Interview potential housemate?

bibbly

I currently renting a large 4 bed just outside Dublin city, need to sub let out one of the rooms.

I have never lived with strangers, and am worried about potential nutcases moving in.. I consider myself easy going, but i don't like the idea of someone not respecting my large video game/dvd collection., or having late night sessions mid week... I understand different ppl have different living habits. What i want to avoid is any hassle or stress.. i dont want to end up arguing over who used the tea bags or who left the bathroom light on..etc.

I am thinking about listing out a few questions to the potential housemate,, to try and see who would suit the house, does anyone have experience of this? how do you weed out the mentalists from the normal average joes.. can i ask questions, like are you currently single? (avoiding free loading boyfriends/girlfriends) i want to tease out what kind of work they do and how often they will be actually in the house..


any comments welcome..

apologies if this is posted in the wrong area..

Silverfish

Moved from PI, hopefully will get more advice here.

Cathmandooo

You can ask for references, previous landlord, their boss etc.

Do feel free to ask questions. For questions like 'are you single' which might not seem very appropaite just indicate that you don't want guests staying over regularly, maybe set a one night a week limit or something?

Being honest about what you want will help you in the long run.

Sadly it's really up to you to measure them up when you see them, you can't predict how they're going to behave.

Best of luck with the search. Daft.ie have a tenant database of people looking for rooms to rent, they say a bit about themselves in that too. Good luck

bugler

I wouldn't make it too interrogatory (is that a word?). That may make people run a mile. For instance asking outright about their love life status is a bit much.

For what it's worth, I think even tenuous links with friends of friends or colleagues is a better way of meeting people who may need a place to live, but I understand that isn't always practical, so if you must dip into the pool of strangers I'd just have them over, show them around, if they're interested you can have a chat. I'd keep it light...the usual getting to know you stuff. Where you work, what you do, what are your pastimes (this would hopefully tease out the fact they work night shifts and like to practice the bodhrán when they get in at 5 AM). If you do have any absolute rules, like you need the living room or kitchen every Monday night for your Ferret Appreciation Society's weekly soirée then you should probably air them in the discussion.

Depending on how good a judge of character you are, you may feel you get either a good or bad vibe off someone, but it's always going to be a leap in the dark of some degree. I have friends who are great people, but I wouldn't want to live with them...it's a tricky thing to determine your compatibility with someone in that respect.

Victor

"Strangers are friends you haven't met yet."

Note that this person will be a lodger, not a tenant. So if there is anything to extreme, you only have to give them reasonable notice to move out. You should also take a deposit.

If you have a large CD collection, put it in one of the bedrooms and make it off-limits.

Pinkpuppy

I used to hate when a room would become free in our house. You have to rely a lot on your sixth sense so to speak of. You kind of know straight away who are possible matches with your personality and those that are not. Also you will get a vibe from the potential housemate as to whether or not they like you either. Try suss out their working habits and like someone said pastimes.usually girlfriend or boyfriend crops up here without having to ask. You will probably just know when you meet them.

bugs

From the big lebowski:
"This is not 'Nam. This is bowling. There are rules"

No reasonable person should be offended by having a few casual house rules outlined, nothing too extreme, just the usual noise rules etc.

Honestly, the weirdos can usually be spotted a mile away. Its more a problem of burning through the small talk so you can get them out of the house asap.

Duckjob

bugler wrote: »

I wouldn't make it too interrogatory (is that a word?). That may make people run a mile. For instance asking outright about their love life status is a bit much.

Agree with this. An interrogatory style in not the way to go. Best approach I;ve found is to have an informal chat over a cuppa with them, and subtly direct the conversation towards the topics you want to find out about.

If possible, try not to be writing notes in front of them as that creates an interview atmosphere and can easily put people on the defensive. Try to just memorise any key points and write them down immediately after they've left while the conversation is still fresh.

It's amazing how if you get a good casual conversation going you can ask questions without raising an eyebrow, where asking the same questions in an interview style would probably result in the other person clamming up and not wanting to tell you anything.

If you have any established house rules or systems, it's worth working those into the conversation also, and reading their reactions. Be completely upfront about rent any other financial arrangements outside of rent - bill sharing , expense kittys etc. Lay it all out straight away, and gauge their reaction to it.