In most cases your lodger experience will be a positive one. However sadly, this is not always the case. If you do experience problems, todays tips should help. Stage 1 – talk to your lodger If you are unhappy about something, have a word with your lodger about it. For example if he is not…
Making friends Every lodger / landlord relationship is different, as all people are different. However on the whole, it is best not to be too friendly with your lodger. Although you may personally like your lodger, the main reason they are in your house is to earn you some money. In the majority of cases…
Documents and record keeping Although not yet as bad as tenancies, there can still be quite a lot of paperwork involved in renting out a room. It is possible to do things just on a handshake, but this is not really recommended. This is probably a good place to list all the paperwork which could…
Inventories and deposits tend to go together. Again, these are things that not all lodger landlords will bother with. However, when letting a stranger into your house, there is no harm in being careful. A deposit is a payment taken for the landlord to hold against any damage to the property or breakages. If when…
Taking in a lodger is not the same as taking in a tenant, and a formal lodger agreement is less essential. Many lodger landlords never use a formal written agreement, and operate on a handshake and mutual trust. However although this is fine when things are going well, if there are any problems, it is…
When you decide to take in a lodger, you need to keep very much in mind that this is a financial business relationship. You should therefore treat it that way right from the start. This does not mean that you should not be friendly with your lodger (although see Day 18). However, you must be…
Rent Todays topic is in many ways the most important, as for most people the main reason they are renting out a room is for the rent. The first thing to consider is how much you are going to charge for your room. This will depend upon many things, among them: the location of your…
Making a decision After the interviews (discussed on Day 11) comes the decision! It is important to choose carefully, as this person will be sharing your home. This section looks at checking and references. Remember that this is a business relationship. Although it is important that you like them, you are not looking for…
The interview This is an important part of the selection process. However, remember that prospective lodgers will also be checking out *you*, so put your best face forward and make sure the house is nice and clean and welcoming. It is often a good idea to have someone whose opinion your trust with you when…
This section deals with the practical aspect of advertising for and finding a lodger. However first, a warning. Safety first We have already touched on security issues in the section on insurance. Before you launch into drafting out your advert and inviting strangers into your home, you need to be very aware that criminals often…
If you are a landlord or a tenant, you will help and guidance on Tessa's other sites, Landlord Law and the Landlord Law Blog.