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The Dogmother

Renting out a room - any advice?

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Now that Rosie is off at uni, and I have 2 spare rooms, I am looking to get the work on the house finished and to rent out one of the rooms to one of the Monday to Friday contractors that we have at work... these folks typically live outside the area and travel in to stay near the office for the week. I usually know them, so I don't anticipate any problems.

 

I am looking at just the room, with use of the facilities including washing machine - no meals provided, they can sort that out themselves! Do any of you have any experience or suggestions that you'd like to offer?

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What would be really useful is some sort of template agreement that you could customise to reflect arrangements for use of washing machine, kitchen 'rules', clearing up after themselves etc.... I wonder if the Citizen's Advice or the Monday to Friday rental people that Cinnamon mentioned have anything similar.

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I used to rent a room Monday night to Friday morning, so 4 nights with 4 breakfasts included, lunches at work and I ate out in the evenings. I took my washing home with me and the landlady provided clean bedding. TV was an issue because their taste in programmes was completely different to mine; I suppose now internet access could be an issue as well. There was only one bathroom!

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I don't have anything to add, but thought I'd wish you luck. I'd love to rent out a room with you - logistics of Norwich PhD and Oxford area are a no-go! - Currently on the 4/5th house since starting, and this is undoubtedly the worst, with a landlord who says he'll do things, and simply doesn't come back to sort it. Harumph...

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Thanks Liz, that's very kind of you :D

 

Rosie is in Edinburgh now and they are already looking for a house for next year.

 

When I rented in London, I had a landlord just like that - we wrote him a letter explaining that if he didn't fix the listed items by a set date, then we would withhold our rent until they were fixed, and would also inform the council that the house he was letting was dangerous. Worked a treat 8)

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Also, another thought, have you considered some short/medium term renting, potentially through Air bnb or similar. There are many situations now whereby PhD students have to take a 3 month placement, sometimes away from where they're studying and therefore need to find accomodation for that period. I suspect where you are would be quite attractive as I suspect there are many businesses/organises which offer such opportunities and take part in the schemes. Just a thought (also means if you don't get on with them particularly they aren't there forever!).

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Thanks Liz, another idea to think about - at the moment, I will stick to renting out Monday to Friday and only to folks who I know from work, and see how it goes. That leaves the weekends free and it's ad hoc enough that I can block out times when Rosie will be at home.

 

I will be starting this next year when I have finished the work on the house, and it is more sorted.

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