Host family - possible in rented property?

Hostess trolley

Does anyone know from a landlord's perspective if it's possible for a family renting a house to act as host family for a foreign student - I'm not talking about making the house into a student house share!

My position is that I commute to Dublin but would like to live closer - so am considering renting out my own house, taking a rental property with my family close to transport links, and making up the rent difference with a student for 6-8 mths of the year.

I would probably just about manage without a student (so worst case scenario where no student materialises, I'd just have to tighten the belt a bit) but it would be nice to have the extra cushion of income.

Has anyone had a landlord amenable to this? Was extra insurance needed? TIA.

djimi

It's called subletting; some landlords will allow it, others won't. You need to check with the landlord that you will be renting from.

silja

Do you mean providing digs to an adult student that just lives there, or having a teenager in where you are actually a host family and supervise/ do stuff together etc?

Hostess trolley

I think a student of 17/18 -a couple of friends have some that age & they seem to be easier than younger ones. (Bit independent, but much older than that would be more like a house share & might be in & out at all hrs!)

Also those aged 17/18 seem to be the ones studying most going by friend's experiences - they are trying to get into college so seem to hit the books hardest.

I work FT so I wouldn't like to think of a 13/14 yr old in the house on their own while I'm not there to look after them (from a loneliness pov for them) - plus also the fear that a free gaff for a few hours 5 days a week might be too tempting for some!

miss no stars

Hostess trolley wrote: »

Also those aged 17/18 seem to be the ones studying most going by friend's experiences - they are trying to get into college so seem to hit the books hardest.

I work FT so I wouldn't like to think of a 13/14 yr old in the house on their own while I'm not there to look after them (from a loneliness pov for them) - plus also the fear that a free gaff for a few hours 5 days a week might be too tempting for some!

Would the people organising the hosting not require that the child be placed somewhere there'll be someone home when they get in from school?

Bicycle

Take a look at some of the language schools or private colleges.

They are usually looking for families to put up students and to give them experience of Irish culture and everyday living.

Griffith had an offer, this year I think, whereby if you put up a student free of charge you would get either free or reduced fees (I can't remember off the top of my head) for some of their courses.

Hostess trolley

Miss I think you're right, I'd forgotten that!

fasttalkerchat

I know someone who houseshared with a couple when he was studying. It was a nightmare for him. Obey time he invited a few of us over and they went mental. Going by the atmosphere I assumed they were far out relatives but it turned out he was paying one third of rent and all bills. The couple had friends over and used his bedroom as a cloakroom. He ended up just cracking up and walking out.

Mrs OBumble

OP, I don't think there's any problem from the landlord's perspective - provided the lease you have doesn't say that the landlord will vet all prospective tenants, or that you can only have X (=number of people in your family) living there.

Your lease probably does have a clause about not running a business from the property, but I doubt they'll see it as a business if you only have one student.