I have a new lodger move in and I’ve messed up the timing - how can I make it right?
Bit of a weird title, sorry.
I have a lodger moving in on Monday. I have a small 4 bed house (two of the rooms are so small that they don’t count) and I’ve lived here alone for past two years while I’ve been having cancer treatment but now because of financial pressures and because it’s lonely alone it’s time to house share again.
However, I just got a call earlier today that I have been moved on waiting list and I will have reconstructive surgery this week. It’s a big operation and someone cancelled so I got their slot. This is great but the timing with the lodger is bad.
I can’t clean the room before because I don’t have time - I need to tie many things up before I go under from blood tests to work stuffs, and then afterwards I won’t be able as it’s quite a big operation. I feel I’ve really messed this up and shouldn’t have gotten a lodger yet. I thought I’d have the surgery next year. I felt ready but my house isn’t ready!
It would not be the right thing to cancel with such short notice as my city (Bristol) has a housing crisis. I have managed to find a local cleaning lady who clean on the day I have surgery while I’m out, and said she would change the sheets and help with laundry, bless her. But she will not empty cupboards or do anything like that. I’m worried the room won’t be empty to a good standard and he won’t have space in the kitchen or his bathroom cupboards. There is an empty double wardrobe and a small storage unit (I think it’s called a tall boy), but I’ve stored my cleaning equipment and linens in the chest of draws and the en-suite cupboard has my stuff in.
If you were to move to a new home and this was the situation when you moved in, what would make it right for you? Ultimately I’m looking to share a home with someone so it’s not so much about the money and I want things to be right. I don’t want him to move in and think I’m taking the p\*ss. He knows about my health issues btw.
The rent is very reasonable for an en suite for the area (average is £800 for my postcode on spareroom and this is £640), and it includes bills, sky tv, steaming services in shared living room, cleaner every other week, and it’s generally a well equipped house with nice appliances and new kitchen, bathrooms, carpets etc (to give you an idea, my mortgage is £850 and bills are about £400 pcm not including insurance, cleaner is another £90 pcm).
Would you offer a rent reduction? How do I make this right? Would it be awful to ask him to empty the stuff into boxes and carry them into my bedroom? I could get a friend to help do it but not before he moves in.
What a mess.
Thanks for any advise and please don’t comment if you have something mean to say. I am very stressed out about this and want this to be a good experience for him and me, but obviously not being in good health is unfortunately impacting all of it.