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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think I'm not the only person who's happy to bathe rather than shower?

79 replies

wigglylines · 07/06/2014 16:37

I'm considering renting out the spare room to help with the bills.

My friend reckons that it will be totally impossible to rent the room because we only have a (newly fitted, nice) bath with a rubbish shower attachment, not a proper shower. I recognise that many people prefer showers, and that if we had one, it would mean more people would be interested in the room, but I can't be the only one who prefers baths surely? Not to the point of making the room unrentable anyway? I don't need loads of people to rent it, only one!

He also reckons no one wants to live with a family. But we've rented rooms to students many, many times in the past (in old house with shower) He's talking mince, isn't he?

AIBU to expect a spare room in a family house with no shower to be perfectly rentable to a lodger (probably a student)?

OP posts:
Pumpkinpositive · 07/06/2014 21:28

Why would anyone hate a shower? Just curious as I can't see how that's possible

Because I am lazy.

Why stand when you can lie down?? Grin

Artandco · 07/06/2014 21:35

I wouldn't rent somewhere with no shower.

Renting with family also a no no. Do they get use of other rooms ie kitchen/ living room/ garden etc? Would you be happy with them watching TV in living room with friends, having people stay, or baking all day in kitchen? Because otherwise why would someone choose your rented room over a rented room in houseshare where they have full use of all communal areas and can be as loud as they like or have as many people over as they like

Lauren83 · 07/06/2014 23:33

Why would anyone hate a shower? Just curious as I can't see how that's possible

Well mines mainly due to my vision, I have terrible terrible eyesight, I don't like showering in my lenses and can't in my glasses and showering with neither isn't pleasant as I couldn't shave my legs or read a shampoo bottle, so I much prefer having a bath as can do with either

I also get really itchy after a shower oddly, even after using same body wash and cream, maybe its the shampoo irritating my skin I don't know but it happens every time

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 08/06/2014 00:05

I have terrible eyesight too (-10) and agree that lack of vision in the shower is a nuisance, however no way am I giving up my beloved showers for baths, I really don't like baths at all. I wear my glasses to shave my legs, I can still see through them if they're wet. Hair washing I can do "blind".

Original poster
wigglylines · 08/06/2014 00:33

"Do they get use of other rooms ie kitchen/ living room/ garden etc? Would you be happy with them watching TV in living room with friends, having people stay, or baking all day in kitchen?"

Yes to all of those. We're very laid back, and we like having people around. In fact we much prefer sharing our home with people who want to actually live in our home with us (share meals when we're in at the same time, feel at home in the front room etc). We'd hate sharing with someone who kept out of the way and hid in their own room all the time.

Anyway, did you not read my post above where I said we'd rented to 11 people since we had our first baby? (Actually, there's a few I'd forgotten, so the total is actually 15.

The point is not whether people want to share with families or not - we know from experience many do - we never found filling rooms a problem. There are loads of students and foreign language students in this town, no shortage of people to rent to.

OP posts:
Original poster
wigglylines · 08/06/2014 00:34

This would be the first person we'd rent to in our new house however, the old place had two showers.

OP posts:
Original poster
wigglylines · 08/06/2014 00:36

"Why would anyone hate a shower? Just curious as I can't see how that's possible"

I dunno, I can't put my finger on it exactly, but I find the idea of a shower irritating. It's usually OK once I get in, but it's never my first choice.

OP posts:
WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 08/06/2014 00:39

That's exactly how I feel about baths, don't mind once I'm in but it would never be my first choice. One exception for me, I have a bath on Christmas morning, with a glass of bucks fizz and a new book after present opening and before cooking dinner. The rest of the year, no.

SaucyJack · 08/06/2014 00:43

Wouldn't bother me either. I've never lived anywhere with a shower and I don't really think I'm missing out. I like a nice, long hot bath of an evening.

Original poster
wigglylines · 08/06/2014 00:43

"I have a bath on Christmas morning, with a glass of bucks fizz and a new book after present opening and before cooking dinner."

Sounds wonderful Grin

I have one year old and my partner works away a lot. I don't think I've bathed without company of a small person, or in a big hurry, for longer than I care to remember!

OP posts:
steff13 · 08/06/2014 00:45

I like to take a bath to relax. But I wouldn't feel clean from a bath. I would feel like I was soaking in my own sweat and body oils, rather than washing them off.

Bogeyface · 08/06/2014 00:52

How dirty are you people that you are sitting in your "own sweat"?!

I like showers when I am in a rush, but bath time is my time. Never stand if you can sit, never shower if you can bathe!

Original poster
wigglylines · 08/06/2014 01:06

"But I wouldn't feel clean from a bath. I would feel like I was soaking in my own sweat and body oils, rather than washing them off."

I don't want to strip my body of all its natural oils though, they're there for a reason!

OP posts:
MrsWinnibago · 08/06/2014 01:09

I hate showers. As long as I've got a bath I'm happy. Some people seem to think baths are a fuss...but they're not! I rutn mine and then do .
something else while it's filling

Showers are so uncomfortable!

ToysRLuv · 08/06/2014 01:19

I like showers more than baths. Also would find a shared (with relative strangers) bath a bit "euurgh". I would end up trying to wash myself with the drizzle attachment half crouching, half standing with the, while being freezing cold and trying not to spray water everywhere (if there's no shower curtain).

I would only put up with it if the flat was otherwise near perfect.

SoleSource · 08/06/2014 02:18

I don't work and never use the bath or the shower.

wobblyweebles · 08/06/2014 02:21

I am reading this while in the bath...

Bogeyface · 08/06/2014 02:24

I don't want to strip my body of all its natural oils though, they're there for a reason!
Totally agree. This is also why I only wash my hair twice a week and not everyday "because it gets gets greasy if I dont" No. It gets greasy because you do!

Original poster
wigglylines · 08/06/2014 02:38

I'm actually starting to think the lack of a shower might be a good thing Grin

The kind of people who feel like this will probably not want to live with us anyway:

"Also would find a shared (with relative strangers) bath a bit "euurgh" ... I would only put up with it if the flat was otherwise near perfect."

The house is not perfect, far from it. It's chaotic, can get fairly untidy tbh, not everything is new. But it's warm, welcoming and a lovely place to be. If being friends with the people you live with scores higher on your wish list than living in a show home or not sharing a bath, you're more likely to fit in here I reckon!

OP posts:
ToysRLuv · 08/06/2014 03:13

I don't expect a show home. Confused But do not like the idea of sharing a bath tub (without giving it a bit if a clean first) with people other than family and close friends. I am really not weird or unusual, and far from anal..

What I meant by "near perfect" was that tge flat filled my other criteria (good location, nice enough bedroom and shared areas, friendly housemates, rent not too expensive, etc.)

catgirl1976 · 08/06/2014 08:09

Fideliney

I simply meant that as I have to be out of the house by a certain time and don't fancy getting up 45 minutes earlier than I need to in order to run and take a bath, a shower is quicker and more convenient.

I could have added that I have a 2 year old to get ready as well which eats into my time and the boiler is in his room, so if I get up early and run a bath whilst he is still asleep, the noise from the boiler wakes him up.

It is a bit of a leap to think I assume everyone who prefers a bath is unemployed. Hmm

Original poster
wigglylines · 08/06/2014 08:10

Ah OK ToysRLuc, sorry I misunderstood!

OP posts:
GrannyOnTheSchoolRun · 08/06/2014 11:36

Wiggly, I've been thinking of you and how you described your home and I just wanted to say as the mum of children who were foreign students in the Uk - I doubt they would have been very lonely if they'd been with you and yours.

I wouldnt have like the bathroom arrangements for them, nor the untidiness, but fair dues to you - you do seem to operate a home away from and are genuine in your desire for people to feel welcome and happy under your roof.

DogCalledRudis · 08/06/2014 11:40

I always had showers in my student/immigrant years so having a bath (back at my parents house or when i met my DH) was such a luxury

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 08/06/2014 11:47

I would agree that the whole set-up sounds lovely. I am speaking about my dislike of baths as a 47 year old woman who has had her own home for 20 years, if I was back in my house sharing and flat sharing days a lot of other factors would come higher on the list than the absence of a proper shower and if everything else was right it would be fine.