Can’t work out how I feel about this

[Doryhunky]

I live alone with my two children, one a young teen. I am looking for a lodger and don’t feel comfortable sharing my home with a man. I feel bad because some of them seem perfectly fine from their ad. I guess this is a bit of an AIBU but my gut says no.

Of course it’s legal to advertise for women only!

Sex is a protected characteristic under the Equality Act so any business could exclude people on the basis of providing a single sex provision if it was appropriate.

Not to mention that the OP is neither a limited company nor a public funded body therefore does not have to comply with any legislation of any kind.

She could advertise for a single white rich lodger if she so wished.

She could advertise for a single white rich lodger if she so wished.

Not true as that would be racist and against the law.

You can of course advertise for a female.

Not to mention that the OP is neither a limited company nor a public funded body therefore does not have to comply with any legislation of any kind

Anti- discrimination law is not restricted to limited companies and public bodies.

The OP can advertise for a female only lodger. Advice from what seems a sensible letting site is to frame it along the lines of We prefer a female flatmate as all the other flatmates are female rather than "no men" or "only women"

Is the OP going to ban her lodger having male visitors or a male partner staying over?

Even a man living alone with two children, one a young teen would probably hesitate to have a (stranger) male lodger. Go figure.

I live alone, and I've had several lodgers, male and female. I tend not to advertise, but instead search on a well known site and PM people who sound like a good fit. In my city, it's much easier to find male lodgers, who tend to want a Monday-to-Friday let. I've not had any bad experiences (well, one of the men was hoovering at inappropriately late hours because he didn't tell me he had a cat allergy: presence of cats was clear in my ad...), but still, if I search for another lodger in the future, I'll tend to message women before men. And since I'm inviting someone into my house, it's my choice!

It's not a flatshare. It's OP's home.

The thing is OP, many men wouldn't want to lodge with your family, they'd find tiptoeing around the children and the need for extra care about modesty / dignity a bit of a pain, or a potential concern. Finding a lodger is all about finding the right match. You identify what you do and don't want in a lodger, potential lodgers do likewise and you see who seems to match which host.