What would you like to find as a lodger?

[Mydogisagentleman]

We have a large house with 2 unused bedrooms and are thinking about getting a lodger.
King sized bedroom with ensuite shower room (sole use) and another room on the next floor up with a sofa and large TV.
Would you expect to be provided with towels and bedding?
Husband will not be living there after February and I will be away for 3 months from April.
We were thinking about trying to find a single woman and charing £550 bills included.

Sounds good to me! Bills included? I’m in the south east so £550 is on the cheap side here - it’d be £700 ish

Sounds a good deal, I’d be worried about them whacking up the heating when I’m away.

We're in norfolk, so accommodation is less expensive.
The heating thing concerns me slightly but, without going nuts and finding a way to control it remotely, we'll have to trust the person

I only mentioned the heating because my mum had lodger and when my mum was out working full time the lodger would blast the heating and also cook one jacket potato in the oven for almost two hours.

I go away a lot with work and would just at that offering.

i wouldn’t expect bedding or towels but would love to use your washing machine occasionally!

A kettle, small fridge and maybe a microwave would be amazing. Not so important when you are all away but would give you all much more privacy when you are in the house.

Provide furniture, shared kitchen with homeowner is a must (otherwise they are not a lodger but a tenant. Which is a whole different ballgame)

Look at similar types of rental (space wise) being offered in your locality.

Please, please please do your due diligence - you are leaving someone unsupervised in your home, be super careful.

I think the rent is too low personally for the space described you are providing. I would imagine more in the region of at least £750 - 800 per month, but check your local offerings.

I would pay and move the heating controls into a space only accessible by myself and control heating remotely.

Plus I would install camera doorbells and ask neighbours or local friends to keep an eye while I am away (front and back door), but then maybe I am cynical - I have heard of one too many pop up brothels!

It's been a long time since I house-shared or was a lodger, but I would not expect linens included. My room had basic furnishings (bed, bedside table etc) and I brought my own extra soft furnishings and personal effects, plus table lamps and what not. There was a washing machine for shared use in the kitchen but it didn't work, so I had to go to the launderette. .

I would think about the practicalities of this endeavour, as pp have said. Make sure your house insurance allows it too, as well as your mortgage (if you have one).

Can you read the gas/elec meter? Work out average weekly consumption & then charge for any increase.(explained & agreed before taking lodger in)
Yes re camera door bell, to make sure there are no extra folks living there !
Lock your bedroom
IME its better to get a female above a certain (party) age if you want to return to your house intact.

Thanks for the contributions.
Of course I expect her to share the kitchen. Cooker, microwave, air fryer, washing machine and dishwasher.
I may have to rethink the gas and electricity and investigate the remote control situation.
Ring cameras are ready to be installed

Make sure you make it clear about the cameras, and that you will be watching her remotely while you are away.

She may be fine with it, but she deserves to know right from the start that this is the deal.

Other than that it all sounds excellent! Would be great if you could provide her with bascia kithenette resources (kettle, microwave, toaster, mini fridge) as she may prefer to cook privately.

Will there be rules about overnight guests? If so, again, please share with her on from the get go.