Renting out DS1's room

[JugsyMalone]

Feel guilty but I really need the money!

We have a 3 bed house with 2 big doubles and 1 tiny single/box room.

DS1 had the 2nd b/r and DS2 the 3rd b/r until DS1 went to Uni. Then I got DS1 to swap. I redecorated the small room and got new carpet and a new nice single bed.

DS1 came back from Uni after 1 term but I made him keep to the swap as I thought it was DS2's turn with the big room.

DS1 has wrecked the small room, footprints on the wall, rubbished the carpet. He just is a destructive and messy person.

He is moving out to live with his mate. Not my choice, his. We get on fine but he wants to go.

I have advertised his room for £50 pw (SW London) inc of all bills.

I have also said - if you clean the room the first week is free.

Just feeling a bit weird on 2 fronts:

a) renting out his room when he goes - he can sleep with his brother in dbl bed if he comes back

b) how much cleaning do I have to do?

If your ds has moved out then he's moved out, no need to feel guilty. I'm not sure how successful you will be in renting out a small dirty room though, or if you would wish to share your house with someone who would be happy with that. Will you be sharing the rest of the house with your new lodger - it doesn't sound as if there is enough space for much more than sleeping in there.

nooka - it is a box/single room. They would have to share the bathroom/kitchen with me and DS2 and DS1 when he is around. I thought a Pole/Oz/Kiwi bloke might not mind blitzing it for a week off the rent.

I'd be more concerned about evenings and weekends really - is there enough room for an armchair and TV?

No room for an armchair - but there is somewhere to put a TV - the rent is £30 a week less than anything else in the area. It's really only enough room to sleep.

I've had a hard-up student in my class who not only rented a room similar to that described by the OP, but shared it. They had a double bunk bed in the place of the bed and made extensive use of university facilities so as only be there to sleep. So I've no doubt it'll be taken if the price is right, which it sounds like it is.

Housing is tense in London because of undersupply and this screws up a lot of people's lives. Any action that increases the use of under-used housing will do a tiny bit to help this situation. OP, I applaud you - renting out that room is the socially conscious thing to do.

Why isn't your ds cleaning?

Since it is so tiny, it might appeal tiny someone who just needs to be in London during the week. My mother (then also SW London) did that for many years. There's a website called something like 'Monday to Friday' for advertising this kind of set up.

Don't forget to state 'No overnight guests' or you'll have loud, shagging teenagers in that single bed

If it is so small, then it cant take that long for you to clean it. I would certainly clear it out and make it clean before expecting someone to move into it.

YANBU to rent the room out but you need to clean it first. Make sure in your ad you ate clear about whether the living room is included. £50 is very cheap!