Advertising A House Share - Do's/Don'ts?

cson

Folks, we're advertising a double room in our apartment; we know exactly the type of person we want for it but I'm sketchy as to how to phrase things without being overtly inappropriate/illegal (I'm not sure how equality law impacts on this?)

Essentially we want someone from our own background which is Male/Irish/Mid 20s/Professional. I know folks will throw the small minded thing etc at us but it is what it is and I'll make no apologies.

The question I'm asking is what's the safest way to go about this?

Gael23

On daft you can specify Males only. I've seen ads that say males or females only in some cases.
Then you would say house occupied by mid 20s professional males and you are looking for similar.
I don't know and nice/legit way around the person having tone Irish though

Tarzana2

cson wrote: »

I know folks will throw the small minded thing etc at us but it is what it is and I'll make no apologies.

Will they? I doubt they will, you often see different preference mentioned in ads. It's not like employing someone.

I mean, I'd personally think some of your conditions are bit weird. (Why Irish only?) But there's nothing new about it and if you're in Dublin you'll get want you likely.

Tarzana2

cson wrote: »

I know folks will throw the small minded thing etc at us but it is what it is and I'll make no apologies.

Will they? I doubt they will, you often see different preference mentioned in ads. It's not like employing someone.

I mean, I'd personally think some of your conditions are bit weird. (Why Irish only?) But there's nothing new about it and if you're in Dublin you'll get what you want likely.

Tarzana2

cson wrote: »

I know folks will throw the small minded thing etc at us but it is what it is and I'll make no apologies.

Will they? I doubt they will, you often see different preferences mentioned in ads. It's not like employing someone.

I mean, I'd personally think some of your conditions are bit weird. (Why Irish only?) But there's nothing new about it and if you're in Dublin you'll get what you want likely.

Emme

You could try putting up an ad like this:

Friendly Irish mid-20s guys are looking for another guy to rent a double room in an apartment in X location.

Or don't mention the Irish bit at all but make sure there are lots of GAA jerseys, hurleys etc. in the pictures of the house. Then they'll get the message!

Seriously, if you're in any sports clubs or bootcamp groups you might put the word out there.

athtrasna

Or don't put Irish in at all and only reply to the Irish people, it's easy enough to filter them out...as long as you don't mention it or put it in writing, your using it as a selection criteria is perfectly fine.

Tigger

"house share available no proles,poles, doles or dolls.
must have own plates."

Sky King

Essentially we want someone from our own background which is Male/Irish/Mid 20s/Professional. I know folks will throw the small minded thing etc at us but it is what it is and I'll make no apologies

You're dead right. Only ever take someone you think will work out, and if you have a specific set of requirements - that's A-OK. OP I rented out rooms in my house for several years. It was grand for a while and a great help with the bills when times were tight but to be honest I would only do it again if I really had to. It's annoying having to share your house with people, and whether or not someone will work out is a complete lottery.... I had one guy in a job which is generally regarded as a prestigious one and he was a messy slobbering oaf who was constantly late with rent and leaving dishes piled up in the sink. I have also had people in more 'modest' occupations who were easy peasy to have as tenants - you would hardly know they were in the place. So don't let a 'professional' career sway you from your gut instinct about people.

My own guidelines are below. These are just mine own, as learned through experience, I am not saying they are definitively the way to go it's totally are up to you whether you agree with them or not.

1) I never took people who were on the dole. Nothing personal to people on the dole (at the time all my mates were unemployed!) but I wanted tenants who kept the same hours I did. Always ask people viewing the place where they work and ask them for a reference there

2) I never took people who worked weird hours (eg bar staff) for the same reason as above

3) I always tried to get people who were working in my home town but actually came from another town, or were going out with someone from another town because they were more likely to fk off at weekends and leave me with the place to myself (while still paying their rent).

4) Roll all the fixed charges in with the rent, such as heating oil and TV license and pro rata them to a monthly or weekly basis. This avoids constantly having to chase people down for money. The only monthly bill tenants paid in my place was the ESB

5) Don't forget that you are in complete control! I used to always tell prospective tenants that I intended showing the room to several people and would be going to give the room to whoever I thought was the best fit. This makes it easier to say no to people that you don't like / think will fit in. It's also a good idea as it gives you an opportunity to check up on peopleafter they leave by asking around or whatever. Also, some people might not be clear about your requirements and show up despite the fact that you have advertised specifically for employed males only or whatever so it's a second screening.

6) Get a months rent up front and an additional months rent as a security deposit

7) Make sure your bedroom is lockable and keep valuables locked in there. You never know.

8) Set very clear ground rules (esp if you don't want to come home from work to a sink full of dishes or crumbs all over your sitting room upholstery) and get onto the tenant as soon as they are broken


Overall I would say that in the 20 or so people that went through my place over the years about half were decent and about half I hope never to have to see again.

Hope this helps. Best of luck. Any questions - shoot,.

Tarzana2

Your rules are fair enough, but serve to remind me why I would never rent from an owner-occupier ever again. :-D

Sky King

Sky King wrote: »

2) I never took people who worked weird hours (eg bar staff) for the same reason as above

3) I always tried to get people who were working in my home town but actually came from another town, or were going out with someone from another town because they were more likely to fk off at weekends and leave me with the place to myself (while still paying their rent).

I'd actually have the opposite opinion on (2). Similar to (3) a person working the opposite hours is almost ideal. I was sharing with a person recently who worked very different hours, meant always having bathroom, kitchen, living room
to myself (and vice versa) as he would be working when I was cooking, relaxing and asleep when I was going out to work.

El_Dangeroso

I agree, I'd prob want sky_king's rules if were renting a room out, but I'd run a mile as a tenant!

Sky King

Yep, I can totally see your reasoning there El Dangeroso but sound carries in my gaf and I could see a situation where I was annoying the tenant by clattering in the kitchen or playing music / watching TV when they were trying to sleep and vice versa.

I agree, I'd prob want sky_king's rules if were renting a room out, but I'd run a mile as a tenant!

Ha ha! You get streetwise pretty quick when letting out rooms I can tell you! For the most part it was fine - I never fell out with any of the people here and all but one moved on for their own reasons.

cson

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Your rules are fair enough, but serve to remind me why I would never rent from an owner-occupier ever again. :-D

Actually renters too but the LL has left it in our hands to source a new tenant. Its our first time having someone living with us outside the group of friends so we're just trying to stick to the demographic we know.

athtrasna

Annabel Broad Coach wrote: »

I'd actually have the opposite opinion on (2). Similar to (3) a person working the opposite hours is almost ideal. I was sharing with a person recently who worked very different hours, meant always having bathroom, kitchen, living room
to myself (and vice versa) as he would be working when I was cooking, relaxing and asleep when I was going out to work.

Ah but you're pushing the bills up as light, heat etc are being used round the clock rather than in a shorter window.

Tarzana2

cson wrote: »

Actually renters too but the LL has left it in our hands to source a new tenant. Its our first time having someone living with us outside the group of friends so we're just trying to stick to the demographic we know.

I was referring to Sky King's post!

makeorbrake

athtrasna wrote: »

Ah but you're pushing the bills up as light, heat etc are being used round the clock rather than in a shorter window.

Its a small trade off for your own sanity! Everyone needs their own space and harder to achieve that with a house share. This scenario offers a great opportunity for everyone to get that space. In terms of extra bills, lighting isn't really significant - that leaves heating - and if people are coming in after you - and house has already had a few hours heating thrown into it - then they won't need to use that much more to top things up.


With regard to the two of you'se that said you understand need for house rules and would enforce yourselves if owner occupiers, it's interesting that you wouldn't be prepared to abide by same as tenants. You're not alone in that view by any stretch of the imagination but I think when its given further thought, it's not an equitable stance to take.

athtrasna

athtrasna wrote: »

Ah but you're pushing the bills up as light, heat etc are being used round the clock rather than in a shorter window.

Made no difference in my place, bills were actually lower with that person than the person there previously who worked similar hours to myself, although it wasn't necessarily related to hours being worked but the fact the person would come home in the early hours and go straight to bed rather than cook, watch tv use heating etc definitely made some difference.

It would be well worth the difference though, I already pay more in my place than other houses in the area as there is a room left empty in order to have less people living in the house. The room is tiny anyway and not really big enough for a person to comfortably live in imo but all the neighboring houses rent it.

imitation

Thing is, being irish, male, 20s and a professional and being a nutjob are not mutually exclusive ! I can see why you might not want a 40 year old shift worker who sleeps when your home or manybof the other variations, but a little leeway is also a good thing.