Houseshare Interview Questions?!

ggshacky23

Hi,

We have a spare room coming up in our house. Can anyone suggest some questions which might give us a good idea what a person (female) is like to live with? What questions have you asked people?

We're looking for a working professional, works similar hours to us and is quiet and tidy, and guests staying no more than twice a week (previous tenant practically moved boyfriend in)

Thanks!

Claw Hammer

You need to start by a visual check first. What are the clothes like? grooming? look for signs of bossiness. Does the person look like a clean freak? A slob? If the person is purportedly a professional but wearing a cheap suit, run a mile.

Samuel T. Cogley

Just have a friendly chat and go with your gut. Get people to email you a bit about themselves before you even invite them to view.

ggshacky23

Thanks. Guessing like..

What kind of schedule do you have?
Do you expect out of town visitors?
What do you do on weekends?
What work do you do?
How long do you plan to stay?

Hopefully this covers it.

Eric Cartman

try find the on social media, might give you a fair image, try swap stories about bad / mental housemates they had in the past, will let you know the bar by which they deem whats acceptable or not.

The biggest one id say though, because its saved me, turn on the heating to a point where you can sit in the house in a tshirt, this time of year they'll turn up in a jacket, if they get through the whole thing without taking off their winter wear then no , heat leeches are the most expensive housemates you'll ever have.

Samuel T. Cogley

ggshacky23 wrote: »

Thanks. Guessing like..

What kind of schedule do you have?
Do you expect out of town visitors?
What do you do on weekends?
What work do you do?
How long do you plan to stay?

Hopefully this covers it.

Looks good, you want to avoid shut-ins or nobody ever gets the place to themselves.

Eric Cartman

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

Looks good, you want to avoid shut-ins or nobody ever gets the place to themselves.

"What do you like to do on the weekends" , if the answer is books or netflix then unless youre the exact same way id avoid it

ggshacky23

We have a current tenant who never leaves the house so we're hoping to get someone in with a life outside the house too. On a side note, would you guys recommend putting some basic house rules on the lease form? Eg guests staying, parties, loud music after everyone goes to bed? We're very easygoing but we've been unlucky with our last two tenants

Samuel T. Cogley

I wouldn't have a lease just a set of rules, if you're having issues with the person after they move in just tell them to go, they've generally no rights (depending on certain details). Are you leasing the house or are you the owners?

ggshacky23

We are leasing the house. It's always a lottery in house sharing but we're trying our best to get someone in with a similar understanding of courtesy. Figured maybe a signed set of rules by the new tenant will keep things transparent?

Samuel T. Cogley

Signed set of rules is grand but don't stray into the area of giving minimum notice periods and such like.

Pelvis

Claw Hammer wrote: »

You need to start by a visual check first. What are the clothes like? grooming? look for signs of bossiness. Does the person look like a clean freak? A slob? If the person is purportedly a professional but wearing a cheap suit, run a mile.

Too clean, might be a clean freak. Not clean enough, could a slob. If they're wearing a cheap suit, run a mile. What a load of me arse. How much does someone in a financial position which dictates they rent a room in a house share have to spend on a suit to get past these scrupulous tests of yours?

ggshacky23

We definitely don't want to come across as being picky giving a set of rules to sign but things can easily slide in a house share so we'll try keep them brief and fair for everyone.

Samuel T. Cogley

Here we go... :pac:

Samuel T. Cogley

ggshacky23 wrote: »

We definitely don't want to come across as being picky giving a set of rules to sign but things can easily slide in a house share so we'll try keep them brief and fair for everyone.

Good idea, and go with your gut, if you don't think you'll get on you probably won't. We've been renting out a room for a while now and have been lucky each time. We've a great lodger at the moment, they're not hard to find in the current market in fairness.

Little Less Conversation

Claw Hammer wrote: »

You need to start by a visual check first. What are the clothes like? grooming? look for signs of bossiness. Does the person look like a clean freak? A slob? If the person is purportedly a professional but wearing a cheap suit, run a mile.

Visual checks aren't very accurate. Had a housemate who was always perfectly dressed. But she was a slob. Her dishes were filthy after she done the washing up, even though we had a dishwasher but it meant she might have to empty the dishwasher once in a while if she used it and she wasn't going to empty it and put away dishes she didn't use. She wouldn't do any shared duties in the house as well. Was happy to use bins but not take them out. I don't understand how someone can be that "clean" but then treat their living space like a dump that somebody else will sort out.

Rubberchikken

i wouldnt go on how someone dresses. i know people who live in mess and chaos yet appear in only the best clothes/make up/ hair in public.

i would specify some rules in advance. easier to have them out in the open. its too difficult to sort these things out after they start happening.

Claw Hammer

Pelvis wrote: »

Too clean, might be a clean freak. Not clean enough, could a slob. If they're wearing a cheap suit, run a mile. What a load of me arse. How much does someone in a financial position which dictates they rent a room in a house share have to spend on a suit to get past these scrupulous tests of yours?

A cheap suit refers to the quality of the suit not the price paid. Some eejits spend a lot on a polyester suit whereas others spend less on a wool suit. People with no taste should be avoided.

Pelvis

Claw Hammer wrote: »

A cheap suit refers to the quality of the suit not the price paid.

Cheap literally means low in price.

Samuel T. Cogley

Claw Hammer wrote: »

A cheap suit refers to the quality of the suit not the price paid. Some eejits spend a lot on a polyester suit whereas others spend less on a wool suit. People with no taste should be avoided.

This made me lol, but he has a point on people buying stupid suits are possibly stupid, that said I've never had anyone dress up for a viewing of my place but I'd avoid anyone scruffy looking too.

Claw Hammer

Pelvis wrote: »

Cheap literally means low in price.

"cheap suit" is a term of art. Taking a meaning from one word in a phrase to construe the entire is erroneous. Cheap also has another meaning as in cheap jibe etc so it doesn't literally mean "low in price".

Claw Hammer

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

This made me lol, but he has a point on people buying stupid suits are possibly stupid, that said I've never had anyone dress up for a viewing of my place but I'd avoid anyone scruffy looking too.

People often come to viewings straight from work. If they are tasteless, not necessarily scruffy, I would avoid them.

Samuel T. Cogley

Claw Hammer wrote: »

People often come to viewings straight from work. If they are tasteless, not necessarily scruffy, I would avoid them.

In fairness I always offer them a choice between Barry's and Lyon's Tea. If they drink Barry's their out.

frankythefish

Sexual preference? Has to be asked I'm afraid

Samuel T. Cogley

frankythefish wrote: »

Sexual preference? Has to be asked I'm afraid

You're within your rights to ask it for a house share but it wouldn't bother me.

Made me think of another (oddly). Any issues with food prep - you don't want someone who's an issue with X that you like to eat.

rahmalec

Claw Hammer wrote: »

A cheap suit refers to the quality of the suit not the price paid. Some eejits spend a lot on a polyester suit whereas others spend less on a wool suit. People with no taste should be avoided.

What about those of us who's work suit is better if it's a cheap polyester one? My suit needs to look good from far away but not close up, and also do a bit of travelling. Cheap plastic suits that you can shove into a bag and pop out perfectly uncreased are the best ones

Samuel T. Cogley

rahmalec wrote: »

What about those of us who's work suit is better if it's a cheap polyester one? My suit needs to look good from far away but not close up, and also do a bit of travelling. Cheap plastic suits that you can shove into a bag and pop out perfectly uncreased are the best ones

Polyester is horrible to wear, get a suit carrier or better yet just wear the bloody thing and learn to properly fold a shirt. :pac:

OldMrBrennan83

I've always been a model housemate, wouldn't even know I existed in the house, but don't own a suit. Is it a real prerequisite these days?

Claw Hammer

Patww79 wrote: »

I've always been a model housemate, wouldn't even know I existed in the house, but don't own a suit. Is it a real prerequisite these days?

No. It is only if you wear one, it should be decent.

Samuel T. Cogley

Patww79 wrote: »

I've always been a model housemate, wouldn't even know I existed in the house, but don't own a suit. Is it a real prerequisite these days?

Not for house shares IMHO.

Irish_peppa

Rubberchikken wrote: »

i would specify some rules in advance. easier to have them out in the open. its too difficult to sort these things out after they start happening.

This x 1 Million !!!!