What does 'Professional' mean?

[FurrySlipperBoots]

When you're looking for a room to rent in a shared house, and it says 'Professional only'? Can you be a professional builder, or a professional author, or a professional car valet service provider, or do you have to have a degree and a 6 figure salary?

I think it just means someone who works (as opposed to a student etc)

In this context someone with a job, so not a student or someone on jobseekers.

I’ve always assumed it just means someone in employment.

A nice way of describing someone who hopefully has a job, won't be dossing about all day in their PJs in shared spaces with their mates smoking a joint with a can of beer. You of course know this especially if you do have a job - as in any job - coded language was almost certainly used in the job description.

Someone who has fulltime job?

I've always thought that it means someone who works. However I now wonder if they need to add something that says that people "need to work outside the home" if they don't want people who are going to be home all day.

Traditionally it meant someone in one of 'the professions', eg doctor, lawyer, accountant, teacher. Not manual or general office work. Not sure if the ad means that though, seems a bit discriminatory.

Someone who pays Council Tax (ie not a student).

Oh my goodness I always thought it meant like a proper profession such as accountant, dr, solicitor 🙈

A “professional flatshare” is for those who work in non-manual labour, usually office-based.

Technically it means someone who works in a role that is regulated by a professional body, that they are accountable to (for example the GMC for doctors).
In this context though I would assume it means anyone with a job.

Different landlords are likely to mean different things. Best to check rather than spend time if you don't meet their criteria

@sittingonacornflake

Oh my goodness I always thought it meant like a proper profession such as accountant, dr, solicitor 🙈

I also thought this!

You'll need to ask for clarification what they mean.

When I was helping ex find a flat share we found one that was professionals only and wouldn't accept him as he worked as a bar manager, they wanted people working Monday-Friday, 9-5.

I always thought it meant office job type of work.

Lots of professionals don’t work Mon-Fri 9-5, such as doctors.

I always assumed it meant someone employed rather than a student.

They’d be limiting themselves if they just wanted someone in one of the “professions”.

I understood it to mean non-manual labour. Office workers, health and social care workers, that sort of thing.

Technically it means someone who works in a role that is regulated by a professional body, that they are accountable to (for example the GMC for doctors).
In this context though I would assume it means anyone with a job.

Agree with this.

It means a job equivalent to traditional professions eg lawyer teacher, accountant. In reality they aren’t going to care if you are a gfx designer or run a coffee shop or have a degree or not. But while they might not care if you served in a coffee shop, they probably aren’t expecting that.