Renting from a friend

[whyshallI]

Is it a good idea to rent from a friend?

I found myself unexpectedly renting from a friend (how life changes in a blink 🙄)

Friend is terminally ill, so out of care and concern, I find myself trying to fix things I should ask her to fix because I don't wanna stress her.

Although, I do sometimes send her pics and let her know what's gone wrong and I say I will fix it but just letting her know.

The other day she asked for 5 months rent in advance (she said if possible) it was possible but not 100% convenient but I paid her because I knew she must be desperate to ask.

In as much as I do wanna help my friends much as I can etc

I am just wondering if renting from a friend is a good idea at all or am I the just thinking too much. I know she is more relaxed about the property because it is me

But if you ask me, I will never rent from a friend again(although I guess there are advantages of it but never again - she's never bothered me here though)

It can work out to rent from a friend but equally it may not work out -each case will be different. It is obviously more risky if you have an informal arrangement as you seem to, because you don’t have the usual legal tenant protection if you don’t have a formal contract. You are both trusting the other one to keep to the agreement.

In your situation I think I would have offered my friend 2 or 3 months rent in advance rather than 5 & made sure it was properly documented & acknowledged. You are naturally sympathetic to her but also need to protect yourself. In my opinion she shouldn’t have asked for 5 months rent in advance and I think you may need to be prepared to say No if she asks for an advance again.

@Twiglets1 we have a tendency agreement signed all be it a standard template one she had found online and I make sure I don't miss monthly payment when due. When I gave the 5 months advance last year, she acknowledged with a text which is my record and I have the message she asked with so I think that is enough cover for me- well, hopefully