's view on couples, its a very different dynamic to share the lounge with one other when you're both quiet or talking to each other vs sharing with two people talking and you're on the edge.

Having had couples in the past, never again. Just way too much hassle, and it really changes the dynamics of *this household.

As for demand. Looking at Spare Room, it usually hovers around 180-200 adverts for people looking. It is currently sitting at 240, and will probably increase more in the run up to the new academic year - Big university close by, well, 3.5 miles or an hour walk.

ReadySteadyPop

sheramber said:

pieroabcd said:

ReadySteadyPop said:

pieroabcd said:

That's the reason why In my contract there are the clauses "the licensee can't have guest staying overnight under any circumstances" and "guests are allowed as long as they frequent the house with moderation".

Ok fair enough, but again that limits your pool of potential lodgers as that would be similar to living with quite strict parents in that your lifestyle is going to be limited to some extent, most people would rather flat share or actually live with parents that lodge in a stranger`s home anyway in my opinion. You are probably looking for someone who lives elsewhere but needs to spend a few nights a week in London for work, so they will be so busy and don`t care about having people over sort of thing, you would probably need to agree a reduced rate for only staying part of the week though.

The last time that I let out this room (January 2024) there were several people that were happy with the terms, and at full price.
I think that I can only wait and see how this search evolves.

We’ve had a cost of living  increase since then.

Less money around. 

There may be cheaper  lodgings available. 

Highly likely as people struggle with higher cost of living and higher mortgage debt payments.

MyRealNameToo

saajan_12 said:

Fully agree with the OP's view on couples, its a very different dynamic to share the lounge with one other when you're both quiet or talking to eachother vs sharing with two people talking and you're on the edge. Also often less frequency of them sleeping elsewhere or be out on dates etc.
Back when I was doing this, I had a significant price difference if letting to a couple, as its the same bedroom usage but higher intrusion on the living room and slightly more on utilities. 

That assumes the lounge is to be used by the lodger(s) and somewhat depends on the motivation for renting out a room. 

The two places the Mrs was a lodger in before we met she didnt have access to the lounge and it was clearly families trying to get some money in rather than someone looking for a new friend. She was effectively a ghost in the house, unless she left a teaspoon or mug in the sink at which point they reminded her of the rules. 

If two lodgers are dating where do you expect them to be spending the night if neither allow overnight guests? As to single people being out more than couples that very much depends on the people involved. I know single people who are either at work, in the supermarket or at home whereas we will frequently be out in the evenings and barely at home at weekends other than to sleep.