"House is owner occupied"

miss no stars

Any thoughts/experiences on this? Thinking of moving out of where I am now, living with 2 friends who are decidedly messier and happier to have the place dirty than I am and don't really want to cause massive tension by getting upset about the state of the place all the time, usually I just do the cleaning but I'm sick of cleaning the place then coming back and finding it filthy (grease left in grill pan and not washed for days, crumbs everywhere, bin overflowing, hair in shower from shaving, vomit remenants in sink and on toilet and the like).

Saw a room nearby that's cheaper and owner occupied. I'm just unsure of compromising my rights. I have a feeling it'd be left in a better state (people look after their own property better etc) but I like to have my bf over about 2 nights a week and generally want to feel like I'm on an equal standing in the house. I'm a postgrad student btw, mid 20s.

Thoughts? Not an urgent issue but my lease (fixed term) is up 2 months from now and want to give the LL at least a month's notice that I intend to move, as if one of the others is going so if only 1 is left I think he'll move too.

omega666

miss no stars wrote: »

Any thoughts/experiences on this? Thinking of moving out of where I am now, living with 2 friends who are decidedly messier and happier to have the place dirty than I am and don't really want to cause massive tension by getting upset about the state of the place all the time, usually I just do the cleaning but I'm sick of cleaning the place then coming back and finding it filthy (grease left in grill pan and not washed for days, crumbs everywhere, bin overflowing, hair in shower from shaving, vomit remenants in sink and on toilet and the like).

Saw a room nearby that's cheaper and owner occupied. I'm just unsure of compromising my rights. I have a feeling it'd be left in a better state (people look after their own property better etc) but I like to have my bf over about 2 nights a week and generally want to feel like I'm on an equal standing in the house. I'm a postgrad student btw, mid 20s.

Thoughts? Not an urgent issue but my lease (fixed term) is up 2 months from now and want to give the LL at least a month's notice that I intend to move, as if one of the others is going so if only 1 is left I think he'll move too.

Right choice in moving but forget about owner occupiers. You will never be on an equal standing in the house and having the bf/friends over will start to cause tension. Not worth it imo unless the owner is unusually laidback.

Go look for another house share with cleaner people.

sharper

It can vary a lot (just like sharing in general)

Pros:
-You probably don't have to worry about the lease coming up at some arbitrary point after you move in
-If anything breaks it'll get fixed quickly since the landlord is living there and is affected by it too
-Since they own the place they'll probably prefer things cleaner than those who rent.

Cons:
-As mentioned you'll really never feel like it's "your" place even if they're super nice and welcoming
-In most cases the landlord is probably looking for help with the mortgage rather than any type of social experience so they won't really be looking to make friends or build an atmosphere.
-If there's any type of disagreement you lose every time.

I've had varying experiences in owner occupied rentals from good to bad. Depending on what you're looking for it might well suit you.

odds_on

IMHO ...
Whether you are /want to be in a sharing situation with other people where you are renting a room it is always advisable to check with other tenants and/or the landlord if this is permissible. Some people don't mind paying for the extra utilities being used, more people in the house making it more crowded, maybe having to wait longer for the bathroom, extra cleaning etc. Others consider that you have rented your room for you only and object to visitors/guests staying over.

If you want your b/f to stay over several nights a week, you should ask the prospective landlord if he is agreeable to this. Depending on the landlord and his/her circumstances and the house, he may be agreeable (and possibly at a slightly increased rent.

fret_wimp2

amongst the many places ive lived, 2 were owner occupied.

One was awesome, owner was completely chilled and laid back, everyone treated pretty much equally. No real complaints here and i had a good experience.

The other was not so good. Owner claimed the living space each evening, making it uncomfortable for other occupants to have guests over or even just chill in the living area. Ended up mostly living in my room for the 6 months i was there as it was just easier than the alkwardness in the living areas.

So you could get lucky and you could be unlucky. try to judge their character prior to making a decision. not ideal but im not sure how you can get any better of an indication as to how decent the landlord will be.

Sea Filly

Don't go owner-occupied. I did once, never again. I never felt like anything more than a lodger. Hated it.

Merch

A lot of the above is nonsense

It really depends on the owner
Just ask them what they expect, tell them what you would like and it could be ok.

I wouldn't rule it out as an option, just be honest, if you discuss it all and they or you change your mind, then move on, not that its handy just moving on, but if people lay their cards out on the table, then everyone knows where they stand form the start.

Sea Filly

Merch wrote: »

A lot of the above is nonsense

People's experiences are nonsense?

Merch

No, im not saying peoples experience is nonsense, not at all

i am saying people saying it is a total no no based on their own experience, when they are talking about the OP and some owner occupier they dont know is nonsense. (I said that in my post, it depends on the owner, could be ok)

people saying that are talking about the OP, and some owner occupier, both of whom they know nothing about, the OP dosent like the messiness of their fellow tenants, and owner occupiers are less likely to like that either, sounds like they have a better chance to get on ok in an owner occupier as they would appreciate people like that/each other, thats all.

Of course some owner occupiers could be messy too, just have to suss each other out at the time of meeting.
To write off people/situations based on unrelated individuals isn't right, unless the OP moves in with someone you resided with? and know for a fact they will not get on?
:cool:;)

quietsailor

I'm living in an owner occupier house and I'm the owner. There has never been any tension, we usually go out together a few nights a month** and most of us have become and stayed fast friends. There's been 3 different groups (about 10 people renting so far) and 7 of us are talking about meeting up in Amsterdam in November.

So people saying "Oh nooooo don't live with an owner occupier its always baddd" are complete and utter bull****ters, they've had one bad experience and think every owner occupier is the same.

I don't mind partners staying over, if its for a long time - present Masters student has her boyfriend here for 3 weeks - I'd suggest that the partner kick in €20 for the bills so as it doesn't cause aggro with the other tenants, me personally, I couldn't care less that they are staying over.

OP - go and see the house, ask the LL about;
1. having friends & partners over.
2. Do they see it as a house share (as I do) or are you just renting a room - ie do you get equal access to the living quarters

** = most of the lads/ladies renting so far have been Erasmus/Masters/Phd students from the continent, between 20-26 yrs old, I'm 35 and have lived in Cork for 18 yrs so I have a lot of friends to visit, hence we don't go out every night together. They've met my friends as well from time to time.

Merch

miss no stars wrote: »

Saw a room nearby that's cheaper and owner occupied. I'm just unsure of compromising my rights. I have a feeling it'd be left in a better state (people look after their own property better etc) but I like to have my bf over about 2 nights a week and generally want to feel like I'm on an equal standing in the house. I'm a postgrad student btw, mid 20s.

Thoughts? Not an urgent issue but my lease (fixed term) is up 2 months from now and want to give the LL at least a month's notice that I intend to move, as if one of the others is going so if only 1 is left I think he'll move too.

Few things OP, dont rule out owner occupied, but look at as many options as possible. It is possible it might be trickier having bf coming over, but if its brought up at start and there are not concerned or charge accordingly then maybe it is ok? depends on the person, no point in them agreeing to it if they really wont like it, if its the case the bf will prob have to meet up too after your initial viewing?? it all depends on what the owner is happy with

and now for the part, not being smart, you wont be comprimising your rights, you wont be a tenant but a licensee, so you dont have rights, that doesnt mean you aren't entitled to be treated fairly.

Also, double check the requirements for giving notice base on how long you are at your current place? thats if you decide to leave, regardless of where you go, just so you dont incur a reason for a deduction on a deposit. It may be greater than just one month, not sure if that applies to tenants and landlords, I think it does but you can look it up at prtb.ie
http://public.prtb.ie/DownloadDocs/Termnating_Tenancy.pdf
see here

steve9859

quietsailor wrote: »

I'm living in an owner occupier house and I'm the owner. There has never been any tension, we usually go out together a few nights a month** and most of us have become and stayed fast friends. There's been 3 different groups (about 10 people renting so far) and 7 of us are talking about meeting up in Amsterdam in November.

So people saying "Oh nooooo don't live with an owner occupier its always baddd" are complete and utter bull****ters, they've had one bad experience and think every owner occupier is the same.

I don't mind partners staying over, if its for a long time - present Masters student has her boyfriend here for 3 weeks - I'd suggest that the partner kick in €20 for the bills so as it doesn't cause aggro with the other tenants, me personally, I couldn't care less that they are staying over.

OP - go and see the house, ask the LL about;
1. having friends & partners over.
2. Do they see it as a house share (as I do) or are you just renting a room - ie do you get equal access to the living quarters

** = most of the lads/ladies renting so far have been Erasmus/Masters/Phd students from the continent, between 20-26 yrs old, I'm 35 and have lived in Cork for 18 yrs so I have a lot of friends to visit, hence we don't go out every night together. They've met my friends as well from time to time.

Quietsailors post just confirms, OP, that there are no rules about this. It completely depends on the owner.

I rented the spare room in my flat, and I viewed the arrangement as a 'necessary evil' for a period of time. I was chilled, and made the lodger feel welcome, but it was my flat, and gf/bf could stay occasionally, but certainly not on a regular basis. Notice was strictly one month either way, and there were rules written in to the contract - basically no redecorating of the room, no stuff put up on the wall, no bike in the flat and stuff like that. On the flip side, the place was really well looked after, great sofas, TV, sound systems, beds etc

It was a way to raise some cash for a couple of years, and though I got on fine with each lodger, we have not kept in touch.

That is pretty much the polar opposite to the environment that quietsailor offered. Just shows that you have to assess the situation.

The_Morrigan

The owner occupier situation is very much case by case and you shouldn't write them off completely.

I'm also an owner occupier and my lodger does have the run of the apt.
The arrangement we have is a 5 day week as he has his own place down the country and didn't want to be paying full whack rent & bills on top of his own mortgage. He himself is also an owner occupier and has a lodger in his house too - so with us there is a great understanding of the situation and there is give and take and mutual respect of each others space and requirements.

There are times he has stayed up over the weekends and I have absolutely no issue with it, his gf has stayed over, his mates have stayed over - as long as he lets me know in advance and doesn't break anything (or if that happens fixes or replaces it) I'm quite content for him to treat my home as his, he does pay to live there so I'm not going to confine him to his room and turn him into a hermit.

Also, as other posters have said - an owner occupier will have pride in their house, and you will have the nice furniture and luxuries that a landlord may not want to provide in a rental.


It really is something that requires a long & open chat with the owner, discuss what you want out of renting and ensure everything is out in the open from the start. No point you being all polite and obliging to get a nice room with a good price if you are then going to have issue with the house rules and end up hating the situation.

Mutual respect goes a long way in renting arrangements, both in house shares and owner occupier situations.

Best of Luck with your search.

Miss Lockhart

Just wondering - where do granny flats fall in the owner occupier rules?

If you rent a granny flat with own entrance etc attached to an owner occupied home, are you governed by owner occupier rules? ie are you a licensee without proper tenant rights?

Thanks

StillWaters

Miss Lockhart wrote: »

Just wondering - where do granny flats fall in the owner occupier rules?

If you rent a granny flat with own entrance etc attached to an owner occupied home, are you governed by owner occupier rules? ie are you a licensee without proper tenant rights?

Thanks

That's interesting, I don't know. I'd assume if it is self contained with it's own door, kitchen, bathroom its subject to normal tenancy rules.

djimi

Miss Lockhart wrote: »

Just wondering - where do granny flats fall in the owner occupier rules?

If you rent a granny flat with own entrance etc attached to an owner occupied home, are you governed by owner occupier rules? ie are you a licensee without proper tenant rights?

Thanks

AFAIK if it has its own entrance and is completely seperate from the main house (ie there is no direct access from the main house to the granny flat) then it is considered to be a seperate dwelling and you are a full renter with full part 4/fixed term rights.

The Cool

I lived with an owner occupier on my student year in Spain, absolutely hated it - the common areas were very much hers, so myself and the other "lodger" stayed in our rooms. She was quite possibly the extreme of the bad owner-occupiers; she was grand on her own but when her boyfriend was there at weekends, they'd carry on as if it was just them, taking hour-long showers together, the lot! Five months I spent living in a single bedroom, and when I came back after my Christmas holidays the boyfriend had moved in and was going to be working from home - so there in the flat all day every day. I told her I was leaving the very next day. Moved into a pokey flat with 4 housemates and it was far better craic!

As I say though that would be the extreme of crappy owner occupiers - a college friend of mine was a lodger with a rather elderly lady in first year, and the lady loved when my friend had friends over, etc - made her feel young apparently!

djimi

The few owner-occupier situations I have seen have not been particularly fun. One plank tried to charge a former girlfriend €50 for every night I stayed over! Even with the best intentions, an owner occupier is almost always going to make the tenant feel like a lodger in their home; its almost unavoidable unless you get an owner who is extremely laid back. Its not particularly comfortable sitting in the living room with an owner-occupier; for some reason I found you always feel like youre a guest/visitor in their home and it never really feels like home to the lodger.

Miss Lockhart

StillWaters wrote: »

That's interesting, I don't know. I'd assume if it is self contained with it's own door, kitchen, bathroom its subject to normal tenancy rules.

djimi wrote: »

AFAIK if it has its own entrance and is completely seperate from the main house (ie there is no direct access from the main house to the granny flat) then it is considered to be a seperate dwelling and you are a full renter with full part 4/fixed term rights.

Thanks.

I'd like to find out for sure because I'm considering a granny flat. There's lots on offer in the area I want. I want to live alone but I also want to save some money. I wouldn't be willing to entertain the lack of rights of an owner-occupied situation though.

Foxychick

Its a game of luck with who ever you move in with owner occupied or not. Ive lived with a fair share of people over the last 10 years mostly great people but there is the odd weirdo that snuck in on route.

TBH living anywhere else for you at the moment seems like a plus.

In my personal experience I moved into a house a 7 years ago while on college placement didnt know when I moved in owner occupied (prob my own fault, never asked didnt think of it) Got on really wel with owner no probs at all. After that Ive lived in a shared house in Galway owner occupied, the owner, myself and another girl for 3 years. Loved it id stil be there only I moved in with other half, call over all the time to see both of them. I guess my advice is def dont rule out an owner occpied houses, most people renting out their houses are delighted for company and rent so usually no prob with equal run of house.:)

Good luck wit move whatever you decide.

seamus

Miss Lockhart wrote: »

I'd like to find out for sure because I'm considering a granny flat. There's lots on offer in the area I want. I want to live alone but I also want to save some money. I wouldn't be willing to entertain the lack of rights of an owner-occupied situation though.

Key for the granny flat is that you have your own access through your own door and there are no other doors from the main house giving access into the granny flat.

There was a small bit of a storm a few years back when four students were evicted from their rented accommodation with less than 24 hours notice. Although there was a lot of noise generated by the various groups about human rights and people being left on the street, the landlady's contention was that because she had a door which connected directly from her house into the rented section of the house, she did not have to give any notice. The students argued that the door was always locked and they had no key, but in the end it didn't matter, they were still lodgers.

Interestingly, the case resulted in huge damages against the landlady because she had surveillance installed.
While the court didn't seem to find that their eviction was illegal, I'm sure that the landlady's general scumbag attitude to her lodgers was part of the reason for the large damages awarded against her.

So if you're looking at granny flats, just remember that door can be the difference between four weeks notice of eviction or coming home to find your stuff in boxes outside the front of the house.

odds_on

The Cool wrote: »

I lived with an owner occupier on my student year in Spain, absolutely hated it - the common areas were very much hers, so myself and the other "lodger" stayed in our rooms. She was quite possibly the extreme of the bad owner-occupiers; she was grand on her own but when her boyfriend was there at weekends, they'd carry on as if it was just them, taking hour-long showers together, the lot! Five months I spent living in a single bedroom, and when I came back after my Christmas holidays the boyfriend had moved in and was going to be working from home - so there in the flat all day every day. I told her I was leaving the very next day. Moved into a pokey flat with 4 housemates and it was far better craic!

As I say though that would be the extreme of crappy owner occupiers - a college friend of mine was a lodger with a rather elderly lady in first year, and the lady loved when my friend had friends over, etc - made her feel young apparently!

And it seems that many lodgers posting here want to have the same rights.

Some landlords will accept overnight visitors without a problem - others will not.

Any questions and queries you may have, you should note down and check with a perspective landlord as to their opinion on each situation.