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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this is going to be more trouble than it's worth?

55 replies

ColumnA · 02/02/2018 06:56

I'm looking to rent my spare room out. I gave potential housemates two options:

Option 1: mon-fri for a reduced rate
Option 2: full time for the cost of option 1+£150.

Option 2 is market rate. Option 1 is a bit cheaper because I'd prefer a mon-fri tenant.

So I had someone view the room and say they were away at least every other weekend and could that be taken into account. I said I'd come up with some figures for pro-rata weekends and get back to him.

Then he texts me saying that when he's away for the weekend it costs him at least £20 in travel and he'd like that taken into account when I calculate pro-rata costs.

I've said no, he says he's still intetested regardless. But, now I'm thinking that he's maybe a piss taker and every little thing will be a struggle and do I need that in my life. But, the tenancy would only be for 3 months and I do like money.

So AIBU to think this isn't worth it and hold out for another housemate?

OP posts:
Rolypolybabies · 02/02/2018 06:58

Nah. He sounds hard work! Trust your judgement

MyBrilliantDisguise · 02/02/2018 06:58

Get a different flatmate. This one is taking the piss.

Lillylollylandy · 02/02/2018 07:00

He’ll be a pain. Trust your instincts.

ScreamingValenta · 02/02/2018 07:00

My instincts would be exactly the same as yours, so it boils down to whether the money is worth the potential hassle! I suspect he would be forever looking for discounts for this reason or that reason, so if you do take him on as a tenant you would have to be very firm from the outset that the agreed rent takes into consideration all limitations on occupancy and all defects in the accommodation.

StealthPolarBear · 02/02/2018 07:01

His travelling costs are not your responsibility

confusedlittleone · 02/02/2018 07:02

How does a mon-fri tennant work?? Surely they don't have to take all their stuff with them at the weekend? And if they don't then your still entitled to charge them because it's still a room in your house you can't use

Original poster
ColumnA · 02/02/2018 07:04

See this is exactly what I was thinking. The original proposal of some weekends here some not would take goodwill on both sides to work and I get the impression I'd have to get every conversation watertight to avoid him taking the piss.

OP posts:
Original poster
ColumnA · 02/02/2018 07:06

confusedlittleone Id be happy for a mon-fri tenant to leave their stuff there because I don't often use the room. It's more about having the place to myself at the weekends and for the tenant it's a cheap(er) way of staying near work when they have a family home elsewhere.

OP posts:
EmpressOfJurisfiction · 02/02/2018 07:08

I don't think he's worth the hassle. If he's difficult now he'd be worse once he's in.

Ringonrighthand · 02/02/2018 07:10

Definitely hard work! What if he didn't go away one weekend? Or went 3 out of 4? He would be asking for a reduction that month. Not worth it I don't think.

londonrach · 02/02/2018 07:13

Yanbu. Tell him the price is that no reduction for travelling (not your problem) etc or look for another person. Im tempted to look for another one as i would nt trust this one to try and get a reduction every which way. Nope tell him on and why so he learns from this

Slartybartfast · 02/02/2018 07:30

oh i looked at a room in a house where basically they didnt want me at the weekends. Non starter from my point of view. but I see you have the type of person in mind. If you have no other offers you could consider him.

Saracen · 02/02/2018 07:31

YANBU. No problem with him wanting a discount for an every-other-weekend arrangement, bearing in mind that you get to have the place to yourself sometimes and that you enjoy that. But I am Shock at the very idea that he thinks that his travel costs are at all relevant to the negotiation on the price of the room. ??

What other personal financial outlays of his own will he be trying to lay at your door??

(Reminds me of a landlord I once met who was proposing to charge significantly above market rate for a house which he wasn't keeping in good repair - we could see things crumbling when we went to view it. He said that this was reasonable since if he charged a lower rent, then the rent "wouldn't even cover the mortgage" as if that should matter to a tenant! We practically ran away at that moment.)

Rudi44 · 02/02/2018 07:32

Give him a fixed price, say it's non negotiable and you want a months rent in advance each month. He either agrees or doesn't. It's it's only for a few months it should be ok

museumum · 02/02/2018 07:35

I think given you want the place to yourself at weekends and if you think you’ll get another option you could say it’s price1+£75 and he’s only allowed to stay two weekends a month. Take it or leave it.

Original poster
ColumnA · 02/02/2018 07:37

@slartybartfast well I'm looking for someone who works in the area and goes home at the weekends ideally. But if a full-time tenant was all I could get then i would expect them to make full use of the flat at weekends.

OP posts:
StickThatInYourPipe · 02/02/2018 07:40

Op honestly I think you should keep as option a or option b. Don’t let people take the piss with ‘oh I want eow, take that into account’

gettingbacktoresearch · 02/02/2018 07:42

Make sure you are clear about overnight guests too....

Peachyking000 · 02/02/2018 07:42

He wants you to pay his travelling costs? I would say no

PoorYorick · 02/02/2018 07:48

Nah, don't bother. Anyone who expects you to effectively foot the bill for their travel when they're away is a pisstaker and not worth it.

CrabappleBiscuit · 02/02/2018 07:50

I’d advertise just a mon to Friday then everyone is clear and you won’t get pisstaking. He’s taking the piss.

thecatsthecats · 02/02/2018 07:53

He wouldn't be getting a second offer from me.

In fact, if you don't need the money drastically, I've heard anecdotally of tues-thurs rents - for the people who needed mon-fri rents for work but want to save money and spend more time with their families.

dancinfeet · 02/02/2018 07:54

To those saying who want a Mon-Fri tenancy - I knew someone who did this. Worked in London during the week and had lodgings, travelled home to wife and kids late Fri evening back to Yorkshire. Returned back to London on Sunday evening.
The job that he had in London paid far more than anything he could find in our area at the time (though this was in the depths of the recession about 8/9 years ago) and his wife had a job during the week when the children were at school. Grandparents lived nearby and were willing to look after the children during the holidays saving a fortune on childcare, and it meant that they could afford both the London lodgings for one and a mortgage on a lovely four bedroom house up north.
I think they kept this arrangement going for a couple of years at least, until he managed to find a more suitable job locally that worked for them. I am not sure if this kind of arrangement would work for many, or if it's a common occurrence?

trojanpony · 02/02/2018 07:56

he's maybe a piss taker and every little thing will be a struggle

This.
Trust your gut.

Glumglowworm · 02/02/2018 07:57

YANBU

fair enough to suggest a mid way point (although you wouldn’t BU to say no if you don’t want that) but his travel costs are absolutely none of your problem. And I agree that someone who thought they were would very likely be a piss taker in other ways as well.

I’ve been a full time lodger, it never would’ve occurred to me to ask for a discount when I’d been away part of the month.