Organising A Proper House Share

Master_Bateson

Hi there, Im new to boards so excuse my rambling! Just moved into a new house and Im looking to set up a house share, but a house share thats well run...really well.

The bedrooms are painted and ready to go with wall mounted 32 inch LCDS complete with DVD players I think I have thought of everything. I even put imitation electric fires in the rooms for that cosy feel. I have tried make the rooms look like hotel rooms. I didnt skimp on anything and want to make it a great house share for all and for there just to be a good positive atmosphere.
I have myself been in house shares where there were fights over dishes noise... you name it....
I have 5 rooms so will rent out 3 or 4 of them. Why not helps with the bills and the place is DEAD. Would like to bring some life into the place.

Should I do up a House Rules or House Guidelines list (basically outlining general obvious stuff ie Clean your plates and put them away leave place clean for next house mate) I dont really want to do a "Garys Rule Book" type thing to be honest as I want the place to be as relaxed as possible.
I will see myself almost as one of the tennants not a landlord who will walk in and say "oi you feet off the couch"

My main concern is keeping the place tidy as I have broke my arse working for the place and would hope that tennants would respect the place as I do.

Rooms are ready to go, I would love some advice from both Owner Occupiers and Owner Occupier Tennants about what they do in their House share or would have liked to have seen. I want to get this right from the get go. Any hints tips or general advice would be much appreciated. When people leave I want them to say well that was a GREAT place to share and had a great time there. Any input much appreciated:cool:

D3PO

Master_Bateson wrote: »

Hi there, Im new to boards so excuse my rambling! Just moved into a new house and Im looking to set up a house share, but a house share thats well run...really well.

The bedrooms are painted and ready to go with wall mounted 32 inch LCDS complete with DVD players I think I have thought of everything. I even put imitation electric fires in the rooms for that cosy feel. I have tried make the rooms look like hotel rooms. I didnt skimp on anything and want to make it a great house share for all and for there just to be a good positive atmosphere.
I have myself been in house shares where there were fights over dishes noise... you name it....
I have 5 rooms so will rent out 3 or 4 of them. Why not helps with the bills and the place is DEAD. Would like to bring some life into the place.

Should I do up a House Rules or House Guidelines list (basically outlining general obvious stuff ie Clean your plates and put them away leave place clean for next house mate) I dont really want to do a "Garys Rule Book" type thing to be honest as I want the place to be as relaxed as possible.
I will see myself almost as one of the tennants not a landlord who will walk in and say "oi you feet off the couch"

My main concern is keeping the place tidy as I have broke my arse working for the place and would hope that tennants would respect the place as I do.

Rooms are ready to go, I would love some advice from both Owner Occupiers and Owner Occupier Tennants about what they do in their House share or would have liked to have seen. I want to get this right from the get go. Any hints tips or general advice would be much appreciated. When people leave I want them to say well that was a GREAT place to share and had a great time there. Any input much appreciated:cool:

they wont. you own it they dont. Fact is they wont treat it like oyu do. You are well meaning but are hitting the standard pitfalls of an owner occupier. Firstly sounds more like your trying to keep people in their rooms rather than communal areas.

as for rules, all that does is cause tension. If you get decent housemates they will know how to behave and wont need rules. If you get people that dont give a crap they will ignore the rules even if they exist.

Seriously dont write a set of rules, accept they wont care for your property as you feel they should and realise you are only an equal in a house share weather you own the house or not.

if you can do that you will have a good house share if you cant then you shouldnt share as an owner occupier.

Master_Bateson

Re keeeping people in their rooms? Quite the Contrary,
I have 2 x 40 Inch Plasma screens down stairs and a small Tv at the bar area!
1 x 32 Inch Screen solely dedicated to Gamers with a PS3 hooked up.
Also Put in a Pool table
Hi Welcome to the house now stay in your room lol
To be honest ill be the one mainly in my room as I have all i want in their I wouldnt be down stairs much at all lol

Master_Bateson

D3PO wrote: »

they wont. you own it they dont. Fact is they wont treat it like oyu do. You are well meaning but are hitting the standard pitfalls of an owner occupier. Firstly sounds more like your trying to keep people in their rooms rather than communal areas.

as for rules, all that does is cause tension. If you get decent housemates they will know how to behave and wont need rules. If you get people that dont give a crap they will ignore the rules even if they exist.

Seriously dont write a set of rules, accept they wont care for your property as you feel they should and realise you are only an equal in a house share weather you own the house or not.

if you can do that you will have a good house share if you cant then you shouldnt share as an owner occupier.

So basically the majority of how the house share will go really comes through the screening process i guess.

im invisible

When can I move in?

No but really, what area, how much p/m would it be?

Hidalgo

Some of it can be just luck of the draw as to who you get, some people are naturally tidy and clean up after themselves whether its their own house or not.

Others don't give a s*it and treat a rented house likewise. Asking people to clean plates and pots after eating isn't exactly asking for the world

Master_Bateson

Hidalgo wrote: »

Some of it can be just luck of the draw as to who you get, some people are naturally tidy and clean up after themselves whether its their own house or not.

Others don't give a s*it and treat a rented house likewise. Asking people to clean plates and pots after eating isn't exactly asking for the world

Thats the easy part...Its when I see them sitting on the draining board a day later i look like this :mad:

WeirdKen

Master_Bateson wrote: »

Re keeeping people in their rooms? Quite the Contrary,
I have 2 x 40 Inch Plasma screens down stairs and a small Tv at the bar area!
1 x 32 Inch Screen solely dedicated to Gamers with a PS3 hooked up.
Also Put in a Pool table
Hi Welcome to the house now stay in your room lol
To be honest ill be the one mainly in my room as I have all i want in their I wouldnt be down stairs much at all lol

Nice set up. Not too many places like that around. Should have no problems getting tenants. Main problem is that its so hard to judge what they will be like until they are there for a while. Being stung a couple of times myself and its not easy to get them out.

Hidalgo

Master_Bateson wrote: »

Thats the easy part...Its when I see them sitting on the draining board a day later i look like this :mad:

In an ideal world you'd get people you already know to move in and have seen previously seen how they live. Or know a former housemate of your new tenant.

Screening probably won't guarantee ideal housemates and to be bluntly honest, in the screening process the thing I'd be investigating first and foremost is will the new tenants pay bills/rent on time consistently.

Nothing worse than someone whose late with rent this month, ESB the next and Broadband the next and esp if there isn't a genuine reason

dory

I'm in a very similar situation. For me the biggest problem is bills. In a normal houseshare everyone may have one bill in their name. That way it's not the one person constantly asking others for money. In an owner occupier situation they're mostly in the owner's name, which for me is the biggest headache. For me now the only thing that matters is that they work, as mean as that may sound. I've had too many people who are 'between jobs' when they move in and end up playing playstation every day instead of even looking for a job. Once bills and rent are paid I care about very little else!

Master_Bateson

dory wrote: »

I'm in a very similar situation. For me the biggest problem is bills. In a normal houseshare everyone may have one bill in their name. That way it's not the one person constantly asking others for money. In an owner occupier situation they're mostly in the owner's name, which for me is the biggest headache. For me now the only thing that matters is that they work, as mean as that may sound. I've had too many people who are 'between jobs' when they move in and end up playing playstation every day instead of even looking for a job. Once bills and rent are paid I care about very little else!

Would have thought the bills end was the easy part

ESB 250.00
Ann 50
joe 50
Jake 50
Lis 50
Mark 50

Just divide it evenly on the bill itself stick it up on the notice board and expect to get the cash within a few days. the fact its on the notice board should be hint enough

Master_Bateson

dory wrote: »

I'm in a very similar situation. For me the biggest problem is bills. In a normal houseshare everyone may have one bill in their name. That way it's not the one person constantly asking others for money. In an owner occupier situation they're mostly in the owner's name, which for me is the biggest headache. For me now the only thing that matters is that they work, as mean as that may sound. I've had too many people who are 'between jobs' when they move in and end up playing playstation every day instead of even looking for a job. Once bills and rent are paid I care about very little else!

Just curious Dory, Lets say I was your new tennant.
I arrive in and sling my bags and books around down stairs and constantly left all my used pots cups and stuff on the draining board with a sink strainer full of muck that water wouldnt drain through BUT BUT BUT i paid on time and was otherwise the perfect tennant would I get on your wick after a while? :cool:

Boombastic

With TV's etc in their rooms, you might have more of a problem with people leaving dishes in their rooms (if they're that way inclined)

Master_Bateson

Boombastic wrote: »

With TV's etc in their rooms, you might have more of a problem with people leaving dishes in their rooms (if they're that way inclined)

Ah sure what they do in their rooms is fine if they want to eat up their its all good . I have small bedside tables you can pull into place over you while in bed for plates great for eatin pizza in bed kinda like a hospital :cool:
Great for hangover days you can sit a brekkie roll and can of coke and some paracetmol on it and its just a foot away from your pie hole lol

im invisible

No seriously, when can i move in :pac:

Boombastic

Master_Bateson wrote: »

Ah sure what they do in their rooms is fine if they want to eat up their its all good . I have small bedside tables you can pull into place over you while in bed for plates great for eatin pizza in bed kinda like a hospital :cool:
Great for hangover days you can sit a brekkie roll and can of coke and some paracetmol on it and its just a foot away from your pie hole lol

Week old dirty plates and cups in the room won't be much fun!

Master_Bateson

im invisible wrote: »

No seriously, when can i move in :pac:

Your invisible might be a problem when i come looking for rent!:P

Master_Bateson

Boombastic wrote: »

Week old dirty plates and cups in the room won't be much fun!

if it aint in my face they can do whatever they want, hang 2 month old condoms from their light shades if they want to. Once the mess stays in their private quarters im happy. Just dont leave common areas messy :cool:

odds_on

Please, folks, get it right:

Tenants have exclusive use of the property that they rent. The landlord is not entitled to enter the property without prior consent with the tenants except in emergencies.

People living with an owner-occupier are licensees or lodgers. They do not have exclusive use of any part of the property, not even their bedrooms; a landlord is entitled to move licensees around though this rarely happens.

The OP has clearly indicated that he will be living in the house, thus, he will have lodgers/licensees and not tenants.

djimi

odds_on wrote: »

Please, folks, get it right:

Tenants have exclusive use of the property that they rent. The landlord is not entitled to enter the property without prior consent with the tenants except in emergencies.

People living with an owner-occupier are licensees or lodgers. They do not have exclusive use of any part of the property, not even their bedrooms; a landlord is entitled to move licensees around though this rarely happens.

The OP has clearly indicated that he will be living in the house, thus, he will have lodgers/licensees and not tenants.

While the distinction is correct, I dont think in this thread its necessary to be noted as its quite clear what the situation is.

odds_on

djimi wrote: »

While the distinction is correct, I dont think in this thread its necessary to be noted as its quite clear what the situation is.

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srsly78

The most obvious tip of all: have a dishwasher. The automated type preferably.

dede12

I don't see any problem with drawing up a basic set of rules if there are certain things that bother you and you would want done a certain way. I'm in a houseshare now & all of us will leave dirty dishes for few days if we're having a particularly busy few days. We also often have dishes in our rooms. It works for all of us since non of us are particularly bothered if all the washing up is done right away or left a bit. But clearly from the other responses it would be very bothersome to some people.

If I were moving into a house where that is the case I would certainly prefer it to be made clear beforehand rather than being resented or nagged after I moved in because the person already living there assumed I'd be the same way.

Also if you're going by noticeboard to alert them to the bills that need to be paid then I'd lay that out in the agreement as well, don't want them to come back & say "oh I didn't notice that, I never check the board, sorry it's late."

Overall it sounds as if you're a pretty reasonable person & I'd the the majority of tennants would be too. Still it wouldnt hurt to write up a living agreement even if its a page or so outlining what you think would be basic rules for living together. I've never signed one but at as long as it's reasonable I would have no problem doing so if moving in w/ strangers. If I were writing one up I'd say something along the lines "everyone should make an effort to: keep the common areas reasonably clean & useable (i.e. while the don't have to be done right away, don't leave dishes for days at a time); everyone will make an effort to not impose on other housemates enjoyment/use of the house (i.e no bathroom/kitchen/shower hogging); keep the use of utilities to within reasonable limits (i.e. heaters (if electric) won't be left on for hours & hours, not using the washer/dryer every day), and everyone should respect the other's privacy & belongings."

Now it's late & I'm just thinking off the top of my head but basically that's what I'd include, obvously as long as everyone is reasonable & considerate of the others it shouldn't even need to be strict. Just short agreement outlining what you consider to be normal behavior/standards for living in a house with others as one thing i have learned is that it can vary for everyone.