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AIBU?

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Original poster

To charge people to sleep on your sofa

21 replies

happy362 · 01/07/2014 11:07

A good friend of mine has posted an advert online,

She lives quite near to the centre of London and has decided to rent her living room out for £40 a night. She has a sofa end and a sofa and she is offering them for rent at £40 a night and £20 for any addition people. For three people this would cost £80 a night. I've stayed at a nice hotel for cheaper albeit in a cheaper area.

The money is literally just for the sofa, the guests have to come in the evening and leave in the morning and be out all day until the evening if they were to stay more than one night. They are not given any food whatsoever.

I used to do sofa surfing and it is never ever expect to pay to stay on someone's sofa. This seems a really stingy thing to do and I know I could never charge people to sleep in my living room.

I would think anyone who did pay would be a bit of a mug to be honest. What do you think? Am I being a bit harsh lol

OP posts:
Original poster
happy362 · 01/07/2014 11:09

Sofa bed not sofa end.

OP posts:
gamerchick · 01/07/2014 11:09

More like she's setting herself up to be robbed if she's thinking random.

MarysDressSways1 · 01/07/2014 11:12

That's ridiculous and surely she'd need the appropriate insurance, pay the appropriate associated tax and have the right things re fire regulations. Basically it's not legal is it?

Original poster
happy362 · 01/07/2014 11:13

I've been a member of a sofa surfing community for as long as I remember and never been robbed or robbed from anyone so I don't think it's that common. We just never charge, I don't charge to let someone sleep on my sofa and they don't either.

She locks the doors of all other rooms when a guest stays and there is nothing but the sofa in the living room. She has the TV in her kitchen which is locked when someone not in there.

I don't do sofa surfing anymore as I stopped when I had my son but as a teenager it meant I could travel the world for very little.

Just seems pretty stingy to charge someone for a night in your sofa!

OP posts:
Original poster
happy362 · 01/07/2014 11:14

I've no idea if it's illegal, I never really thought if that.

OP posts:
PeppermintInfusion · 01/07/2014 11:16

You could probably get a bed in a decent hostel, perhaps even a private room in one, for that price! If there are 2+ people you could find a cheap hotel. If it was a box room or you were allowed breakfast, it might be ok.
I have stayed in uni halls in London a few years ago during the summer for around £40 a night and had an individual room, Internet and access to kitchen, bathroom etc.

PeppermintInfusion · 01/07/2014 11:18

Do advertisers on air bnb etc need insurance?

Original poster
happy362 · 01/07/2014 11:19

To be honest she hasn't really thought it through properly I don't think. She doesn't intend to make it a business. She probably won't have more than a few people a year coming to the house.....I hope!

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Sallyingforth · 01/07/2014 11:21

No toilet?

Original poster
happy362 · 01/07/2014 11:24

The guests are allowed access to the main bathroom.

OP posts:
Original poster
happy362 · 01/07/2014 11:37

I'm glad the general consensus is that it is not acceptable and stingy :-)

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mumeeee · 01/07/2014 12:57

I wouldn't spend £40 to spend a night on a sofa bed. I have booked a room for three in a travel lodge in London for about £50 before.

FernMitten · 01/07/2014 13:20

I thought it was quite a good idea tbh. Say you've missed your last train home, or just needed somewhere to crash overnight in town because you were up for interviews or something and couldn't get a cheap hotel?

I hope it works out (safely) for her and her house/sofa doesn't get trashed.

NigellasDealer · 01/07/2014 13:25

you can stay in a hostel for about 15 quid - your friend is greedy and mean.

Rubadubstylee · 01/07/2014 13:28

What the jeffinghell is sofa surfing?

But in answer to your q, not I wouldn't pay 40 to kip on a sofa in a living room.

diddl · 01/07/2014 13:34

Yes yabu to charge people to sleep on other peoples sofasGrin

Sounds expensive to me!

I would have thought if you'd missed a train & could afford her prices, you'd could book into a hotel!

VSeth · 01/07/2014 13:35

What about the guy that gets really drunk and wets himself in his sleep?

Original poster
happy362 · 01/07/2014 13:36

sofa surfing is a community where you find someone in an area where you want to travel and you sleep on their sofa free of charge. you also have to allow others to sleep on your sofa. look on the sofa surfers website lol.

its for young people though. i wouldnt do it now.

OP posts:
Original poster
happy362 · 01/07/2014 13:37

vseth its true that thwy are taking quite a few risks. but they dont seem to mind lol

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BitterAndOnlySlightlyTwisted · 01/07/2014 13:58

If it's "quite near" the centre of London then 40 quid a night is cheap. Plus, it's much less likely to have bedbugs or other unwelcome complications. Sleeping in someone's private home is a million miles away from finding a spot in a hostel and sharing a room with complete strangers, who are MUCH more likely to steal your stuff, or worse.

There are loads of people who advertise spare rooms/beds on airbnb who do the same.

Original poster
happy362 · 01/07/2014 22:21

Airbub is a bit different as that's a room or at least a bed. This is a sofa. I say it's stingy lol

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