Experiences with Renting (Roommates)

[ickyflex]

I was just curious how many of you have experience with renting your rooms out and if you deem it worthwhile.

Suggestions on best place to find adequate roommates (Kijiji vs Rentfaster)

[jwslam]

I chose not to do it after considering:

-Someone from online = total stranger
-A friend may end up being no longer a friend / you get taken advantage of
-You're stuck with this person for X term that you agreed to
-Didn't want to share kitchen / living room etc
-I've furnished the place by myself and am respectful of my own stuff; not sure the other person
-Living habits, specifically cleanliness and cleaning up after themselves
-The other person's schedule may conflict with mine
-Parking situation at my place isn't ideal

However, you might find the financial benefit greater than how much these things bothered you.
I tried AirBnB'ing one of my rooms (it's actually still listed). I've only had one person stay so far. I've found that:
-Scheduling to be home when said person arrives can be a PITA
-Because it's the burbs, pricing is dirt low to reflect that
-Pro: The person is short term so NBD if I don't like them

As for finding a tenant for my rental, RentFaster definitely attracts a 'classier' clientele vs. kijiji folk. I had a kijiji guy show up in a dirty wifebeater with holes telling me that he'd have no problems paying rent as he's a business owner, vs the Nurse I'm currently renting to from rentfaster.

edit: found this https://www.psychologytoday.com/test.../roommate-test

[FraserB]

I used Rentfaster and it worked out pretty well. Treat it like a business arrangement, don’t bang your roommate and you’ll end up ok.

You need to make sure that you have a good contract in place when they move in that addresses all aspects of the situation from when rent is due, damage deposits, pets, friends over, parking, how food/sundries are divided up payment and use wise etc... Since the Tenancy Act doesn’t apply, that’s going to be your fall back if anything ends up in arbitration or court.

[ercchry]

Roommates don’t fall under tenant act... just keep that in mind if you get a shit one

Lots of competition in this space right now, Kijiji is full of garbage people, but there is the odd gem. Usually pretty easy to tell from their first response. I just ignore 85% of people and so far so good

Not getting a whole lot per room compared to actual house overhead, but enough that it’s noticeable help since breaking up with the ex plus it was getting lonely living by myself

Don’t think i’d rent a room in a condo though... house with multiple hangout rooms is good though, everyone can have their own space when they want it

Have a new one moving in at the end of the month... going to be reeeeeaallly hard to keep to FraserB’s advice with that one

Should be a fun experiment hahaha

[Hallowed_point]

Hell to the no. I have a vacant room at my condo. Gf brought it up to bring in extra $$$$. I'd either end up wanting to smash if they were hot (would get awkward fast)
or it would be some vile creature that would make huge messes and barricade themselves in their room. Not worth a few hundred bucks a month imo

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

I rented my spare room for $700/month a few years ago and it went ok. Guy was a graduated university student with an engineering job, sometimes he’d disappear for a month at a time and I’d have the whole place to myself. Found him on Rentfaster.

[shakalaka]

I've never done it and probably won't ever considering both me and my wife enjoy our privacy. Would have considered back in the uni days or single days if I felt the need. I think the key would to be protect yourself legally as well as you can and take your time and do due diligence into their background before you say yes to anyone.

[tonytiger55]

You can try Roomster.

From the opposite perspective, I used that when I immigrated here and I was looking for a room to rent.

[max_boost]

Never again but if you need the money, good luck to you lol

[Mitsu3000gt]

I've literally only ever heard of negative experiences doing this within my circle of colleagues/friends/coworkers. I would never do it, especially for how little money you'd be getting. Not worth it IMO. I'm sure there's the odd good experience out there but the effort isn't worth it.

[msommers]

If it was a condo, no. If it was a house or larger townhouse, then one roommate would probably be fine.

The roommate would never be a friend.

The whole arrangement would be treated just the same as if I was renting the whole place to someone.

[ercchry]

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I've literally only ever heard of negative experiences doing this within my circle of colleagues/friends/coworkers. I would never do it, especially for how little money you'd be getting. Not worth it IMO. I'm sure there's the odd good experience out there but the effort isn't worth it.

It’s really not that bad... and the effort is minimum... how many hours do you sit at a desk for $700-$1400 a month?

In my early 20s it allowed me to turn roommates into a full stand alone rental house in a year

[Hallowed_point]

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If it was a condo, no. If it was a house or larger townhouse, then one roommate would probably be fine.

The roommate would never be a friend.

The whole arrangement would be treated just the same as if I was renting the whole place to someone.

That is the only way to make it work.

[Mitsu3000gt]

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It’s really not that bad... and the effort is minimum... how many hours do you sit at a desk for $700-$1400 a month?

In my early 20s it allowed me to turn roommates into a full stand alone rental house in a year

My mortgage wasn't even $1,400/mo when I had a 2bdrm condo downtown - who is paying that kind of money for a single bedroom? The effort needed to get a "good one" I think would be pretty high unless you get lucky.

Anyways like I said, I'm sure there are some good experiences floating around, but they are overwhelmingly negative from all the people I know who have tried and I would never in a million years do it myself for other reasons, so that is what I have to go on. We have rental properties in the family as well and have never head a good tenant (I know not exactly the same as a roommate). Just too many horror stories IMO.

[ercchry]

^^not everyone owns a condo.. higher value would be multiple rooms in larger house

[HiTempguy1]

Having done it all (rented by myself, rented with a sublet roomate, owned with a roommate rental, and rented off a guy) in condos/townhouses, this is my viewpoint, take it for what it is worth.

Do not share bathrooms. If there are not full bathrooms for each person, cleanliness standards vary so much it becomes a major issue. When I was younger, I wasn't home all the time or was always out doing things. The bathroom and kitchen are the number 1 areas of conflict IMO. Nobody wants to come home to a disgusting shitter or a shower.

So the kitchen: rules have got to be strict. I don't mind putting someones dishes in the dishwasher and starting it, or unloading a clean dishwasher. But scrape your plates in the trash and give them a god damn rinse. Which leads into trash, that shit has to be organized as well, because I found in almost any situation I always took the trash out, especially if it started stinking. People just keep piling that shit on, drives me nuts (even when living with the landlord).

I think it is worthwhile for $700/month. Anything less, starts to become questionable as to why. My condo for everything (mortgage, taxes, condo fees, insurance, internet etc) is $1450/month. One site visit pays enough in OT to cover the $600/month I was going to get renting out the room. Not worth it even with two bathrooms.

But if you earn $50k-$60k per year and have the space, $600-$700/month is huge, and shouldn't just be ignored. Depends on your personality type as well.

[suntan]

All these posts and not one asking for pics of the nurse?

[TomcoPDR]

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All these posts and not one asking for pics of the nurse?

[CompletelyNumb]

I had a roommate or roommates for essentially my entire 20s. From small condos downtown to huge houses in the burbs.

Pros:
1) Some were good, and became friends. Had lot's of fun with them.
2) The extra income was nice.
3) My fish got fed while I was out of town for weeks or months at a time....

Cons:
1) ...Until they forgot to feed the fish (which they got a rent discount to do) and they died.
2) Cleanliness. Most people have different standards of "tidy" and "clean". Some people will tidy up but never actually clean. Others do neither. Can confirm the post above about garbage, nobody takes out garbage.
3) Space. Make sure you have enough that's it's realistic you'll never need to share. No shared bathrooms. Preferably not a shared living room (houses are so much better for roommates).
4) Crazies. They exist. They will be great at convincing you they're normal. Seem fine, get along good. Then they move in and all hell breaks loose. Like the retail store manager that moved in and wrote bad cheque for rent. Confront him, he says he's protected by law and I can't kick him out. WTF? I had to basically threaten his life to get him out of my house.
5) Chores. Mow lawn, shovel snow, etc. These won't get done.
6) Pets. Don't allow them.
7) Sex. Try not to have it with your roommate. Unless they're super hot.
8) Damages. People are careless and break shit. Things will get broken. And then likely put back and not mentioned.
9) Schedules. When youre awake and theyre not. Noise, use of kitchen, etc.
10) Company. Some people have shitty friends. Those shitty friends won't treat your place like your roommate does.
11) Theft. Shit goes missing. Nobody did it.


It worked out for me overall, but I was working out of town half the year, and travelling half of the rest. So when I was home, my roommates never really got in my way, kinda like an "it's your turn to use the house" attitude.

[jwslam]

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10) Company. Some people have shitty friends. Those shitty friends won't treat your place like your roommate does.

On this note, how many of you have experienced the girlfriend that comes over, then more frequently, then stays once a week, and then pretty much moved in without paying rent?