In these difficult economic times (my income is down 20% this year.:eek: ), I realized that I have an empty bedroom.
With a university within walking distance, I’m considering renting a room. I think I would like a graduate student (more serious, less noisy?), female (I like wearing my pajamas on weekends and I’m female, non-smoker, pet tolerant (I have a cat).
They will have a room with a walk in closet; a whiteboard wall; across the hall from the main bathroom that would be “theirs”; kitchen privileges (I’ve thought of buying a small refrigerator with separate freezer for their use; wireless cable internet access, basic cable., streetside parking.
Good idea? Bad idea? Safety? Background Check? Credit Check? Only advertising on campus? Anybody “been there, done that”?
Posting the room for rent on Craigslist should be sufficient, and easy to reject anybody who is not female or sets off any immediate warnings. If you buy a refrigerator, are you going to absorb that yourself or increase the rent slightly? Also, if you do buy a refrigerator, and considering they have wi-fi and go to school, you will probably never see them. Is that what you want?
It may be harder to rent to college students since it is in the middle of the winter, especially to grad students since they are typically only admitted once a year, during fall quarter/semester. Be prepared to rent to young professionals.
Be upfront with your feelings regarding overnight guests, cleanliness, and whatnot.
I have never rented to anybody, but if you establish a good rapport with them over email and from showing them the apartment, hopefully something like first month + last month (+ maybe a security deposit) should be enough. Of course, if she starts dying her hair to match yours, then there might be some problems.
My advice would be to go formal and have them sign a lease. I’d be especially clear on the topic of guests, especially overnight guests. I’d advise a blanket prohibition. It sounds harsh, but you do not want to be outnumbered in your own home. Find a grad student who is too busy for nookie, or has an SO with a place where they can have their nookie. Also, familiarize yourself with the local laws about what it would take to evict someone, should it come to that. Know how much of a risk you’re taking–the laws vary a lot. Be prepared to keep your valuables, whatever those may be, secured.
I talked with quite a few before I decided on a guy who was quiet and reserved. I avoided the way cool jock type who would have been fun (for someone interested in sports and bars…not me). And I turned down the guy who had been living at one of the local co-ops (older than most others, but not older than me…I thought he would be more interested in lazing around and thinking I was “uncool”)
I picked the undergraduate, meek sort of guy who was employed part time and was very much a wall-flower. I gave him the largest bedroom; which is what I suggest you do.
Giving him the largest bedroom, meant he stayed and lived only in his room. He rarely made his presence known in the living room, dining room or kitchen. There was no TV in the “common areas” so there was little reason for him to come out. If I gave him the smaller room, it would not have been big enough for him so he would have needed to spread out more into the common areas. You effectively can charge more for the larger room, while in reality the person is inclined to use less of the house.
I also was very upfront with what I required for pets, guests, and clutter. No pets; guests are welcome up to 7 nights a month; I don’t want clutter in the house…wash your dishes, throw your trash out. I also was honest and told him I was a poor housekeeper in regards to dusting, sweeping and mopping. He should know it if that would be a problem.
Best room-mate ever. We never did anything social together; but we got along very well.
I’ve done this. I had an apartment that I could carve up into a 2bedroom, although it did make the layout a bit awkward.
I only rented my place out short-term, I found two medical students visiting on rotation who wanted the place for one month each, and later a FOFOF needed the room. The med students both spent all their time at the hospital or in their room studying for … something. You will also find random doctoral students who are coming in for a few weeks at time for various reasons. I just advertised on CL, if someone is coming in from out of town then that’s where they’ll look.
My advice is to decide what your house rules are and let the person know these rules before they take the apartment. My feeling is that you can make up whatever rules you want (well, within reason) so long as the person knows in advance what they are getting in to. Personally I think visitors is the first thing to worry about. Are you okay with a boyfriend staying every other weekend? If not then let them know how often guests are okay. The visitor thing is why I decided to go short-term, I didn’t really want people over I didn’t know, but for long-term roommates it didn’t seem fair to be strict about it. TV/stereo and cleaning habits are also worth covering. If you have any pet peeves then let them know, if they think you’re control freak then they won’t take the room and you’ll never see them again.
I didn’t bother with any sort of background check or lease, I just went to the online directory of their university and made sure they were who they said they were. Maybe that was a bit trusting. But, I didn’t have anything worth stealing and I also wasn’t SOL if they skipped out on the rent. If they weren’t happy I’d rather they moved out.
Anyhow, it was worth it, I got a little extra pocket money out of it. If I had a bigger place they I’d have done it longer.
I’d also get a parent’s contact information in case the tenant takes off, or in case there’s an emergency and they need to be contacted. And make sure you contact them at some point to introduce yourself.
The only other thing I’d suggest is to spell out what happens during school vacations, and especially semester breaks. Is the tenant still responsible for paying the rent even if she goes home for winter or summer breaks? How much notice does she need to give you about her plans for the new school year? That sort of thing.
I would strongly consider listing the room at the university housing office, as opposed to some public forum like Craigslist. I once advertised an item for sale on Craigslist, and I was amazed at all the screwups who called me.
I’ve been renting a room in my apartment for three years now. After a few missteps, I now have a fairly clear contract that I ask each tenant to sign. I doubt it is legally enforceable, but it spells out my expectations really clearly. Things I’ve learned that you may want to include:
Collect a damage deposit. Make it clear that if they leave without giving one month’s notice, they forfeit their deposit.
Make it clear that if a guest stays longer than a few nights in a row, they need your permission. Anything longer than, say, 10 days in a row and they owe rent. This prevents the inevitable collection of the “third roomate” in the form of a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Drugs are grounds for immediate eviction. Make that clear in the document.
Spell out exactly what your responsibilities are to them, ie - you agree to provide them with all utilities, or with space in the fridge etc. I have also been on the other end renting from someone, and I can tell you what a pain it is trying to fit your life into someone else’s. One landlord didn’t even leave me room in the cupboard for food.
Not sure about your work / social situation, but I would suggest asking around to see if there is a FOAF that could rent the place - most particularly a “small town person” coming to the big city for school.
Wouldn’t be so worried about the “pyjamas” thing - when I was renting as a student I wouldn’t have given two hoots - short of seeing you naked.
Be very clear about food and cleanliness and what you are providing
Be sure to state that ANY illegal activity is grounds for immediate eviction. Otherwise instead of running a crackhouse they could run a whorehouse out of your house.
The tenant needs to have their own insurance to cover their belongings. It’s cheap enough to buy, but it’s an absolute must, especially if she’s got things that are expensive to replace if they’re damaged or stolen.
My emphasis, and still not adequate. Can’t stress this enough.
I don’t know where you live, but in some places, renter’s rights are so out of balance that you could end up more or less at the mercy of whoever you rent to. My brother lives in SF, and has told me some horror stories of people basically being forced out of their own homes (with legal expenses to boot) by nightmare tenants. Stuff that would keep me from ever doing it. I wouldn’t even look into it in my own locality for fear of missing some loophole and ending up invaded. Good luck.
I second this. We were burgled when Mr. K and I were living together as a couple. The little bastids took a $400 gold necklace of mine and the insurance company wouldn’t cover it because we weren’t married. In their eyes, I was considered a boarder.
If I were in your situation, i would (i) look for another job and/or (ii) get a part-time job and/or (iii) use/develop other skills to make some additional money. Having someone else live in your two-bedroom apartment sounds like a huge pain in the ass.
), I realized that I have an empty bedroom.