Author Topic: So, I bought a Townhouse - Now I want to rent a room but--I don't want to  (Read 2051 times)

BourbonSofia

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Hello All,

I need your help. I have someone interested in renting a room, she is 39 a professional with a dog. She will be paying $800 including water and internet. She will also pay half of electricity and half fees to have someone to deep clean the place once per month. She will be working from home, so will I. This is all brand new to me. I'll like to have the extra money but I'm having doubts. She will stay 4 months with a 30 day notice to vacate. I'm worried the dog will pee on the carpet, she said he might and she will clean it up, she also said she will pay to have it professionally cleaned after vacating. I've payed almost $2,300 in repairs so it would be nice to have that money made up. I think about sharing my refrigerator, have someone drink from my milk. I ordered a small refrigerator to put in my room. How do you get past this? I'll like to start house hacking but can't get over the feeling of having someone with me in the house. I make enough, so it's not like I'm struggling. Tell me about your house hacking, renting experiences? how do you get over sharing your space? your utensils, mixer, refrigerator, coffee maker?

ixtap

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Re: So, I bought a Townhouse - Now I want to rent a room but--I don't want to
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2020, 01:02:59 PM »
Does your roommate want to share those things or have space for their own? We use one half of the refrigerator and our oommate uses the other half. She won't even use our tea kettle, she went out and got an electric one instead.

Retire-Canada

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Re: So, I bought a Townhouse - Now I want to rent a room but--I don't want to
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2020, 01:05:52 PM »
I would hate to have a roommate, but that's me. In regards to your other questions:

1. Get a large damage deposit upfront that covers all reasonably likely post-dog repairs.
2. Come to terms with her COVID bubble and either accept it or say no to her depending on what it looks like.
3. If you are living in the same space sharing a kitchen is normal. You each can have your own half of the fridge and you shouldn't be drinking from the other person's milk. You each clean up whatever you use immediately after the meal.

The benefit of this situation is the money. Only you can decide if the downsides are worth it. You can't share a living space and not have some COVID risk on top of all the normal roommate issues.

rothwem

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Re: So, I bought a Townhouse - Now I want to rent a room but--I don't want to
« Reply #3 on: September 11, 2020, 01:59:15 PM »
The benefit of this situation is the money.

I don’t know why, but this cracked me up.

OP, if you don’t want a roommate, don’t get a roommate! Just be aware that your desire for privacy is costing you $800/month.

As far as roommate situations go, I’ve had them be incredible (one of my roommates post college was actually in my wedding) and I’ve had it be awful (the guy stole all the quarters out of my change bucket, drank all my liquor, and kept borrowing my dress shoes and suit).

I’d give it a shot, it could be awful, it could be great, either way you get $800/month until the lease is over. I vote that you give it a shot. 

ixtap

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Re: So, I bought a Townhouse - Now I want to rent a room but--I don't want to
« Reply #4 on: September 11, 2020, 04:05:24 PM »

I’d give it a shot, it could be awful, it could be great, either way you get $800/month until the lease is over. I vote that you give it a shot.

We do month to month for roommates. That way, neither side is stuck if it doesn't work.

moof

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Re: So, I bought a Townhouse - Now I want to rent a room but--I don't want to
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2020, 04:58:08 PM »
No.  If you have any concerns about the dog, just run like crazy.  Find a roommate without a dog.

Pets are great when they are yours, but it is much harder to be accepting of inevitable frictions with someone else's animal.  It sucks, but this is literally business.  Animals can result in huge repair bills that can erase any and all pet deposits you can imagine.  It can also be maddening that there is an animal in your house that you are not in control of, and you may have to hurt someone's feelings to get them to take barking/peeing/pacing/crapping/chewing/etc seriously and even try to fix it.

Run scared unless you are truly hard up for the cash.

Metalcat

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Re: So, I bought a Townhouse - Now I want to rent a room but--I don't want to
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2020, 06:39:07 PM »
Having a roommate when you don't need one or want one is not the norm, not even among mustachians.

If you don't want a roommate and can readily afford not to have one, then why get one?

That's like asking if it's okay that you don't donate sperm.

former player

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Re: So, I bought a Townhouse - Now I want to rent a room but--I don't want to
« Reply #7 on: September 12, 2020, 04:11:48 AM »
If the dog pees in the house it probably has other health or behaviour problems (unless it has a neglectful owner that just doesn't take it outside enough).

Plus, dog pee is not just a surface issue, it can soak through any porous surface.  If I knew a dog was going to pee in the house it would be restricted to areas with tiled or sealed concrete floors.

rothwem

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Re: So, I bought a Townhouse - Now I want to rent a room but--I don't want to
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2020, 08:09:07 AM »
No.  If you have any concerns about the dog, just run like crazy.  Find a roommate without a dog.

This is probably a regional thing, but if you restrict pets in the southern US, you’ll have a tenant pool of about 4 people total in the region.

If the dog pees in the house it probably has other health or behaviour problems (unless it has a neglectful owner that just doesn't take it outside enough).

Plus, dog pee is not just a surface issue, it can soak through any porous surface.  If I knew a dog was going to pee in the house it would be restricted to areas with tiled or sealed concrete floors.

I used to have a Jack Russell that would get a UTI about once a year, it’s fairly common on small female dogs to have a similar issue once their spayed. When she had a UTI, she’d pee inside, she just couldn’t help it. It wiped right off of our (sealed of course) hardwoods with no issue. We never had an issue getting urine out of the carpet either. They sell special cleaners at petsmart that are for pet urine and they work surprisingly well.

SunnyDays

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Re: So, I bought a Townhouse - Now I want to rent a room but--I don't want to
« Reply #9 on: September 12, 2020, 10:46:20 AM »
Don't do it.  I speak from experience.  People can tell you all the things you want to hear and then not live up to them or just have different ideas about what their words mean.  I had a roommate with a dog (I also have one) and while the dog was lovely, she was not responsive enough to it's needs for my comfort, so I ended up doing a lot more for it than planned.  And she worked at home too.  Plus, her idea of cleaning the yard was not my idea of cleaning the yard (she seemed incapable of seeing half the poop).  The dog also did some damage to the house that she thought was no big deal.  When she did address some of the damage, it was not to my standards.  She also ate some of my food that I guess she thought I wouldn't notice and did lots of small damage to my house that she might have thought was just wear and tear but was more than I had done to the house in the 27 years I've lived here.  And left the stove on numerous times and was put out that I was angry about her carelessness.  After our agreed upon year, I asked her to leave and she did.  I've never been happier.

You also have to be aware of what your tenant laws allow you to do as a landlord, and you will be considered as such.  You likely will be more restricted in your rights than you think.  For example, I would have had to give her written notice of whatever she was doing wrong and then give her a reasonable time to change her behaviour before then giving her written notice to leave.  Without this, she could have stayed as long as she wanted because I couldn't make her leave without just cause.  Even though it's my house.  Luckily she didn't know this.  Never again will I have a roommate.

If you really need the money, work overtime if possible or find a small part time job on the side.  That way, everything is under your control.

draco44

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Re: So, I bought a Townhouse - Now I want to rent a room but--I don't want to
« Reply #10 on: September 13, 2020, 09:50:09 AM »
She will stay 4 months with a 30 day notice to vacate. I'm worried the dog will pee on the carpet, she said he might and she will clean it up, she also said she will pay to have it professionally cleaned after vacating.

Is all this in writing? "She says" isn't good enough to get you your money if something goes down, at least without a win in small claims court. For both your sakes, the time to make your expectations clear for a rental arrangement is BEFORE they are actually living in your house. I'm not sure how you found this potential renter, but if you go through with this, you need a signed lease that codifies your expectations and responsibilities. Even if they are a friend/acquaintance. ESPECIALLY if they are a friend. Hopefully after the lease is signed, you never really even need to look at it again. But if something bad happens, it gives you an already agreed upon path forward at a time when emotions are likely running high.

Megma

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Re: So, I bought a Townhouse - Now I want to rent a room but--I don't want to
« Reply #11 on: September 14, 2020, 03:07:56 PM »
My husband and I had a 2-bedroom TH and we had a roommate for about a year and half in that TH. Everything you are saying is 100% accurate - the money is great but living with another person has challenges. He was a decent roommate but yeah he ate our food sometimes and fed my dog junk food she wasn't supposed to have. But the rent he paid became the down-payment on our first rental.

I would suggest thinking about these things...
- What can you/would you do with the 800/mo that you otherwise couldn't do? Is it worth the trade off? If the answer is just "invest it" then calculate how much earlier you'd FIRE or the return after 10 years. See if it sounds worth it.
- You can find a roommate with no pets if the dog is a concern. You don't have to pick this woman with a dog. If you want short-term people, post on furnished finder a site for travelling professionals.
- 4 months is not forever. Even if you let her move in, and it's not great, well she's gonna leave by January.

CalmIron

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Re: So, I bought a Townhouse - Now I want to rent a room but--I don't want to
« Reply #12 on: October 12, 2020, 07:14:29 AM »
I've had roommates for 20 years and they've all been good. Pay attention if your "spidey sense" is tingling. Be really careful about what you can live with and have a clear discussion about what is shared and what is private. I've always had roommate agreements that both of us can add items to as you will have traits she'll find trying as well. Recognize though, that one day she will run out of milk for her coffee or laundry detergent and take a little of yours. This isn't a calamity. You can do the same if you run out of something. Just be honest with one another that you took something.

I'd be more concerned about the dog pee. :)

PGSD

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Re: So, I bought a Townhouse - Now I want to rent a room but--I don't want to
« Reply #13 on: October 13, 2020, 02:18:39 PM »
Personally, $800/month isn't enough for me to bother with a roommate (and CERTAINLY not one with a dog). Lots of downsides here for not much upside. I'd vote a hard no.



Dicey

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Re: So, I bought a Townhouse - Now I want to rent a room but--I don't want to
« Reply #14 on: October 16, 2020, 11:45:24 AM »
Having roommates got me to FIRE. The only roomie who had a dog was my very first place, where we were both renters and we found the place together. The dog bit me (to be fair, I startled her) and when the roomie moved out, she left the dog's fleas behind, which was a total pain in the ass. Never again did I accept a roommate with a pet. I am still friends with the majority of my former roomies, so the advice here is to Choose Carefully.

The refrigerator in your room seems petty, plus it's going to boost your utility bills. If you can't find someone you can trust, just don't do it.

Also, it's p-a-i-d.

Fishindude

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Re: So, I bought a Townhouse - Now I want to rent a room but--I don't want to
« Reply #15 on: October 16, 2020, 12:07:59 PM »
Roommates are a pain in the rear and the dog is a deal breaker for sure.
The fact that they work from home stinks too, as it will greatly affect your privacy.

Dicey

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Re: So, I bought a Townhouse - Now I want to rent a room but--I don't want to
« Reply #16 on: October 18, 2020, 11:38:14 AM »
If you're WFH, why not make the second bedroom a dedicated office and write it off? Done right, it could be about half the recovery as having a roommate with far less stress.