Renting out a room to a lodger

[Spegit]

We've just applied for a mortgage and things are SO much worse than when we first started down this road with selling our place and looking for a new one a few months ago. The interest rate we've managed to get is close to 6% for a 3-year fixed term and it is hundreds more per month than we expected. It's still do-able financially but I'm thinking about whether we should consider renting out a room to a lodger. It would potentially work quite well because the top floor has a bathroom and so the person could have a top floor room and their own bathroom. The house is four bedrooms and there are just two of us plus two cats and a dog. We both work from home a lot so wanted to each have a study, which we could still have. (We were looking for a 3-bedroom house but have ended up going for a 4-bedroom one.)

Just wondering if anyone has any experience to share of renting a room to a lodger. Would be interested to hear any views. We're in our late 40s, no kids. It's 20 years since I was last in a houseshare but I did really enjoy it. Of course I get that this wouldn't be a houseshare... anyway, interested in any views and/or stories.

We rented rooms to film crew, everyone from make up artists, graphics, actors, art department so a real mix. Generally short/medium term, bonus is they are working long days and weekends and often go away at weekends too so not in the house much. They also tend to be really nice interesting people. I recommended to a friend who is in the same situation as you and they love their first lodger. There is a Facebook group called crew rooms that you can advertise on

Have a lodger agreement.
A lodger’s rights are not the same as with a normal rental contract but it is important you have everything written down so expectations are clear. If you need to ask them to leave it makes it easier.

I have had over 10 lodgers in the 9 years we have been here (we have 2 rooms we can rent out) and only one has been asked to leave. They tend to be young, early career low paid (carers, zookeepers, researchers, National Trust staff). Follow your instincts- the bad one had so many red flags but I ignored them because had just escaped an abusive relationship.

I boggle sometimes when I read on here about people with awful lodgers staying for years because people seem unable to ask them to go. It’s your house! It needs to work for everyone.

Yes they do, they can't stop you,

What Scottish rules

Had a couple of lodgers some years ago. Both good experiences. Nice, professional women who were very pleasant to have in the house. Yes, it was odd it not being just me and DD but definitely a positive experience and I'd do it again (the spare room then went to an au pair).

I’ve had lodgers for years. Never once has one been late with rent. The problems are nearly always about their guests.

My current lodger a student said during the viewing she wouldn’t have guests. But in practice it turns out to be the opposite and actually she likes to socialise at home, taking over whatever room they are in, which has led to me angrily kicking them all out a couple of times.

Fortunately she’ll be off soon as her course has ended.

Next time I’m going to adjust the agreement to say no guests in the lounge or garden. And guests in kitchen requires 24 hours notice.

I’m fed up of wanting to cook my dinner and finding the room has been taken over for a candlelit dinner.

And no overnight guests at all!

I know somebody here used to do it and to be fair the lodge it was never there, and that was the only reason it worked. He still moaned like, constantly about everything this poor Man did.

I shared a house in my 20s and looking back I probably wasn’t the best of housemates for any issues that we had came about because I thought I was doing something nice and they didn’t understand why I was doing it so I think if communication is Strong it could work a little bit better. Personally I would take on more hours and just do something else.

Lodgers don't have any rights so if you don't like them you can ask them to leave immediately. I'm not sure why a PP put up with awful lodgers for so long. That's nuts and a bit weird!
It's nice to give a bit of warning if you are going to ask Someone to leave but you don't have to.

It's also perfectly ok to say no guests at all. It's best to say it upfront but you can change the rules as you go along. If you want. Just as the lodger can decide to leave when they want.

I've never had lodger but I lodged a few times as a young women and had great experiences.

For me it’s because I rent the room to students, and it causes big problems if one leaves in the middle of the year. I’m more likely to try to adjust their behaviour or have to tolerate it.

We ask for rent by standing order and have never had anyone being late with it. We have also never had anyone making a mess in the kitchen, which surprised me.

We advertised for a lodger when we bought in SE London 10 years ago. He was brilliant and a huge help financially. We moved away a few years ago and he’s remained one of our best mates. Just went to his wedding! I’d do it again.

Air B n B

Airbnb is possibly better. DD has a friend in her flat . The rent a room scheme allows a tax free income.

@LotsOfThingsToThinkAbout probably because people don’t want to make other people immediately homeless without trying to rectify the situation.

Airbnb would be multiple people. That's awful.

Obviously! But there is no need to put up with someone for months like a previous poster and if a lodger did something outrageous then they could be kicked out very quickly.

It depends your finances, and whether it is equally simple to find a lodger all year round.

In my case I’m very dependent on the money and I rent it to students for 10-12 months, changing over each September. It is far harder to fill the room at other times.

So I really must avoid having to throw someone out in the middle of the year, unless they’ve done something actually criminal or dangerous.

I like to think I’m a good judge when they come for a viewing and interview. But the problem is I’m only really seeing their manner (which may well be very pleasant), not their behaviour as a lodger which only reveals itself over time.

Re the no overnight guests point - I must say that I don't like the idea of overnight guests (just because you choose the lodger but then potentially have exposure to someone you don't choose in your home and they could be there really often!) BUT I'm just wondering if that rule would be seen to be really unreasonable......?! I suspect that you'll say "it's your house" but it doesn't sit well with me to be unreasonable.

This is my dream scenario! :-)

@Spegit exactly why I would never be a lodger

The rules you mean?

I have a lodger, and I will say the following things.

• we have a dog who is... a lot of dog in a small package. My biggest selection criteria has been how people interact with the dog at the viewing - you'd be surprised how many people profess to love dogs and then ignore the dog on the viewing, and that's a hard no from me. You can usually find people on Spareroom who make some mention of loving dogs, often those who grew up with dogs and miss having them. Current lodger is a vet!

• second selection criteria is how well we get on as people - I always block out an hour for viewings and offer tea. If we get chatting about random stuff it is a good sign. If they're in and out in 20 minutes then it's not a match.

• if you want to dip your toes in the water then consider a short term lodger. Some of them only need it for a short time (e.g. a temp contract or semester abroad; we had one where her tenancy ended but she was trying to buy a flat and get through conveyancing).

• draw up a contract - we use the £7.50 template one from Spareroom. We also have a set of house rules which covers everything from not letting the dog escape out the front door to clearing up after themselves.

• there's an inescapable power dynamic, but it's something I always avoid flexing if at all possible. I treat lodgers as housemates as far as possible. One previous lodger introduced me to DP and we still socialise together.

• in my experience it's easiest if they bring their own kitchen implements that require washing up (pans etc), supply all their own food, but things like loo roll and vacuum cleaner bags are included in the rent (I do it all bills included).

• with regards to overnight guests, I think zero guests is a bit unreasonable - you're essentially limiting yourself only to the perpetually single who don't envisage themselves dating. It's common to have a rule saying that there's a maximum number of nights they can have a visitors over, or that if they have a bf/gf over for 1 night a week then they have to go to theirs 1 night a week (being flexible for LDRs). Personally I have a rule that they have to have known guests for a minimum of 24 hours - which really means that they can't go to a nightclub and randomly pick up a stranger for a drunken ONS.

• lodgers don't have zero rights, but they have far fewer rights. One of those rights is 'reasonable notice' to leave; the Spareroom template specifies it as 4 weeks if there's no fault and 1 week if they've broken the lodger agreement. Unless they've just bludgeoned the cat to death with your antique vase and ruined the Persian rug in the process, no, you cannot turf them out on the same day. I have never yet evicted a lodger.

• the first £7500 per year you charge, including bills, is tax free under the rent a room scheme. Anything over that and you'll have to fill out a tax return (not as scary as it sounds).

PS forgot to mention you'll need a gas safety certificate (I pay £70/year) but not an EICR. It's not a bad idea to get your boiler etc checked anyway, for your own safety

No you don't.

You only fill out a tax return if over the threshold