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Original poster

CF lodger - advice please

120 replies

Kiwirose · 29/09/2022 13:50

Our spare double room in our family home is let for single occupancy for £500pm including bills (which is probably too cheap) to a PhD student. He has just returned home with is wife without discussing this with us first. She tells us she is staying for 2-3 months.

We knew he was married and his wife lived and worked abroad in the same country he lived and worked in prior to study, so he is over here on a student visa.

We previously discussed with him the need to increase rent bin October because of the cost of living and all of the bills increasing.

My question is how much do you think it is reasonable to charge for a double room with double occupancy for the time his wife is here?

(and yes I am annoyed that this happened without prior discussion. I think he is treating this like a shared flat which it isn't, but even if it were I don't think you could move another person in without everyone else asking reasonable financial measures to compensate for additional utility usage and inconvenience).

All ideas gratefully received please.

OP posts:
Ariela · 29/09/2022 14:03

On the basis that water use would be double - calculate the usage and charge that.
For heat and light: will she be out at work/Uni studying the same hours as him or there all day? Cooking for 2 vs 1?

Work out the approx additional cost accordingly, and show him your workings, as well as the reduction for single occupancy once she's gone back home.

melafixer · 29/09/2022 14:03

Hmm I’d consider increasing the £ so much it gets rid of them... You can’t just invite yourself to live in someone’s home!

Fraaahnces · 29/09/2022 14:04

Double the rent. He’ll either accept it or piss off. You didn’t sign up for two.

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mumda · 29/09/2022 14:04

If you wanted one person then ask him them to leave.

Babyitstimetomoveon · 29/09/2022 14:10

I would up it by 50%. Very cheeky.

Pixiedust1234 · 29/09/2022 14:11

Tell him to leave. Hes changed the contract (I assume you have one) by bringing another person. Otherwise charge bills as seperate, if there is two of you and two of them then bills gets split incl council and WiFi etc. Personally its easier to get rid now, otherwise you will always be wondering what he's going to do next. Perhaps he'll bring over a couple of neices too...

autocollantes · 29/09/2022 14:12

That's crazy. You don't want to live with two people. You rented the room to one. No prior discussion about her arriving. There's no way she'll stay somewhere separately to her husband.

So give him notice. All you need to say - if asked - is that circumstances have changed and it doesn't work for you.

It's completely not on. Also, 8 weeks or 12 weeks is quite a difficult timeframe. One takes you to the beginning of December. The other is Christmas time. And given the lack of discussion it's quite likely that 2-3 months extends to 3-4...

ApolloandDaphne · 29/09/2022 14:12

Will she be at home during the day and expecting heat/light/wifi? I would up it to £800 pm

Birdy1066 · 29/09/2022 14:14

Tell him to leave. You’ll have difficulty getting both of them out if you let it run, and you’ll find the time she is staying will stretch. Cheeky sod.

WhatALoadOfWankyness · 29/09/2022 14:18

Treble the rent , then give him notice to move out with the date in bold
I wouldn't piss about , he is completely taking the micky
Lots of nice people out there that will fill his space

Original poster
Kiwirose · 29/09/2022 14:18

Thank you. It is cheeky isn't it? We never did it to make loads of money so we don't have a formula for how the original price was calculated. And I have always preferred to have someone we liked rather than it just being a business transaction - common to all lodging agreements I'm sure. A good consistent payer whom we all like is key.

I imagine all rooms including bills will need to have rent increases because of he cost of living but it isn't unusual for rooms to go for up to £700-800 (although they would probably be central Cambridge without children).

I hope I'd be brave enough to do this
Babyitstimetomoveon · Today 14:10
I would up it by 50%. Very cheeky.

OP posts:
stayathomegardener · 29/09/2022 14:20

Very cheeky, I'd give notice.

Original poster
Kiwirose · 29/09/2022 14:22

ApolloandDaphne · 29/09/2022 14:12

Will she be at home during the day and expecting heat/light/wifi? I would up it to £800 pm

yes she will

OP posts:
Forestdweller11 · 29/09/2022 14:23

Think I'd service notice. Sounds very cheeky indeed. Say that the situation with the two of them no longer works for you.

OnTheBrinkOfChange · 29/09/2022 14:25

Give him notice. He can't change his contract like that.

Original poster
Kiwirose · 29/09/2022 14:26

autocollantes · 29/09/2022 14:12

That's crazy. You don't want to live with two people. You rented the room to one. No prior discussion about her arriving. There's no way she'll stay somewhere separately to her husband.

So give him notice. All you need to say - if asked - is that circumstances have changed and it doesn't work for you.

It's completely not on. Also, 8 weeks or 12 weeks is quite a difficult timeframe. One takes you to the beginning of December. The other is Christmas time. And given the lack of discussion it's quite likely that 2-3 months extends to 3-4...

I hadn't factored in Christmas - that fills me with horror!

I wouldn't have minded if she visited for a couple of weeks - we would have been very understanding about that. But that is completely different to 2-3 months and as you say there is a difference between 8-12 weeks too.

I'm mostly annoyed about the lack of communication which essentially means a lack of informed choice and a lack of opportunity to discuss who it might work prior to any agreed arrival.

OP posts:
BritishDesiGirl · 29/09/2022 14:27

Raise the rent by 50% don't be afraid to do it. He had no right just moving someone in without asking first. If he doesn't want to pay extra then serve notice.

Original poster
Kiwirose · 29/09/2022 14:28

WhatALoadOfWankyness · 29/09/2022 14:18

Treble the rent , then give him notice to move out with the date in bold
I wouldn't piss about , he is completely taking the micky
Lots of nice people out there that will fill his space

Lots of nice people who will fill his space is encouraging and probably very true.

The rent does enable us to make neds meet thought so the thought of not having it between lodgers is pretty scary - especially as we are all going backwards financially.

OP posts:
Iwouldlikesomecake · 29/09/2022 14:37

Up it to whatever it is that takes you up to the ‘rent a room’ threshold so you don’t have to pay tax on it. I think it’s about £625

last thing you want is having to pay tax on the money on top of everything else!

Yabado · 29/09/2022 14:38

My son is planing on renting out his second bedroom/ bathroom in his flat once he moved in for £600 a month
if it was a couple it would be £800

your not a charity either up the rent or give him notice so that you can up the rent more to cover the cost of the extra bills I would say it’s £850 a month or £100a week per on a weekly basis

even if he says she’s staying for a week or two then tell it’s an extra £a100 week
discount for 1 month
more if it’s week by week

He is a cheeky fucker who knows exactly what he is doing and thinks your stupid enough to accept it
Don’t be scared you will easily rent it again

Original poster
Kiwirose · 29/09/2022 15:35

Yabado · 29/09/2022 14:38

My son is planing on renting out his second bedroom/ bathroom in his flat once he moved in for £600 a month
if it was a couple it would be £800

your not a charity either up the rent or give him notice so that you can up the rent more to cover the cost of the extra bills I would say it’s £850 a month or £100a week per on a weekly basis

even if he says she’s staying for a week or two then tell it’s an extra £a100 week
discount for 1 month
more if it’s week by week

He is a cheeky fucker who knows exactly what he is doing and thinks your stupid enough to accept it
Don’t be scared you will easily rent it again

Yes big girl pants are required. It is a good room with good facilities and the teenage children don't nick their food because the lodgers have a separate fridge-freezer.

I think your son's pricing is much better than mine.

OP posts:
erinaceus · 29/09/2022 15:39

Have you explained to your lodger that his wife cannot stay in your property, to give him an opportunity to make other arrangements, whatever they might be?

Are you happy to have her stay for 2-3 months if the price is right, or is your preference that he or they both leave?

Beyondshit · 29/09/2022 16:06

My ex lodger tried to move his wife and kids in for two weeks and I told him it wasn't happening and he needed to find somewhere else. That's what you need to do here.

ArtOfTheImpossible · 29/09/2022 16:18

Wow. Extreme CF.
You don't rent a room in someone's house, then move in who you like! It's not up to him!

Big girl pants. And as he may refuse to go, be prepared to put their bags outside and change the locks.

Where do you stand with the home office and visas, have they given your house as her address?

Sweetpea1532 · 29/09/2022 16:54

@Kiwirose
I'm sorry your lodger has put you in this position!
Since she will not be working she will actually be an uninvited houseguest....underfoot all day.
I can't even imagine the inconvenience and lack of privacy this will cause you and your family.

Even if she stays in his room the entire day and not out and about in your living space, it is still very intrusive. You will be able to hear her flushing the loo, watching telly, knocking about. Does he use your kitchen to prepare his food?

Also wear and tear on the furniture goes up with each person that is added to a space.
This isn't in any way a good situation for you even at double the rent. He has massively overstepped his tenancy.