Thinking about getting a flat-mate

Joshy · 1 Aug 2011 at 23:12

I could do with a bit of advice.

I'm at the moment renting a 2 bedroom flat. While I can keep my head just about above water, I certainly wouldn't say that the money situation is comfortable. I've had to make a few cut backs which I'm not too happy with. In order to get back some of my luxaries in life I'm toying with the idea of renting out the second bedroom. Its a nicely sized double, 5 min walk from a station that'll get you to central London in 20 minutes, trendy bars and night clubs are a quick bus ride away, basically I think it'd rent pretty well.

I'm just not too sure about the ins and outs of the whole thing.
Do I need to adapt the flat in anyway to make it suitable?
How do you typically go about rooms? Stick a lock on each door?
Is me having a cat generally going to be an issue?
Do I have to declare that I have a flat mate to anyone?
Do I have to go through an agency or is it perfectly acceptable to do it cash in hand?
What sort of protection is there in regards to me ending up with a nutter. Can I kick him straight out? What if he changes the locks? Or stops paying rent?
How socialable are flat mates usually? Is it a matter of him going to his room, shutting his door and not talking to me whatsoever?

At the end of the day, I do very much enjoy my peace and quiet and I'm willing to pod on with things as they are if getting someone in is going to be a massive hassle, but I thought it worth half looking into

Any thoughts are much appreciated

Thanks

Josh

GeX · 1 Aug 2011 at 23:14

You generally cannot sub-let.. check your rental agreement.

sigma · 1 Aug 2011 at 23:15

Surely you need to talk to your landlord as the rent will be going to them, not yourself?

shoes · 1 Aug 2011 at 23:16

Check with your landlord as sub-letting can get messy if they find out. Chances are they'll say yeah it's fine, draw up a new tenancy so you're both on it and then you'll each pay half the rent to him/her in the same way you currently pay it.

As for utilities, you'll have to have some kind of an agreement and hope that you have picked a trustworthy person. I'm not sure how you go about that however, I've always lived with friends or girlfriends.

Good luck!

sigma · 1 Aug 2011 at 23:17

I would never live with strangers ever again to be honest it was ****, to put it nicely.

Joshy · 1 Aug 2011 at 23:19

I'd ideally not get the landlord involved to be brutally honest for reasons I don't quite want to get into. Even if I did, I don't want anyone to be on the agreement but me.

sigma · 1 Aug 2011 at 23:21

Not possible then IMO, you could/would end up in a whole heap of **** tbh.

Clum · 1 Aug 2011 at 23:22

You'll get into trouble one way or another if you sub-let. Not worth the hassle of an enraged flatmate and landlord when it goes **** up.

Joshy · 1 Aug 2011 at 23:30

The only realistic possibility of the landlord finding out would be the the flatmate grassed, but then that in itself makes me wonder if it is worth the risk and hassle. If it goes wrong I am going to end up in a bedsit

.

sigma · 1 Aug 2011 at 23:35

What if the housemate runs up bills and does a runner?

Trashes the place?

Nicks all your stuff?

Won't the landlord notice the locks you put on?

Would it be an income for you? They can't pay rent to you for something you don't pay the mortgage on.

Council tax?

The list goes on....it's not your house so it's not your choice.

Apok · 2 Aug 2011 at 01:35

Put draught excluders on the bottom of the doors to your room etc.

Vita · 2 Aug 2011 at 01:38

Joshy said:
I'd ideally not get the landlord involved to be brutally honest for reasons I don't quite want to get into. Even if I did, I don't want anyone to be on the agreement but me.

Not worth it Joshy. Keep it legit you'd have the peace of mind. And if you want to earn more money, get a second job?