Experiences of being a lodger
Discussion
I did it on and off for 4 years. It was alright. Always felt a bit like I was in the way. The kitchen was probably the worst place as we got home at similar times.
They also had a strict no guests rule which made it tricky as I was always accepting invitations from work mates but could never return the favour so instead had to take them out.
Every few months the couple I was staying with would have family over from Europe and the house got very full. The house also had another lodger too, we shared a bathroom and I would describe his personal hygiene as “experimental”.
I would not be in a rush to do it again.
They also had a strict no guests rule which made it tricky as I was always accepting invitations from work mates but could never return the favour so instead had to take them out.
Every few months the couple I was staying with would have family over from Europe and the house got very full. The house also had another lodger too, we shared a bathroom and I would describe his personal hygiene as “experimental”.
I would not be in a rush to do it again.
I've done both in the past. It's really the luck of the draw who you end up with. I've had some really nice people but also some total scanks with no idea about hygiene or common sense.
It's nice if you got on socially with each other but you shouldn't rely on each other for a social life.
I've had landlords who I've gone out with and became mates with their entire extended family but I think most sensible landlords should be leaving their lodgers to their own devices most of the time.
I've had lodgers who can up large bills before running off. I've had people who dried their clothes in their rooms without ventilation to the point where the wallpaper fell off. I've had lodgers who basically wanted to be my best friend as soon as they moved in. "Where shall we go tonight then?" type people.
Had old school friends lodge with me and work colleagues too.
It's nice if you got on socially with each other but you shouldn't rely on each other for a social life.
I've had landlords who I've gone out with and became mates with their entire extended family but I think most sensible landlords should be leaving their lodgers to their own devices most of the time.
I've had lodgers who can up large bills before running off. I've had people who dried their clothes in their rooms without ventilation to the point where the wallpaper fell off. I've had lodgers who basically wanted to be my best friend as soon as they moved in. "Where shall we go tonight then?" type people.
Had old school friends lodge with me and work colleagues too.
Edited by Aunty Pasty on Thursday 27th October 15:44
Aunty Pasty said:
I've done both in the past. It's really the luck of the draw who you end up with. I've had some really nice people but also some total scanks with no idea about hygiene or common sense.
It's nice if you got on socially with each other but you shouldn't rely on each other for a social life.
This. It's nice if you got on socially with each other but you shouldn't rely on each other for a social life.
Try it you can always move on
I lodged for a short while, older than me lady (in her late 40s early 50s) seemed pleasant and accommodating when I checked the place out but after moving in it became apparent she was a massive alcoholic who would sit downstairs drinking vodka all day. I moved out shortly after than and unfortunately she died not long afterwards.
I did it for a year or so - rented a decent size bedroom from a slightly odd couple for not a great deal of money. She was pleasant enough but he was a bit of a strange one, very aggressive in manner although never actually violent. Just things like noisily complaining (ie shouting up the road) about people parking in 'his' space outside the house, or once when I said I'd be going away for a few days, which went past the time the rent was due, shouted in my face 'and what about the rent?!?!' I'd always paid in full and on time.
In all the time I was there, she never once went out for the evening (literally never), and he only went out once. Every single night was the same, he'd come back from work, drink 4-5 cans of Stella watching TV - never anything else, ever. No friends called round, and they never went to see anyone.
I spent many evenings out with friends and only really slept there. I wasn't terribly well paid at the time and a place of my own was out of reach, and I just felt trapped in a miserable situation. Weekends I'd be out cycling or motorcycling just to get out the place. I got quite fit as I'd spend hours at the gym after work to delay the time I got home. Eventually a mate bought a house not too far away and was looking for someone to help with his mortgage, and finally I had somewhere to go. It's hard to explain how much better I felt within just a few days of moving, it was great fun living there.
Anyway - it can work, and work well. Just choose wisely who you live with.
In all the time I was there, she never once went out for the evening (literally never), and he only went out once. Every single night was the same, he'd come back from work, drink 4-5 cans of Stella watching TV - never anything else, ever. No friends called round, and they never went to see anyone.
I spent many evenings out with friends and only really slept there. I wasn't terribly well paid at the time and a place of my own was out of reach, and I just felt trapped in a miserable situation. Weekends I'd be out cycling or motorcycling just to get out the place. I got quite fit as I'd spend hours at the gym after work to delay the time I got home. Eventually a mate bought a house not too far away and was looking for someone to help with his mortgage, and finally I had somewhere to go. It's hard to explain how much better I felt within just a few days of moving, it was great fun living there.
Anyway - it can work, and work well. Just choose wisely who you live with.
Did a bit of this in my 20's was fun at the time. Got to meet new people and friendship groups mix so always something going on. Most of them ended in disaster when I / the landlord / someone I knew / someone they knew slept with each other and it got difficult.
On the other end of the spectrum one of my friends from school moved into my spare room when I was in my 30's and introduced me to my now wife.
On the other end of the spectrum one of my friends from school moved into my spare room when I was in my 30's and introduced me to my now wife.
Joey Deacon said:
Louis Balfour said:
We need to know, is she fit?
Only the fourth post, Pistonheads is slipping. Why am I envisaging some 1970 sex comedy starting Robin Askwith type responses soon?An aside - I moved into a rented flat some years ago and the owner, who'd been living there, oddly didn't move out. The reason was that her onward move wasn't quite sorted. She didn't ask, she just....stayed.
Happily she WAS fit and the few days overlap were filled with fun and frollicks. I was somewhat miffed, though, that she still charged me full rent for the days she was there!
My aunt & uncle had a long-term lodger who ended up becoming a good family friend, and my dad used to rent a room off a work colleague for a few nights a week for a few years (and with me as well for a few months!) before we moved - again that went very well but it helped that they were good friends to begin with.
On the other hand it could be harder having a friend as a lodger - if it doesn't work out you could end up hating each other, and turfing out a stranger vs a friend is entirely different!
On the other hand it could be harder having a friend as a lodger - if it doesn't work out you could end up hating each other, and turfing out a stranger vs a friend is entirely different!
It entirely depends on the dynamic and the individuals involved. Is it "their house" and you have one room, or are they happy to let you use the lounge as you like, have friends round etc? Some lodgers are great and will watch the rugby, be helpful around the house, friendly and sociable, others are quite solitary, stay in their room, don't know where the bins live or anything like that.
Jenny Tailor said:
That is old PH.
This is new PH... How do they identify themselves?
Start from there.
How do they identify themselves?This is new PH... How do they identify themselves?
Start from there.
Are they fit?
(Am I doing this right?)
Response to OP...
TLDR; if you don't have to, don't do it
I've been a lodger, many years ago. I rented a room from a mate in his flat.
It was pretty OK as we were mates, but it got a bit annoying when he kept waking me up at stupid times of night to get the ironing board (cupboard was in my room), sainted of getting up 10 minutes earlier in the morning to iron his shirt. Also, his g/f was very noisy at sexy time. They say you can't put lipstick on a pig - I can prove it's happened.
I then moved in with my brother and shared a 2 bed house with him. I was there a year. We had fist fights as he'd get angry at stupid stuff, things that weren't of my making. (Not really odd then that now he's 56, he's still single....)
When I bought my first place, I had to have a lodger to help pay my bills. A mate moved in, took the piss, and left me with big bills to pay (phone, electricity - left his room heater on 24/7) and he'd always disappear on Fri eve before I got home, so rent fell behind. In the end I had to change the locks so he couldn't get in whilst I was at work. Then I called his folks and told them to collect all his s
t.Just a ball ache - both ways, and both of them.
I've had 2 lodgers, both female.
First one was 13 years younger than me. Worked in the admin department of the multinational that I worked for. Ended up marrying her, lasted 9 years.
Current one is a friend who I'd known for 7 years. She fell on hard times. She moved down from Essex just before last Christmas. Not at all my "type", so no hanky panky. It works well for both of us. Some things we share, some things we do separately. Big house, so we have our own spaces when we need it.
First one was 13 years younger than me. Worked in the admin department of the multinational that I worked for. Ended up marrying her, lasted 9 years.
Current one is a friend who I'd known for 7 years. She fell on hard times. She moved down from Essex just before last Christmas. Not at all my "type", so no hanky panky. It works well for both of us. Some things we share, some things we do separately. Big house, so we have our own spaces when we need it.
LeeM135i said:
Did a bit of this in my 20's was fun at the time. Got to meet new people and friendship groups mix so always something going on. Most of them ended in disaster when I / the landlord / someone I knew / someone they knew slept with each other and it got difficult.
On the other end of the spectrum one of my friends from school moved into my spare room when I was in my 30's and introduced me to my now wife.
O/T but due a cracked iPhone screen I read this whole post and thought the last word said wifi. On the other end of the spectrum one of my friends from school moved into my spare room when I was in my 30's and introduced me to my now wife.
Just sat on the train frowning to myself thinking WTF
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