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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Yo ask if you would want me as a flatmate?

32 replies

hellokittymania · 15/11/2017 20:01

I'm thinking of renting a room as a lodger as renting outright with no gaurantor and disability is tricky and i want to save money.

I work from home as I run my own small ngo and am studying.

If I had a paid helper for some things like cleaning would you be put off? To clean my room I mean.

OP posts:
lucylouuu · 15/11/2017 20:02

not atall

specialsubject · 15/11/2017 20:04

As long as you don't smoke, know to clean up after yourself (or get it done) - which means kitchen, bathroom, everywhere, keep your music to yourself with headphones, don't bring home or move in randoms...you are way ahead of many!

sonjadog · 15/11/2017 20:06

The cleaning wouldn´t put me off at all. What might put me off is if you are at home all the time.

Caulk · 15/11/2017 20:09

I think it would depend on how much you could do without the helper. I lived with a girl who has a PA for about 4 hours a day, (m-f, 4-8pm roughly). She needed the PA to help tidy the kitchen after she had used it, so stuff would wait from Saturday morning till Monday night to be cleaned up. She struggled to help with any household cleaning like vacumning and there wasn’t time in the PAs hours to do it either.

tissuesosoft · 15/11/2017 20:11

It wouldn't put me off but if you are working from home and the gas and electric isn't on a fixed rate (the landlord/lady submits meter readings every month) it might be a good idea to offer to pay abit more to cover what you would use in the day

Ttbb · 15/11/2017 20:12

Would you consider getting a ckeaber for shared spaces at shared cost? I would be worried about always being the one to clean up.

Original poster
hellokittymania · 15/11/2017 20:18

Ok, thank you. I get really nervous when looking for flatmates or flats. I worry if something is dirty and I dont catch it.

I dont drink or smoke or go out late

OP posts:
RaininSummer · 15/11/2017 20:19

I wouldnt want a lodger who was home all the time as I wouldn't feel it was my home any more since I would be out all day at work . Having the carer around too would compound that. I dont suppose everybody would mind though.

Original poster
hellokittymania · 15/11/2017 20:20

Ttbb yes if it was ok with you

OP posts:
SingaSong12 · 15/11/2017 20:21

I might not be keen on sharing with someone who works and studies from home, just how much of the communal space would be taken over by it. As to the disability it would depend on the disability and how much help you need, because I'd worry about needing to help you (most likely I'd be more likely to need help myself due to my own disability.)

SashaMild · 15/11/2017 20:21

You wouldn't be top of my list, OP!

As you work from home and are studying, it sounds like you'd be in a lot. Having a carer around is still another person who'll often be there. Does your disability stop you cleaning up after yourself with washing up etc?

BarbarianMum · 15/11/2017 20:24

I wouldn't be keen in a business being run from my premises and I would want to adjust bills to reflect the extra costs of you being home all day. Paid helper wouldn't bother me.

Original poster
hellokittymania · 15/11/2017 20:25

Sasha thats why i ask, washing up is ok but other things can be a problem

OP posts:
SashaMild · 15/11/2017 20:27

I don't know what area you're in but you could research housing cooperatives. The ones I know have people living in them with various lifestyles, and a few run small businesses too so you might get office space. Chores tend to be rota'd so you could get a carer to do your share.

SashaMild · 15/11/2017 20:28

Because washing up needs to be done several times a day, whereas stuff like cleaning the bathroom would need to be done less often (easier to cover it with a cleaner/carer).

SashaMild · 15/11/2017 20:30

Oh sorry, misread! As long as you can keep on top of the daily tasks, I don't think anyone would have any issue at all with you paying for a cleaner to do the bigger ones. Certainly wouldn't be for any of the house-shares/lodgers I've known Smile

Original poster
hellokittymania · 15/11/2017 20:30

Sasha in central london nearly so huge waiting lists

OP posts:
Aridane · 15/11/2017 20:31

I wouldn’t like that you would be there all the time

SashaMild · 15/11/2017 20:33

Oh, plenty of housing co-ops in London. Give them a Google if you don't find a suitable lodging place!

DJBaggySmalls · 15/11/2017 20:34

You'd be top of my list, you sound like you can give and take, and the burglary rate is quite high where I live - except in homes where there's usually someone in Smile

scrabbler3 · 15/11/2017 20:35

I couldn't be bothered with the hassle of informing my insurer and mortgage lender that a business was being run from my home. I wouldn't want someone there all day either.

Hiwever, some people would like the idea of a constant presence, for security reasons. Others would enjoy the company. So, I doubt you'll struggle. Good luck.

Neverender · 15/11/2017 20:53

Nope, wouldn’t mind at all! You’re there all the time so you can take in deliveries, no one can break in, would accept you in a flash!

Cheby · 15/11/2017 20:59

Wouldn’t be my ideal candidate, for reasons stated above, that you’d be home all the time and that is have to speak to mortgage provider and insurer regarding business being run from home.

lunar1 · 15/11/2017 21:49

I wouldn’t want someone who would be in all the time.

manicinsomniac · 15/11/2017 21:59

Agree with most others. Cleaning helper wouldn't bother me in the slightest (in fact I'd probably ask them if they wanted overtime hours and pay them to clean my areas too!) But I couldn't live with someone who was in the house a lot. That's because I'm an antisocial bugger and go into major panic mode if I have to be around people for too long at one time though, it wouldn't be anything to do with you as a person. Find someone easy going and sociable and you'll be a great match.