I hear you're a parasitic member of the rentier class now, doppelkorn.

[kittens]

i think you should screw it up your ass

[Icehaven]

I'd rather be homeless than do a house share with strangers past the age of 20. I don't think I'd even share with actual mates. You're mad. Can't you just live somewhere shit/tiny on your own? What possible benefits outweigh the horror of other people?

I first moved into a share about 2 and half years ago after a long relationship ended, and I'd never lived alone or with anyone other than family, friends or a partner, so the idea of living completely alone was actually a bit daunting, so I wasn't averse to sharing at all. Also I had to move at very short notice due to the aforementioned relationship end turning from amicable to not so (we were going to carry on sharing the flat for a few months while I saved and sorted out somewhere to live, but we had a row, he stormed out and came back a few hours later having quit his job and arranged to leave the area in three weeks), so I needed somewhere very cheap, very quick. What others said about the cost difference between sharing and renting a flat by yourself being huge is right, it'd cost me at least another £150 a month, and that's a conservative estimate.

Once I'd (quickly) come to appreciate the shiteness of sharing with strangers I didn't intend to stay for more than a year tbh, and looked at a few flats a year or so ago when I had all the shit with the violent co-tenant, but I just didn't have the money you need to hand over upfront for a flat (best part of a grand at least), however I'm much more ready to move now, I'm earning a bit more and my boyfriend is over a lot so it's not ideal only having one room to be in (but he's not working at the moment so due to that and various other stuff it's not feasible for us to 'properly' move in together or for me to take on somewhere I couldn't afford by myself). I also know from the pit of my stinking heart that by the end of the first day in my/our own flat I will never, ever be able to share with strangers again, so I have to make sure I can definitely sustain it.

[Genevieve]

I genuinely don't understand why house shares don't share out the labour of making a meal for the whole household, on a rota, done in pairs or threes if necessary.  It might seem like work but it's less work than whipping up a crap meal every night in a few minutes.  Then you sit down to break bread together, resolve problems and solidify friendships.  Sounds a bit hippy but it's just human nature.  Those London-based communities upthread have completely missed the point, like most London things all about the money.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Because some cunt will always be out and some fussy fucker won't eat it, or will decide to be a vegan or something and another one will be so inept they can basically burn water.

[Paul Calf]

When you don't get home from work until 8.30pm and have to be up for the 7.15 train, the last thing you want to do is piss about peeling spuds for a load of other tired, stressed cunts. And that's if you're not working until midnight on your 'rota day'.

I mean, London is shit. Quality of life is non-existent unless you're fabulously wealthy. People don't say this for nothing.

[Icehaven]

I genuinely don't understand why house shares don't share out the labour of making a meal for the whole household, on a rota, done in pairs or threes if necessary.  It might seem like work but it's less work than whipping up a crap meal every night in a few minutes.  Then you sit down to break bread together, resolve problems and solidify friendships.  Sounds a bit hippy but it's just human nature.  Those London-based communities upthread have completely missed the point, like most London things all about the money.

Have you ever lived in a houseshare (with strangers) and done this, and regularly? Fair play if you have but frankly I don't believe you. And how is whipping up a crap meal in a few minutes more work than helping prepare a full meal for several people?
I don't live in London btw, if I did my rent would probably be 3 times what it is.

[Genevieve]

If you're doing it everyday and it saves money and labour and it's enjoyable people generally get the idea, the inept learn off the better cooks, the first few might have hiccups, it dun't really matter though.  Yes I've lived in a houseshare for a bit (3 people and 2 dogs) we sometimes cooked for the household, dogwalking as payback.  I was in an intentional community for a couple of months where it happened every day and worked well.  If you don't get home til 8:30pm (mad) and leaving in the morning you'd have your meal on a free day but if that's the way the whole house is it wouldn't work (I would rather live in some straw in a desk drawer I think).  You people are getting well angry at a suggestion to improve quality of  life, London is shit.

[Endicott]

A small point, possibly, but it's possible to cook a simple meal for one, from scratch, and be eating it within 30 mins. Quicker, if you're a veggie. Not exactly a lot of effort really.  I don't think 30 mins is much to ask for in terms of kitchen time. If a housemate is being difficult, tell them to stop fucking with your stuff on pain of you emptying the rubbish up their rectum. It's not rocket science.

Although I like Genevieve's hippy commune ideas, people aren't really interested.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I sometimes don't sit down to eat my tea until about half ten.

[Genevieve]

It's more taking a good idea from a hippy commune that would work for a lot of house shares, not turning it into one.  Also, thing about "living with strangers" they're not strangers after they've been there a day, certainly if you're sitting down to a meal.

Timing: yes I can do a meal in 30, I can do pasta in tomato sauce in ten, I can do an omelette in 75 seconds.  Normally more like 30, if you have a house of six that amounts to 3 hours and a lot of fuel wastage, and probably a few disgruntled people.  If you were cooking once a week but it took 1 and a half hours you'd save time overall.

[Endicott]

Yes, there's no doubt your idea is the best one, if your housemates are up for it. I'm really only disputing what other posters have claimed, that whipping up a meal in a short time means it must be a bit crappy. It really doesn't.

[Genevieve]

Sorry, I brought in the word crappy, I think I'd make a bad meal if people were stressing me going "God, aren't you done yet" and end up eating undercooked veg and burnt toast.  I also just think if it's all a rush you'd have to buy poor quality convenience food.

[Icehaven]

There isn't even a dining table in my house btw, so even if it was remotely practical to share cooking, which it isn't, we'd still either be eating standing up in the kitchen or taking it to our rooms to eat alone.
I see what you're saying and that your intentions are good, however most adult houseshares it's just not practical, or even desirable, to share cooking. I'm out at least 3 evenings a week myself, and I like/need to be able to change plans at short notice so it'd be a total ballache for me to have to commit to cooking a big meal 3 times a week, or being in at a certain time to eat what someone else had prepared, just wouldn't work.

[Twit 2]

I sometimes don't sit down to eat my tea until about half ten.

That's silly - it must be stone cold by then!

It's really, really expensive to rent a whole flat unless you live somewhere run-down and too far away from any decent work.

Can't you just live somewhere shit/tiny on your own? What possible benefits outweigh the horror of other people?

[ASFTSN]

I genuinely don't understand why house shares don't share out the labour of making a meal for the whole household, on a rota, done in pairs or threes if necessary.  It might seem like work but it's less work than whipping up a crap meal every night in a few minutes.  Then you sit down to break bread together, resolve problems and solidify friendships.  Sounds a bit hippy but it's just human nature.  Those London-based communities upthread have completely missed the point, like most London things all about the money.

My last houseshare I had to put up with cunts throwing chips they didn't want into the cats litter tray and filling up the recycling bin with burned out saucepans.  All of these people were over 30.  I would not trust them to cook for me.

[Icehaven]

My last houseshare I had to put up with cunts throwing chips they didn't want into the cats litter tray and filling up the recycling bin with burned out saucepans.  All of these people were over 30.  I would not trust them to cook for me.

Even leaving aside the diminutive quantity surveyor who turned out to be a psycho, my housemates have included a university law lecturer who routinely stole food and possibly clothes from other housemates, a teacher who leaves enormous amounts of filthy washing up for days, sometimes weeks, all over the kitchen and regularly blocks the sink with food, and another teacher who once started running a bath then went downstairs to cook his tea and left the bath until there was water literally cascading through the ceiling in the hall and kitchen (where he was happily cooking away) and he didn't even notice until it was pointed out to him (and He was stone cold sober btw.) If housesharing teaches you anything it's that age, profession and appearance is absolutely no indication whatsoever of someone's capacity to be an utter weapon.

[Icehaven]

There's been some discussion here and in the other renting thread about wether or not agents even bother performing all the checks and references they've been paid to do by both tenants and landlords. Well guess what...

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/may/19/foxtons-letting-bill-charge-landlord-tenants-check

[Sebastian Cobb]

I briefly lived with a Ukrainian fella who seemed to eat pan fried fish fingers and eggs for most meals. He was culinary illiterate, he did that excuse that I've heard before where people say typically men don't cook in their country which seems like a bollocks excuse to me because I don't recall really being taught to cook, I sort-of passively absorbed the basics over the first 18 years of my life.

Anyway he looked like boni from trapdoor and was a prick.

[Ferris]

There's been some discussion here and in the other renting thread about wether or not agents even bother performing all the checks and references they've been paid to do by both tenants and landlords. Well guess what...

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/may/19/foxtons-letting-bill-charge-landlord-tenants-check

Isn't the idea that I, John Q. Landlord, have hired these people to do checks because I'm too busy racing hoverboats / polishing my top-hats / moving to Manchester etc.

If they don't do the checks I've paid them for, and I get back to my indentured slum bijou one-bed in a desirable area and find it to be trashed by a gang of chimpanzees that have been given a long-term lease, then I can ask the agency for copies of the background checks they did. If they didn't do them (or can't provide proof they did), surely they are in legal hot water?

Doesn't help the poor buggers who don't get checked and don't get accommodation, but I reckon being a dodgy letting-agency is probably not a good idea in the medium-to-long term.

[Steven]

Anyway he looked like boni from trapdoor and was a prick.

He was just a decapitated skull? It makes sense his cooking skills wouldn't be up to snuff.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Isn't the idea that I, John Q. Landlord, have hired these people to do checks because I'm too busy racing hoverboats / polishing my top-hats / moving to Manchester etc.

If they don't do the checks I've paid them for, and I get back to my indentured slum bijou one-bed in a desirable area and find it to be trashed by a gang of chimpanzees that have been given a long-term lease, then I can ask the agency for copies of the background checks they did. If they didn't do them (or can't provide proof they did), surely they are in legal hot water?

Doesn't help the poor buggers who don't get checked and don't get accommodation, but I reckon being a dodgy letting-agency is probably not a good idea in the medium-to-long term.

Someone I know rented their gaff while they took several year-long trips to Australia and New Zealand, most were without incident but his flat got fucked one time. He reckons it was rented out but suspects more than the 2-3 people you'd expect to be in a 2 bed flat were staying there. There was condensation damage/mould everywhere afterwards and the agents did fuck all apart from say 'lol, sorry mate'.

[Icehaven]

If they don't do the checks I've paid them for, and I get back to my indentured slum bijou one-bed in a desirable area and find it to be trashed by a gang of chimpanzees that have been given a long-term lease, then I can ask the agency for copies of the background checks they did. If they didn't do them (or can't provide proof they did), surely they are in legal hot water?

Which is exactly what's happened in the article I linked to, although how much legal hot water isn't specified, but at least it's being investigated. Apparently the bank statements and employment records etc. the tenants gave to the agents were dated after the tenancy began, and showed they didn't earn nearly enough to afford the rent, none of which was picked up during the 'checks'. The tenants then went on to sublet to a random parade of people, including some who presumably didn't pay the rent, so neither did the tenants, which is why it was picked up on.

[Paul Calf]

Isn't the idea that I, John Q. Landlord, have hired these people to do checks because I'm too busy racing hoverboats / polishing my top-hats / moving to Manchester etc.

If they don't do the checks I've paid them for, and I get back to my indentured slum bijou one-bed in a desirable area and find it to be trashed by a gang of chimpanzees that have been given a long-term lease, then I can ask the agency for copies of the background checks they did. If they didn't do them (or can't provide proof they did), surely they are in legal hot water?

Doesn't help the poor buggers who don't get checked and don't get accommodation, but I reckon being a dodgy letting-agency is probably not a good idea in the medium-to-long term.

Which is exactly what's happened in the article I linked to, although how much legal hot water isn't specified, but at least it's being investigated. Apparently the bank statements and employment records etc. the tenants gave to the agents were dated after the tenancy began, and showed they didn't earn nearly enough to afford the rent, none of which was picked up during the 'checks'. The tenants then went on to sublet to a random parade of people, including some who presumably didn't pay the rent, so neither did the tenants, which is why it was picked up on.

Depends whether you've got the time and money to take out a case against a letting agency with vastly more resources than you have, and probably their own in-house legal team.

Whether you want to make your life about that.

[Icehaven]

The more I hear and read about all this, the more tempted I am to sign up for a lovely flat I can barely afford then just not pay the rent and only leave when I'm about to be kicked out. I could save a few grand living rent free for a few months, which I could then use towards moving into a flat legitimately, and there'd apparently be sod all consequences, given references are hardly checked, easy to fake and I've got good ones from current/previous landlords and agents anyway.

I'd never actually do this of course because it's not on and I'm too much of a pussy anyway, but it's easy to see why a lot of people do. I think I'm roughly about one more shitty housemate or grasping agent/landlord away from trying it. 

[Sebastian Cobb]

The problem is if you did decide to rinse an agent like that, sods law you'd end up with a diligent one that properly declares you to have abandoned the place and passes the debt of the whole agreed term to some bastard collection agency.

[Icehaven]

The problem is if you did decide to rinse an agent like that, sods law you'd end up with a diligent one that properly declares you to have abandoned the place and passes the debt of the whole agreed term to some bastard collection agency.

So I pay up during the agreed term, then go rogue once the rolling tenancy kicks in (I know not all tenancies are set up like this, so you just find one that is. I've had several in the past.). But I wouldn't ever really do it, like I said I'm too much of a pussy, and a lot of the people that actually get away with that kind of crap obviously know what they're doing and can 'disappear' easily or were skipping the country anyway, it's just tempting to think how much rent you'd save just by being a bad tenant for a bit.

[Huxleys Babkins]

Another thing worth bearing in mind is that a lot of agencies are part of a larger company so if you fuck over one agency you might be barred from another three or four from the same group, even if the initial agency didn't do it's homework.

[Huxleys Babkins]

Another observation from years of living in rental properties; People who leave properties with unpaid rent, bills and council tax really love to shop at Jacamo.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Another observation from years of living in rental properties; People who leave properties with unpaid rent, bills and council tax really love to shop at Jacamo.

Sounds like running away from debts is the only running they'll be doing, fat knackers.

[Icehaven]

Another observation from years of living in rental properties; People who leave properties with unpaid rent, bills and council tax really love to shop at Jacamo.

Dunno wether they left bills or not but I've often found the previous tenants of flats I've moved into didn't appear to want half their crockery or the pint glasses and ashtrays they nicked from pubs.