Money Moral Dilemma: Should I ask my lodger to pay more rent because she regularly has guests?

Jemma01

If you have a problem with visitors, you need to make that clear. 

As for increasing the cost, if the lodger was in a hotel, she would be charged extra for guests. I would tell her that either no guests, so she'll need to pay extra for ## of visits per month (whatever no. you both agree). no more visits past that number. Even if she doesn't use all those visits, the increase is fixed per month going forward.

You haven't mentioned the type of agreement you have with your lodger

Ann_Anchor

I don't allow my lodger to have overnight guests, it is written into our Lodger Agreement.  Nothing to do with money.  I don't want anybody staying in my home who I have not checked out. I follow the same rules.  It is a shared home, not a self-contained bedsit.  If we are both to feel safe and our possessions secure in our shared home then we should take care who we let in, the same as when I lived with family.

Rd1994

Sounds like she’s a good lodger otherwise so I would say do not charge more unless you notice the bills drastically increasing. 

I wouldn’t want to create a bad relationship with a good lodger as if she left you don’t know who you could get next - also most people will expect to be aloud to have friends / a partner over. 

‘I would not think that a guest staying over for the night would use much more water or gas or electricity.  If two people need the heating, TV and a light on, it's likely that one person would need the same things. ‘ - agree with this. 

hannerrbabes

It's her home too! You're saying she can't have guests over? Do you have no guests over either?

bikaga

Does your contract say no guests? Then she can't have guests, rather than she can have them but pay more.
Does it not mention guests? Then she can have guests, and especially when you're not home, it's none of your business unless you find out she's subletting. But I'm assuming that you'd notice on the cameras if they acted like strangers, and she probably wouldn't be stupid enough to have AirBnB'ed out her room knowing about the cameras. She's living in the place, so of course she'll want to have guests. People have friends. They're likely not "random people" but ones she trusts to be alone with in the place, as a woman.
What's your definition of often and random people? Are you away 50% of the time, and 50% of that time, she has multiple people round? Are you away 2 weekends each month, and half of that time, she's got people over, usually the same one(s)? Has it increased?
Do you charge her for the percentage of the bills she actually uses if you're away that much, or more than half, or less than half seeing as she probably doesn't get to use as much of the heated space as you do? Do you put in extra money or reduce her share when you have guests?
It all seems a bit weird to me as others have said, unless you've noticed stuff being broken / bills increasing disproportionately, and having multiple cameras on, not just a door cam, while your lodger's living there... she might actually have cause for complaint there, as when she's alone at home, she should be able to walk around in just a nightie or shorts and bra for example without being on her landlord/landlady's cam footage... best look into the contract you have and how you're using your cameras before asking for an extra £2 for her friends having a shower or sitting on your sofa...

bikaga

singhini said:

So........... Your not happy about random people in your house, yet you think the solution is to charge more money.

This - she might be happy to pay a bit extra, and you'll end up with even more people in your house because she's paid for the privilege as you requested.

There's a famous story about a day care that started to charge parents who picked up their kids late. But seeing as they paid through the nose for day care already, they were happy to pay a small extra charge if it meant less stress getting to pickup. So the number of kids being picked up late increased rather than decreased.

JainEm

There seem to be two different issues here. One is you're not happy about your lodger having guests over. The other is about increased utility costs generated by these guests.

It would be reasonable to review utility bills in light of any cost of living increases, achieved by a simple discussion with your lodger, but is this really what you're concerned about? 

Perhaps you need to check your 'tenancy agreement' and review both your rights relating to guests coming over. But be cautious about making any rigid rules, or you risk losing a good lodger in all other respects.

mlz1413

flaneurs_lobster said:

If I were the lodger I'd be asking under what circumstances does the owner "review" the several CCTV's-worth of footage? 

When something's missing or broken? Find out who keeps leaving the lights on?

Or just general viewing to check on what the lodger's wearing, to offer fashion tips and so on?

A video door bell would show who is coming in and out.  
If the lodger is coming back every Friday with someone different that would worry me.
But the same friend wouldn't bother me as much.
 But I would prefer to have been asked.

Rumana03

All the people saying it's the lodger's home too so they should be able to have guests...doesn't mean they can invite any person to come round and stay. I've had lodgers before but they were not allowed overnight guests. I'm sorry but they are not paying for someone else to stay there and you wouldn't have a clue what this person is like...like they could take things from the home or cause damage. Why should the home owner be ok with this? Next thing you know they might have someone stay over who has a pet...or they might start throwing parties in the absence of the home owner. OP you should draw the line now before it gets out of hand.

I had a lodger who told me prior to moving in that their wife would sometimes pop round to see them. I said that was fine. But one day I caught the wife letting herself into the house with a set of keys...so basically he had created a set of keys for her. Straight away I told him that this is not allowed. She was not on the contract so she doesn't get to have access like this to the property.

OP your lodger could even be subletting for all you know. Charging the guests to be able to spend the night at the property. What if one of them moves in permanently and doesn't leave?

Erica51

You have found a lodger in whose charge you are happy to leave the house while you are away.  Such people aren't easy to find.  You can either make yourself unpleasant or ask whether she ever has guests who might like to use your bed when you're away.  Obviously she'd be responsible for letting you know, changing the sheets and leaving the room clean but you would keep your reliable lodger.  If I were away a lot I would want someone who would deal with urgent repairs.