Taking in boarders

[robby]

I was wondering if anyone here had ever taken in boarders to earn some extra money? If so, what problems if any did you have and would you do it again?

[34saving]

Sort of I guess. We had a young couple live in our basement for awhile. My husband also had three roommates in our house before we got married. All of these people were friends of ours, but here were the problems: 1) We often didn't get paid on-time, but we did get paid eventually. (Kind of like being a landlord.) 2) Other people definitely had a different idea of "acceptable cleaniness" than I did (and I'm not that picky!) 3) Don't plan on any help with mowing or anything (even if they say they'll help). 4) Make sure to work out rules beforehand. (What should the thermostat be set at? Who pays for what part of the utilities? When it is okay to do laundry? Who using the kitchen when? Etc.) It sounds harsh at first, but it's better to work things out beforehand than try to fix the mess later. We'd consider doing it again, but it would have to be more for more reasons than money I think. (Like a friend needed a short term space and she couldn't get an apartment with a short term lease.)

[SAHMsince1996]

No simply because we don't have any extra room.

[PrincessPerky]

I shared my apartment with a dude long ago, but I didn't take money and he didn't mess with my house my rules. I would never be willing to share for money, to many variables 34saving mentioned just a few.

One thing I would currently worry about, if it was a stranger is my children, I am rather over protective when it comes to strangers (pretty easy when it comes to everything else though)

[shengmei]

I took in a boarder last year. She killed my cat. She never paid a cent and she tried to get me evicted so she could rent my apartment instead.

Bad...bad idea.

[PRICEPLUS]

Shengmei, I am sorry about your cat. Wow! That is pretty scary.

No, I don't think I would take in boarders. I would really have to be in an extremely difficult situation to do that.