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Original poster

references for potential lodgers

29 replies

WanderleyWagon · 11/02/2023 13:32

I've advertised my spareroom on spareroom.co.uk to find a lodger. I have had lodgers before but always via word of mouth. I'm wondering about references. I would provide the option to contact one of my previous lodgers, but I'd also be looking for some reassurance that the person I rent the room to is reliable and honest.

Has anybody on this board done this before? What kinds of reference(s) did you look for? Contact employer? Contact details for previous landlord or flatmates...?

All suggestions are welcome!

OP posts:
Barleysugar86 · 11/02/2023 13:35

I have... had two lodgers from there. I didn't bother with references, I just talked to everyone interested on the phone and picked two people I felt I got on well with. It worked out well!

FlowerArranger · 11/02/2023 13:41

I would definitely get an employer's reference and one from a recent landlord. Try to talk to the landlord on the phone, as people are not usually willing to put difficult information in writing.

You aren't just renting out a flat or house - this person will be sharing your actual living space! And don't discount your gut feeling. You absolutely have to feel comfortable with the person you'll effectively be living with.

Original poster
WanderleyWagon · 11/02/2023 14:15

Thank you both for your quick answers - much appreciated! Yes, I'm very conscious that I need to be able to trust people with being in my flat when I'm not there, including if I travel.

OP posts:
JimDixon · 11/02/2023 17:00

I’ve had about 20 lodgers in London and I’ve never taken references. But I meet a lot of people (5 is lucky, 10 is typical; 20 and it’s me or the flat that’s the problem).

This is always in person so it takes quite a lot of time. And those viewings might be whittled down from 100 messages on SpareRoom.

I don’t have kids so there’s no worry about that, it’s more to see if they’ll nick my TV or not pay the rent.

CutesyUserName · 11/02/2023 19:43

I rent two rooms to lodgers, who I find through Spareroom and have done for the last 6 years. I would now absolutely ask for references from an employer since going by a 'gut feel' about two lodgers, both of whom turned out not to be employed doing the jobs they claimed to do. One is now in prison (long, very horrid story) and the other will be leaving soon because it turns out they not only don't work (not a big deal in itself, of course) but have lied about everything they told me when they came to view the room and everything since.

We're advertising at the moment and in the first response to anyone enquiring about viewing I now ask what kind of job they do and how long they've worked there (nicely, in a general chat sort of way). The ones that have nothing to hide don't seem to mind this. If we get any further, I let them know that I might contact their employer just to ensure they are employed as they say they are. I'd also recommend not using a telephone number that they provide, but looking up the company online and using the number from the website.

Until these two, we've had some good lodgers and some 'okay' lodgers, but I now no longer just go by my instincts as these are people who are going to be living in your home (we are live-in landlords) and you need to be able to trust they are who they say they are.

Minster2012 · 11/02/2023 20:58

Me & an ex had 2 lodgers through there, got both employers and personal reference but both can be fudged so take with a pinch of salt, but both worked out rather well

One was amazing we never saw him, he
Kept things immaculate, paid on time & was the most polite guy ever

FlowerArranger · 11/02/2023 21:14

The thing is, you can be as careful and as thorough as you can, but if you are renting out rooms for any length of time, chances are that sooner or later you'll get someone who seems perfectly fine and respectable - but isnt. We had over a dozen lodgers, way back, but a few turned out to be 'wrong ones'.

One was a teacher who one night came back late, drunk. I only found out in the morning that she'd left the front door wide open. Another was a young woman with a professional job who moved in her boyfriend behind our backs. She'd come home late at night and left for work after we did. I only found out when I was off sick one day and bumped into him in the corridor. Another lodger, also a teacher, was using our phone while we were out to call her family in South America (this was before the days of itemized bills).

Basically, you can't be too careful, and you have to have your wits about you. Having a big male on call might come in handy if you are a woman on your own. Hopefully you'll never need them, but.....

I don't want to put you off having lodgers. The rest were varying degrees of okay or even lovely. But forewarned is forearmed.

Original poster
WanderleyWagon · 16/02/2023 01:29

Thanks to everyone who has commented so far! It's very helpful. I've taken up a reference and all seems in order so far :)

OP posts:
pleasesircanIhavemore · 21/03/2023 23:33

I second the references. I recently found a lodger through spare rooms and I met them first somewhere neutral (coffee shop) with a male friend to keep me company! Before I agreed to let the room I asked for previous landlord reference. Plus he showed me his company ID. Good luck.

gwrachod · 21/03/2023 23:43

I used to rent the spare room to mature students when my DC were little. I never fully trusted references, though, as they can be faked, and I was bringing these strangers into my house with my DC.

So, as well as a reference and meeting them, I also checked them out online to see what I could find out about them. People might say this is an invasion of privacy, but it's really not - social media is public, and you're going to live with them. Better you find out before you offer them a place if you're not going to be compatible.

I weeded out two unsuitable lodgers on this basis - both sounded lovely in person. One was racist, and the other was just a very different person from me, and not in a compatible way.

Remember, you're not only looking for someone trustworthy, but also someone who you can get on with, in your own home. Don't let yourself be talked into moving anyone in if you're not 100% sure about them.

We found renting to mature students was great as they were there for a reason, and moved on after a while, so it didn't matter if we didn't get on brilliantly, as it was only for a finite time, we didn't have to think about asking them to leave.

gwrachod · 21/03/2023 23:49

Also, you might consider what you want to do about a deposit. If you take a deposit for damages, you need to put it in the official deposit scheme these days, I think.

But, we didn't bother with a deposit for damages - instead we had a verbal agreement that if anything got broken they'd pay for it, and anyway I had insurance so if it was anything big, I could have claimed.

Instead, I took two month's rent in the first month - the second lot of rent, being their last months rent, whenever that may be.

So, when they gave a month's notice, they didn't have to pay the final month as they'd already paid me.

This was a safety net for me, so if they just and left, they'd already paid the one month notice upfront, and so it gave me some breathing space to find a new lodger without having to panic about unpaid rent.

(In the end, no one broke anything substantial or upped and left so all it worked out fine!)

pleasesircanIhavemore · 21/03/2023 23:49

PS I did follow up references and rang ex landlord to ask what lodger was really like - lodger was very hesitant about this but I insisted or no deal. There had been a fall out - the 2 sides of the story did match and there were also pluses (very tidy, always paid on time etc) so agreed a trial period of 2 months. Paid deposit and rent a month in advance.

gwrachod · 21/03/2023 23:49

gwrachod · 21/03/2023 23:49

Also, you might consider what you want to do about a deposit. If you take a deposit for damages, you need to put it in the official deposit scheme these days, I think.

But, we didn't bother with a deposit for damages - instead we had a verbal agreement that if anything got broken they'd pay for it, and anyway I had insurance so if it was anything big, I could have claimed.

Instead, I took two month's rent in the first month - the second lot of rent, being their last months rent, whenever that may be.

So, when they gave a month's notice, they didn't have to pay the final month as they'd already paid me.

This was a safety net for me, so if they just and left, they'd already paid the one month notice upfront, and so it gave me some breathing space to find a new lodger without having to panic about unpaid rent.

(In the end, no one broke anything substantial or upped and left so all it worked out fine!)

Also, for them, it meant they knew they would effectively get their full deposit back without having to ask, and so it was easier to plan.

hexagon123 · 22/03/2023 00:13

pleasesircanIhavemore · 21/03/2023 23:33

I second the references. I recently found a lodger through spare rooms and I met them first somewhere neutral (coffee shop) with a male friend to keep me company! Before I agreed to let the room I asked for previous landlord reference. Plus he showed me his company ID. Good luck.

That is unreasonable

hexagon123 · 22/03/2023 00:14

gwrachod · 21/03/2023 23:49

Also, you might consider what you want to do about a deposit. If you take a deposit for damages, you need to put it in the official deposit scheme these days, I think.

But, we didn't bother with a deposit for damages - instead we had a verbal agreement that if anything got broken they'd pay for it, and anyway I had insurance so if it was anything big, I could have claimed.

Instead, I took two month's rent in the first month - the second lot of rent, being their last months rent, whenever that may be.

So, when they gave a month's notice, they didn't have to pay the final month as they'd already paid me.

This was a safety net for me, so if they just and left, they'd already paid the one month notice upfront, and so it gave me some breathing space to find a new lodger without having to panic about unpaid rent.

(In the end, no one broke anything substantial or upped and left so all it worked out fine!)

No to the deposit

Greenfairydust · 22/03/2023 01:19

I would say previous landlord references are next to useless...

It is very easy for someone to give the name of a friend or family member who will just claim that the individual was their tenant/lodger.

Take a work reference to make sure they are employed. Beyond that there is not much more you can do.

gwrachod · 22/03/2023 08:03

hexagon123 · 22/03/2023 00:14

No to the deposit

Show quote history

Any reason why? "No" isn't very informative!

It worked for me as it gave me peace of mind that I wouldn't be left high and dry, and it worked for the students as they knew they wouldn't be out of pocket.

Other people may be more worried about breakables, up to them.

gwrachod · 22/03/2023 08:06

hexagon123 · 22/03/2023 00:13

That is unreasonable

Show quote history

Oh, ignore my last post, you're obviously just on the wind up, given this is perfectly reasonable.

hexagon123 · 22/03/2023 15:02

@gwrachod you don't protect the deposit given by a lodger, only ASTs

hexagon123 · 22/03/2023 15:05

@gwrachod yes it's very unreasonable to expect a potential lodger to

  1. not meet you at the home they want to rent so they can get a viewing
  2. meet you with another person not living at the property and has no significant interest in the property
  3. except to meet you for a coffee before they move onto the next stage

Assuming you don't give them the address of the property it's really bizarre!

hexagon123 · 22/03/2023 15:13

Greenfairydust · 22/03/2023 01:19

I would say previous landlord references are next to useless...

It is very easy for someone to give the name of a friend or family member who will just claim that the individual was their tenant/lodger.

Take a work reference to make sure they are employed. Beyond that there is not much more you can do.

Social media. LinkedIn. Talk to them, see what they are like....

Itsonlyagame · 22/03/2023 15:41

I didn't take references for my first 2 lodgers. I did for the third, mainly because I was seeing someone and spending less time at home to assess them personally. I only took an employment reference, he had worked for the same employer for a while.

Original poster
WanderleyWagon · 01/04/2023 10:47

Thanks again for all the additional messages! Person has moved in and all seems fine so far. In the end I got an employer's reference, copy of the person's work permit and looked them up online and all seemed OK.

I have their deposit stored in a separate bank account so it can be returned at any time, but I haven't submitted it to the official 'protection' scheme because as far as I'm aware if they are a lodger living with you in your home, you don't have to do that. Like the occasionally cryptic @hexagon123 I think this is only for tenants you are renting out a whole separate property to.

OP posts:
AnotherDelphinium · 01/04/2023 11:48

@WanderleyWagon you’re correct that you don’t need to protect the deposit; I do the same and keep it in a separate account.

For anyone else who it might be useful for, I pay for a reference on openrent, it costs £20, so I only do it once I’ve received the deposit, but basically you pay, give your potential lodgers email, and they get back to you with a complete reference.

Cicily · 01/04/2023 12:13

My last landlady didn’t take a reference and she turned out to be the nightmare. I did wonder how it was possible someone would move strangers in and it care about who they are etc but I was desperate. I think an employer reference minimum is important. Good luck op.