Homeshare, Age UK. Anyone involved in this scheme?

You need to be careful if you receive benefits you will lose them . At the moment you get 25% off council tax you will have to pay full amount. Plus house and contents insurance will go up as you will have to notify them about a stranger living in your home. Decisions about rent and responsibilities. Plus you need to have a legal agreement in place to protect you if things go wrong . Plus you don't want them inviting strangers into your home . There are basic things to consider like cooking,cleaning , bathroom arrangements ,washing and lots of other things . Sorry I can only see problems and no positives.

I would never ever consider it to dangerous.

It is managed by social services, I think, so there is a level of protection.

I think it's an excellent idea.

I've seen documentaries where it works really well and both people benefit.. I would have a chat with the organisation Homeshare who make the placements.. I'm sure people are well vetted and matched.

Whiff is so right about this .
I didn't do Homeshare , but made an arrangement with an old friend of some 25 years .
And how it went wrong !
The house stank of fryups and smoke .
The TV was on 24/7 at a blaring volume .
My things were used .
Visitors came and went .
A boyfriend seemed to move in .
It all ended in a blazing row .
Never again .

That's why people use homeshare.
Friends and these kind of arrangements rarely work out.

Whiff

You need to be careful if you receive benefits you will lose them . At the moment you get 25% off council tax you will have to pay full amount. Plus house and contents insurance will go up as you will have to notify them about a stranger living in your home. Decisions about rent and responsibilities. Plus you need to have a legal agreement in place to protect you if things go wrong . Plus you don't want them inviting strangers into your home . There are basic things to consider like cooking,cleaning , bathroom arrangements ,washing and lots of other things . Sorry I can only see problems and no positives.

I would never ever consider it to dangerous.

I agree

Esmay

Whiff is so right about this .
I didn't do Homeshare , but made an arrangement with an old friend of some 25 years .
And how it went wrong !
The house stank of fryups and smoke .
The TV was on 24/7 at a blaring volume .
My things were used .
Visitors came and went .
A boyfriend seemed to move in .
It all ended in a blazing row .
Never again .

Wow!

How times have changed. We don't trust people any more it seems. Or do we just feel more vulnerable as we age? When I was 26 I bought my first home and often invited 'waifs and strays' whom I met along the way to stay with me if they needed a roof over their heads. Not now though!

Cossy

Esmay

Whiff is so right about this .
I didn't do Homeshare , but made an arrangement with an old friend of some 25 years .
And how it went wrong !
The house stank of fryups and smoke .
The TV was on 24/7 at a blaring volume .
My things were used .
Visitors came and went .
A boyfriend seemed to move in .
It all ended in a blazing row .
Never again .

Wow!

Actually I don't think Whiff is right, as I don't think she has looked in to the Homeshare agreement at all. homeshareuk.org
Homeshare is part of Shared Life and as an Carers Ambassador we recently had a presentation by Shared Life explaining how it all works.
Shared Lives is an agency who very carefully match the host and lodger. A contract is written clearly defining what the host receives in lieu of the lodge and what is included in the agreement and what is not. It is carefully monitored throughout the agreed period by Shared Lives for any breach of contract, but in return for this the Host pays an agency fee every month, which is not cheap. So it actually cost you money to have the lodger but in some cases it can save on social care fees, handyman fees or whatever is written in to the contract as being the host's benefits for offering the lodge. the host meets the lodger several times before the agreement is signed so you have a rough idea if you are well matched. It is mostly students and professional people who use this system as they find it difficult to get affordable accommodation where they have been relocated due to study or work. Personally IMO this is a brilliant arrangement for people who like company and do not mind others living in some of their space. Obviously it is ideal if you can offer them their own bathroom and even kitchen, but not essential. They must have their own room solely for their private use. However the idea for most is to live as a normal family would offering each other companionship as well as mutual support. Some lodgers are hardly there, You should get what you sign up for. You can read much more if you look up the link I have provided.

Over the years, especially when interest rates on my mortgage were 16%, I've had 'lodgers'. Some remain lifelong friends. It was a commercial arrangement, they paid rent for a room and utilities with rules about everything from not inviting strangers on unannounced etc to which shelves in the fridge to use and never allowed smoking or drugs. Only one was a problem and I asked them to leave as they repeatedly forgot to lock doors and windows when they went out, they did understand my point and went on passable terms. Inland revenue has a Rent a Room scheme so you have to declare the rent but there's a generous allowance so unlikely to pay anything in tax, the house insurance and council tax may increase and possibly utilities. To avoid resentment I charged enough to cover a weekly cleaner. Back then it was fun, mostly students, or people working away from home and needing somewhere to stay just a few nights a week who went home at weekends. I would never have looked to any of them for friendship or companionship though and where that happened it was a bonus. Living with others can bring a clash of standards, mostly small things like cleaning the bath promptly so the next person can use it and putting the rubbish out. One girl only cleared her room out when there were no more cups or glasses left in the cupboard 😂 I'd be wary of an arrangement based on a need for company due to the pressure it puts on people but maybe an arrangement via Homeshare could work as expectations are aligned. There are nightmare tenants I'm sure but also a lot of lovely people out there needing accommodation for various reasons who could make lovely companions.

Anyone sharing facilities with you in your own home ( i.e. you are not providing self contained accommodation) is a licensee not a tenant.If it doesn't work out , they have no right to remain in the property, and it is relatively easy to get them out ( been there, got the T shirt).But as Jess20 says, there are some lovely people out there too.My grandfather let out rooms in his house after my grandmother died to a succession of young health professionals who could not afford market rents.They were, in return, happy to do a bit of shopping for him from time to time and pick up his prescription medication. The relationships were also good, it appeared -most stayed for a couple of years or more - and he was always invited to their weddings!

It is more risky than years ago because there is more pressure on all sorts of living accommodation, so a person moving in is likely to be very desperate - and to find moving on when necessary almost impossible.

Homeshare isn't necessarily the best.
Several charities used to do it.
Might be worth researching it.
I would, in your position.

It is strictly monitored.

I know of an elderly couple who employed a female ‘companion’, through The Lady magazine. The wife of the couple was in a wheelchair, but sadly the Lady companion died of cancer after several years whilst in service, but she was an excellent match, in interests, faith and personality.

Ha ha - sounds like one of our ‘boomerang’ offspring moving back in between jobs/partners etc….except that they definitely don’t want to do any of the chores.

I have had lodgers for over 30 years up to the covid years.
Whilst I agree with Whiff in that there are costs I also agree with Jess20. I became disabled with ME and lost my job over 30 years ago. My lodgers have paid for house which I now own outright. I always let the room at about 20 percent less than the going rate dur to the fatc that I need a quiet house. Evenso I have always allowed my lodgers to have guests overnight free.

You have to make sure you know what you are letting and the lodger also needs to know what they are getting. Most of my lodgers have been students and as I have always made it clear that this is not a party house they can use it as a bolt hole and study really seriously. Many of them are from abroad and they are mostly really serious students I presume because their parents are paying so much in student fees.

We have washed up for each other, listened to each others joys and griefs and I have read essays on so many subject I think I may now be a polymath.

A few are best not remembered but many keep in touch from all over the world. I may never have traveled the world as I would have liked but I have learned a lot about other countries by having my foreign students.

You MUST make sure you know who they are i.e. check the passports. Always have the names and addresses of parents "just in case". Always check that they are studying at the college or whatever and / or are working where they say they are. Always have a months deposit. Always be strict about who can go where in the house.

A very few of my lodgers have had to be given notice, one week is all I have given. Most of my lodgers have been a joy. A few have stayed with me for 2 and 3 years.

I have never used an agency of any kind as they all seem to just be out to make money out of me and my lodger.

I could see a return to those types of arrangements as more people find themselves aging in large houses that they don’t want to leave; while others are struggling to find decent accommodation. Having an independent agency to support and oversee the arrangement sounds useful. I definitely be prepared to consider it If it enabled me to live independently in my own home for longer.

The Homeshare agency discussed above charges a fee to each party totalling around £300 per month.
Seems rather profiteering

Well this idea is a no from me. If and when I can't manage, there are other ways to stay in your own home. Age concern would be my first port of call.

Freya5

Well this idea is a no from me. If and when I can't manage, there are other ways to stay in your own home. Age concern would be my first port of call.

Age UK support Homestays and have a Homestay agency in Reading.

OldFrill

Freya5

Well this idea is a no from me. If and when I can't manage, there are other ways to stay in your own home. Age concern would be my first port of call.

Age UK support Homestays and have a Homestay agency in Reading.

They might do, but I would ask for advice regarding anything but this scheme. Having once had a tenant who wrecked my home, I am in no frame of mind to put up with one again. Good luck to those who do.

Werssenberg what an uplifting post, from someone who’s actually experienced something similar to the OP’s query, not just conjecture. Thank you

The point is that people who had negative experiences have had tenants, that presumably they have found for themselves.

Hone share is a totally different thing, the people are matched up, and the whole thing is monitored by accredited agencies.