So fed up with live-in landlords

[EternalLodga]

I live in a city where rent is so high many of my friends and I are forced to be lodgers. There are SO MANY live-in landlords who are so unsuited to this gig.

I actually wonder whether there's a generational factor at play here: maybe they have never had to co-live and be on the back foot, as they basically take hefty rent off you and do whatever the hell they like.

My landlord just announced his daughter is going to spend 3 months in the spare room. Okay?

A friend of mine, on the day they moved into the house, the landlady had a party (the move in day was established weeks in advance).

They make a load off your back while also trying to rope you into doing deep cleans of their house while monopolising the communal areas.

In my experience and much to my surprise, the worst ones have been the most vocally left wing. Ive been trying to put my finger on why that is (im left wing myself) and I think its because they actually feel embarrassed about what they're doing, so their boundaries are completely fucked. Whereas the less "bleeding heart" ones see it as a simple transaction where you uphold your end, they uphold theirs.

One landlady actually told me when I could shower "to save on electricity bills". Honey, I pay you 800 quid a month: ill shower when I like??!

Sorry for the rant but im so sick of totally inappropriate people stepping into this role.

Incorrect.

Unless you own the queue, or the shop, it’s really not.

How so?

Came on to say exactly this! If there's a few of you, club together and rent out a house together

Mate, she didn't query your use of that term, she queried your understanding of your rights and responsibilities. You're a lodger not a tenant. Get a house share sorted.

Live in tenant ! Spot the tautology

The UK government designates such LLs as "resident landlords".

Lodgers are just renting a room , they are entitled to have parties, have daughters staying in their spare rooms

"Live-in landlords". 😁
FO to your own, then.

Exactly if you are a homeowner who rents a room to a lodger
the lodger hav no rights whoever else the landlord may have to stay

Most landlords won’t rent to more than 3 individuals as it can become a HMO and then they need different licences & irs more expensive

The problem is people don’t understand the difference between a lodger and a Tennant
they are completely different things

though to be fair some landlords that advertise on spare room don’t advertise as a live in Landlord / lodger

When a lodger moves in it's usual for that to be on the basis of a description or viewing of the property, and a conversation about which rooms they will be allowed to use and how many other people live there. If the Landlord moves someone else in with no discussion after the lodger has already accepted terms that is verging on CF territory. I'd look at a house-share rather than lodging if you can. It's more equitable.

' Live-in Landlords'...... What a plonker. You're a lodger.

It’s strange that people think this is a new situation brought about by the housing crisis. It isn’t. It is the way most young people used to live when/if they moved away from home. Having your own place was very unusual when I was young.

How do you know? When I was a lodger we had a spare room and the landlord expressly told me that if I have friends / family staying they can use that room, we just need advance notice and to be “reasonable”.

Equally even if it was out of bounds having an additional person, taking up living room, bathroom and kitchen space is a lot. Yes it’s his house but a heads up to somebody paying to live there would be nice.
But this just proves OPs point - being a lodger is generally the worst of all the living options because you are a cash cow and your own personal comfort is not deemed even worthy of consideration.

I think it has definitely worsened.

In a houseshare if a fellow tenant tried to move somebody in for 3 months you could block it by going to the agent / landlord.

But really this is why lodging sucks but with the CoH as it is it is becoming more normal.

I would like to add to this too - most of the places I saw rented on houseshare sites with “live-in-landlords” i.e lodger arrangements were the same cost as to live in a regular hosueshare.

I only saw one that was substantially cheaper and that’s because the owner had a lot of work going on (both in her property but also works at a neighbouring property) so due to the disruption it was at a discount. But the remaining ones were the same as houseshares among equal tenants.

Sites like “Spareroom” do advertise houseshares with “live-in-landlords”. I have seen it quite a bit when I was looking.

And they are no cheaper than places without “live-in-landlords”.

generally if you live in your house and rent a room to a lodger you can get up to 625 or 650
a month tax free ( can’t remember which it is )
over that amount and you have to do a tax return

so most homeowners who rent out a spare room don’t charge more than this ( obviously some will charge more especially in London )

i live in an expensive popular city and I rarely see a house share for less than 650 a month plus bills so easily 950 -1k a month

whereas the lodger rate is inclusive of all bills
So much cheaper and flexiable

I am in London. Every last one was charging whatever the going rate was for the area which was generally significantly more than £600.

(What is tax free assumes they all declare this income.)

The only difference I saw in lodger vs. Househares without the live-in-landlord was the latter tended to be nicer.

If the rent for a spare room is more than I think 625 a month or 7k a year then they are supposed to do a tax return for the difference

live in landlords mortgage company’s don’t allow live in landlords to give a lodger AST contract as a Tennant only as a lodger

obviously in London rents are a lot more expensive

to rent it’s expensive where I live
most HMO start at around 850
house share 850 /1k a month each

if 3 friends were to rent my sons house they would be paying around 2k plus bills / council tax so easily 900 -1k a month
whereas my sons lodger pays 625 all bills included and it’s a beautiful & well maintained house and he only has to give 2 weeks notice .
he seems very happy with the deal as he’s extended several times due to his new build that he’s buying being delayed

Also people get confused with
lodger ( the home owner has to live in the property )
HMO ( houses of multiple occupation )
House / flat share

they are all different things in terms of renting
and some may suit people better
someone who is only in an area for a short time is better or with being a lodger if they have to move quickly
whereas if you want your own room / space for a year then a HMO might work

it’s difficult for 3 friends to rent as depending on the area / council it can mean had a HMO and a lot of landlords don’t want the expensive of a HMO

It's called Rent a Room Scheme and you're allowed up to £7,500 annual before paying tax. Info about this scheme is on the gov.uk website.