Does anyone have experience of lodgers?

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Does anyone have experience of lodgers?
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Mary-Jane

Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 13 9:09 am Post subject: Does anyone have experience of lodgers?

Things are rather tight financially and I'm looking at ways of keeping my house. If needs must I will sell up, but would really like to stay here for a few years before I have to leave.

The kitchen should hopefully be finished within a month or so, then all the outstanding decorating and final touches upstairs can be tackled, so I've been thinking about the lodger route as I have a (small) spare room with an en-suite shower room.

I have a number of friends who've taken in lodgers at different times for various reasons. Some have been successful and some haven't.
I just wondered whether anyone on here had good or bad experiences to share...and any advice?

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 13 9:49 am Post subject:

We had a lodger when I was a child, in fact we had a few.

My mum was a teacher at the local comp, and we often had a Monday to Fri morning one, with weekends if they wanted, who were new teachers, or here for teaching practice, and needed somewhere to stay. As far as I know it worked well. They would do there own breakfast, have lunch at school, and eat with the family, and sometimes even cooking for all of us. (occationally, not regularly)

We also had one at our last Hotel. He started out as a Sunday to Friday am, but when he got a boyfriend in town he stayed full time. Unlike the Hotel guests (he was staying in a hotel room) he didn't bother with breakfast, or dinner, but when we went away, en masse, for 8 weeks each winter he stayed rent free, moving the cars around and turning on lights. Our chambermaid went in a couple of times a week, to change bedding and top up the milk.

I would say a good experience.

Penny Outskirts

Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 23385
Location: Planet, not on the....

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 13 9:56 am Post subject:
I aways had lodgers when I lived on my own. It was both nice to have extra money, and nice to have some company. One of my very best friends I met as a lodger, 27 years ago. All of the ones I had knew someone I knew. Don't think I'd have taken a complete stranger in. Set the rules very clearly at the start You don't have to pay tax on the income either, under the rent a room scheme.

Bebo

Joined: 21 May 2007
Posts: 12590
Location: East Sussex

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 13 9:58 am Post subject:
Yes, for about 6 years in London. Was a good experience. Three of our ex-lodgers are still good friends, even though some of them moved out over 10 years ago. I think one of the reasons it worked well for us is that we had our own space away from them and didn't have to share the kitchen and sitting room all the time, although we did sometimes. Will you have somewhere to retreat?

Mary-Jane

Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 13 10:21 am Post subject:

Bebo wrote:

Will you have somewhere to retreat?

Ummm, sitting room, dining room? But that presupposes they would be happy to watch the TV in their room.

Mary-Jane

Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 13 10:22 am Post subject:
Is it better to advertise privately, or go through an agency?

Penny Outskirts

Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 23385
Location: Planet, not on the....

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 13 10:29 am Post subject:

Mary-Jane wrote:

Is it better to advertise privately, or go through an agency?

Ask around and see if anyone you know knows someone?

Mary-Jane

Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 13 10:34 am Post subject:

Penny Outskirts wrote:

Ask around and see if anyone you know knows someone?

Yes, I was thinking of doing that first.

There's a very nice professional gardener looking for a room at the moment - but it's too soon...

Penny Outskirts

Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 23385
Location: Planet, not on the....

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 13 10:38 am Post subject:

Mary-Jane wrote:

Penny Outskirts wrote:

Ask around and see if anyone you know knows someone?

Yes, I was thinking of doing that first.

There's a very nice professional gardener looking for a room at the moment - but it's too soon...

Why is it too soon?

Nick

Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 13 10:41 am Post subject:
Garden doesn't need doing til the spring.

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 13 10:45 am Post subject:

Mary-Jane wrote:

Penny Outskirts wrote:

Ask around and see if anyone you know knows someone?

Yes, I was thinking of doing that first.

There's a very nice professional gardener looking for a room at the moment - but it's too soon...

You could offer a free or cheaper month, whilst waiting for the kitchen to be finished. If I was renting I would love the opportunity of saving a bit of money for a few weeks.

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18415

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 13 10:48 am Post subject:

Mary-Jane wrote:

Bebo wrote:

Will you have somewhere to retreat?

Ummm, sitting room, dining room? But that presupposes they would be happy to watch the TV in their room.

It may have an en-suite, but I do remember it as being rather a small bedroom. I'm not sure that it's quite big enough to function as a bed-sitting room. I could be wrong, though.

Mary-Jane

Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 13 11:02 am Post subject:

gil wrote:

It may have an en-suite, but I do remember it as being rather a small bedroom. I'm not sure that it's quite big enough to function as a bed-sitting room. I could be wrong, though.

You're right, it isn't a huge room gil. But when the kitchen is finished (I seem to start every sentence with that these days...

) I'm going to put a comfy chair/small sofa in there and a telly as well.

Mary-Jane

Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 18397
Location: The Fishing Strumpet is from Ceredigion in West Wales

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 13 11:04 am Post subject:

Penny Outskirts wrote:

Why is it too soon?

Nick wrote:

Garden doesn't need doing til the spring.

*Slap*

alison wrote:

You could offer a free or cheaper month, whilst waiting for the kitchen to be finished. If I was renting I would love the opportunity of saving a bit of money for a few weeks.

Well, the room itself will need finishing off too, plus the hall stairs and landing (not that they are so important).

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sat Jan 26, 13 11:17 am Post subject:
If you want to get those things done, for any lodger, how long will it be? You could still contact the gardener. They may have to give notice where they are, and they still may like a chance to save a bit of money, for a short amount of time. Having a common ground is also a good thing for lodgers, as it gives a natural way of conversation, whilst you get to know each other.

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