Tenants. What am I doing wrong?

[cowboyz]

I have been trying to rent out a room at my place for a year now and getting really frustrated with the shit results.
To start with, I know Im a pain in the arse but I do work all night every night so living with me is not that hard considering Im never home at night and I dont interfer with other peoples lives.

so far we have...
flatmate 1: Broke heaps of stuff. lasted 1 week and moved out with about 2 hours notice
flatmate 2: lazy and messy. made heaps of toll calls on the phone and left me out of pocket over $800 and disappeared
flatmate 3: doesnt do anything around the house, smokes drugs when im not here so the place stinks of dope. pays bills when he feels like it (went like 2.5 months with not paying) currently behind by a few hundred dollars and is surposed to be moving out today. So what do I do? Suggestion has been that I put my foot down and not let him take anything away from the house until he pays what he owes. Im not sure I can go through all that drama.

I just want a flatmate who will do their own thing. Look after my house and pay bills on time. Why does that seems really so hard?

[Jantar]

....
I just want a flatmate who will do their own thing. Look after my house and pay bills on time. Why does that seems really so hard?

Well you see, asking for two things is the problem. Realistically you should only ask them to pay bills on time and YOU look after the house, or they look after the house and you pay the bills. See, simple really.

If they were the type to pay bills and look after the house then they would be landlord, not tenant.

[cowboyz]

fine.. can I have... pay bills and doesnt wreck the place then?

[JATZ]

your not selecting the right people to rent your room

simple really

[Maha]

Fatmate 3: doesnt do anything around the house, smokes drugs and is currently behind by a few hundred dollars and is suposed to be moving out today. So what do I do?

Get Big John and Barry to be there to make sure he does move out...

But I agree with JATZ...selection/choice (may not be that big to choose from) is the key...choosing the right person to cohabit with can be arduous if the selection is not there. To settle for the first person who wants the space can often be a mistake.

Years ago, when I was in the same situation, I said no to a good looking blonde female and let the room to a bloke who had a full time job with the then MOT, he was a smoker like I was etc...I knew the rent was going to be paid...oh and he smelled clean.

Came down to the questions that were answered...
In a nutshell....smell them.

[The Lone Rider]

Everything you've described is pretty much the same as I've experienced.

The only way I got around it is by only taking people in who paid the value of 2 weeks worth of rent as a bond, plus two weeks rent in advance. Write up terms for them to get it refunded, have them sign it and keep a copy yourself.

In the end, I bought a house. Fuck renting. Fuck flatmates.

[cowboyz]

I own the house.. and while i can live here on my own... lifes alot more pleasent with extra income.

[dogsnbikes]

When you interview flatmates take note of the condition of the inside of there car,that is a good indication of how they live....

Put a pin number on your phone regarding tolls,if they need too make tol calls they can use a calling card.

Get rent paid by direct debit.

Look for older flatmates,they generally are more settled in there work and personal lives.

Also consider how you present a place for rent...


I will be Available after the 11th for evictions

[steve_t]

2 weeks rent as bond? Fuck that. Get the full 4 weeks

[Usarka]

I've been in this situation on the other side of the coin, and would never flat with a house owner again. I know a lot of people who say the same thing. Maybe that's putting off the "good" flatmates.

The reason: The balance of power is all wrong. As a flatmate you expect things to be equal, but the owner has a vision of how things should be done, because it is after all their house.

Just my 2c

[SMOKEU]

I own the house.. and while i can live here on my own... lifes alot more pleasent with extra income.

Grow some "vegetables" that you can sell by the ounce and then life will be a whole lot better.

[nosebleed]

I've been in this situation on the other side of the coin, and would never flat with a house owner again. I know a lot of people who say the same thing. Maybe that's putting off the "good" flatmates.

The reason: The balance of power is all wrong. As a flatmate you expect things to be equal, but the owner has a vision of how things should be done, because it is after all their house.

Just my 2c

Good point. On a similar tangent, There is a buttload (metric measurement) of rental flats available that are basements converted into "granny flats".

The thinking from renters I've spoken to is similar to that expressed by Usarka, there is no way people want to rent from the owners upstairs. The dynamic is wrong.

[mossy1200]

Its really simple.Your advertising the rent to low.Ask more for the room and the dorks wont bother coming around to look at it.

[mossy1200]

Good point. On a similar tangent, There is a buttload (metric measurement) of rental flats available that are basements converted into "granny flats".

The thinking from renters I've spoken to is similar to that expressed by Usarka, there is no way people want to rent from the owners upstairs. The dynamic is wrong.

Not always true.I rented with house owner.She introduced me to my wife.We visit her every week still 7 years later.

I dont do drugs.
I cook
I dont own a stereo
I work
Im tidy

That prob helps

[hayd3n]

you can also do a police check / credit check missus has done it with previous tennents