renting rooms in house out private+dhss ?

[george07]

I am renting a flat whilst renovating my house which is now ready for occupation but i cant yet move into my new house as the the old dear living with me has ill health and the stairs are a massive problem for her. She is unable to get to and from the bathroom when im at work!.

The flat is on 1 level and she can access all rooms comfortably,so i am now thinking of renting a room out maybe 2 to cover the council tax( + part of mortgage) which i currently have to pay 100% besides my c.tax on my rented flat!

you dont get an unocupied discount anymore since 2011,im up north btw just doing some research on the going rates for a room per week/month private although will consider dhss(how much will the social pay per week) as i say,i realise the fact of people in my house although they will be vetted as much possible,

cheers again

 

[conny]

Best way to do this in my mind would be to contact estate agents in the area as though you were looking for a room or two to rent. Go and view the type of rooms on offer and for what price they want. Compare this to what you will have to offer and then make a judgement call on how much you think you will be able to charge.
Regarding DHSS payments I think they are different for peoples individual cases, i.e. someone with kids may get more than someone without. I'm not sure on this so you may have to contact DHSS themselves to clarify.

 

[Whitespirit66]

Do you mean rent a room in the house or flat?

If I were you, and the old dear is going to be living with you, I would just bung a stairlift in the house, and let the flat go. The old dear then has the freedom of the house.

Simples!

 

[big-all]

you would be wise to check with your insurance company to see where you stand
if they trash the place they wont cover it

 

[joinerjohn]

I'd be wary of letting a refurbished house out to anyone. Specially someone on benefits. A friend of mine let a house out for almost 5 yrs. Oh yeah DHSS paid the rent, so he had no need to visit his property. but one visit ended up with him punching the gobby tenant in the face. The tenant called the police, but made out he'd been hit at his fathers house (nice and tidy) Only when the police visited the house he was renting (trashed completely, and full of rubbish) did they let mty friend off with a warning. They told the tenant they were more concerned that his 9 yr old daughter was living in such filthy conditions. They reported him to social services, but before they could intervene, the tenant did a runner.
My friend had to hire 8 skips just to empty the property of all the rubbish inside. Afterwards, the property was gutted before undergoing a complete refurbishment and sold.
But don't let me put you off with my friends tale of woe. You might get a nice tenant or 2 who will look after the place.

 

[george07]

yeah cheers guys valid points and food for thought.. i have thought about a stairlift and have lkd online you can get a more or less new straight stairlift fitted for around £500 which is very reasonable tbh..and an option i will have to seriously consider as i am getting ****ted with bills for 2 dwellings at present and work can be very quiet of late the biggest problem i have is that she is quite/very poorly which possibly could get worse dare i say it and is comfortable and very settled in her new adopted surroundings...also the flat is much more private & secluded than my new house which is quite built up area from which to come & go from without being gawped at whilst looking poorly...which is more important than the financial side of things losing money etc as long as my earnings can cover all the bills of everything etc which just about do so as long as keep in work albeit alot of pressure..cheers again guys

 

[AssociatedAlarms]

Lets not forget the landlords insurance needed.
The fire detection needed.

The list goes on.

 

[wreckedit]

If you get DHSS tenant only accept their personal payment of deposit.
If any dispute ensues then you have a good lever to get your money back for repair.
You don't need fire detection just smoke and CO detection.

 

[merlin50]

I know someone who let there house out to people on benefit, one of them was caught working in a pub and had there benefit stoped, it took them over a year to get them out.

 

[maltaron]

If your "old dear" (your words) is disabled you should talk to social services. You may well get financial help with installing a chair lift or downstairs shower room. When my father was in a similar state (now deceased) social services paid for a downstairs toilet and shower, and a downstairs bed.

 

[AssociatedAlarms]

You don't need fire detection just smoke and CO detection.

Terribly sorry, Flame detection is not needed.
Fire detection (Smoke alarms as fire causes smoke, indeed smouldering items before fire is triggered give off particles ). And CO are required.

 

[subman101]

I'd strongly advise against getting anyone from DHSS from experience.

Do register any deposits with http://www.depositprotection.com/
Do make sure you have a contracts - read the small print on the back!!!
Do consider getting credit checks (ask them if they mind, at least you might be able to gauge how they respond)
Do make a full inventory
Do get references from employers and previous landlords.

Most tenants are great, but there are some who'll be a complete pain - you want to do want you can to reduce the risk of ending up with one!!

 

[Crispier]

Private renting through an agency can be quite costly and they really don't monitor your property for damage or alterations. I had tenants in my home whilst working in the Middle East. When it was time to come home they wouldn't move out and I had to rent, once the property was vacated it cost a fortune getting it redecorated and their deposit hardly covered the final costs.

 

[subman101]

Agencies have a tendency to use their own "preferred" repairmen to get things fixed and you have to pick up the bill.

 

[Susiejb]

Renting can be all the nightmares listed above and more, unfortunately as I know from experience, it really is the luck of the draw, you can get the sweetest nicest people turn up who turn out to be an nightmare, and the dodgy ones on first impression often turn out the best.
I would definitely look for someone who is working, and check it out properly. Definitely no children, probably male, I have always found females very difficult to deal with and much preferred lads. Tell them from the very start what you expect from them and don't be afraid to lay the law down firmly it is your home, and your property, and they have to respect that.
Agencies are a far as I have experienced just a waste of time.