Rented Room Accommodation – Shared Housing
About Gail: I have 2 houses – 1 in Granadilla and 1 in Los Abrigos. Depending on my health requirements, I live in one and rent out the other. Since realising how critical the rental situation is for locals, I am committed to long term budget room rental and anyone that can offer similar is welcome to advertise in this section and on the group I run, Rent a Room.
House Rules
These are my rules but others are welcome to use or adapt them.
- 6 month minimum let. Ask for extensions before month 6. Leaving before 6 months means NO DEPOSIT REFUNDED.
- There is a 2 week trial period, extending to 4 weeks in case of doubt, to ensure you can fit in with the household. This is one way ONLY. It is YOUR responsibility to ensure this lifestyle works for you, not ours to fit in with your requirements. Ask what you need to BEFORE you pay your deposit and commit to 6 months!
- Aggressive or disruptive behavior is totally unacceptable – communication is the first resort, with final decisions made by the household or landlord. Aggression of description will not be tolerated and you will be asked to leave within 24 hours with NO DEPOSIT REFUNDED.
- No Smoking indoors. Break this rule and you will be asked to leave within the week with NO DEPOSIT REFUNDED. Bringing drugs of any description into the house you will be asked to leave within 24 hours!
- Theft of other tenants belonging, cash, credit card, phones, laptops etc. the police will be called and you will be ased to leave IMEDIATELY with NO DEPOSIT REFUNDED.
- Stealing. If you use food or products belonging to others that is THEFT. You will be warned once then repeat offences asked to leave within the week with NO DEPOSIT REFUNDED.
- Visitors: No visitors unless agreed by everyone in the house.
- You must commit to a share of household duties and related expenses,
- Use of the washer/tumble dryer: 2 washes a week are included in the rent. Additional use of the washing machine and/or tumble dryer must be paid for at cost. At Granadilla there is plenty of room to hang out your washing. At Los Abrigos use of the tumble dryer twice a week is included. This is in fairness to others who do not want a rent increase due to rising electricity costs.
- Ā
There is nothing more frustrating than when something that is obvious to you, appears to be bad manners (or an unfair shirking of house duties) is ignored or misunderstood, leaving you to clean up the mess and solve interpersonal disputes. Being old and sometimes grumpy I often wonder what my mother would think of some tenants manners.
However, times have changed and busy lives encourages us to be thoughtless sometimes.
Make Efforts to be part of the Household
In a shared houseĀ are encouraged to make efforts to connect with each other. Any living arrangements work better when tenants try to interact and help one another.Ā
Keep your Room clean and tidy
It is the tenantās responsibility to keep his or her room neat, tidy, and organised. Alternatively, once the weekly household chores are divvied up, one tenant may be paid to clean for another or pay a cleaner from outside to do it.
Communal Space
Do your part in keeping the communal space neat and clean by placing things back to where they belong and in the same condition. A simple gesture such as wiping down the dining table after use is common courtesy. Smoking in co-living premises is not allowed, except for the designated smoking outdoor areas.
Responsible Lifestyle
Leading a sustainable lifestyle is essential and even the smallest of unthinking actions can mount up. Switch off appliances, lights and fans when not in use.
Noise Levels
Common areas are designed for tenants to enjoy and interact with one another. Avoid screaming or blasting music in the common area, especially during the evening and at night.
Refrigerator Space
If you don’t want your food to be eaten by someone else, keep to your allocated space in the fridge. Clear stale food promptly and make sure everything is wrapped.
Laundry Times
Schedule your laundry day. Avoid disturbing people at antisocial times. Remove dried clothes promptly. No one likes to constantly see washing drying!
Communal Expenses
Many an argument started like the old Ben Elton sketch. ‘It was only a bit of shampoo’; ‘Yes but it was MY shampoo’. As soon as possible agree a kitty forĀ communal expenses and who responsibility it is to fetch them. This is part of the allocation of household duties.