If you’ve got a junk room in your house, it’s probably full of boxes and knick knacks which you’ve stuffed in there just to get them out of sight. Maybe it’s not a huge size, so you figured there was no point doing it up as a bedroom, or it’s just wound up with its designation over the months, but have another think about what else that space could be doing. If you could get a bed in there, and maybe a wardrobe or chest of drawers, that could be a lodger’s room, bringing you in a decent extra income every month.
With the laws on taking in a lodger relaxing a little, it makes things easier for would-be landlords with a spare room. Starting this tax year, the tax man now allows you to make £7,500 before you start paying tax, so if you’re one of the 16 million home owners with a spare room, why not make the most of your allowance and get yourself a paying lodger?
We’re not suggesting you move away and rent out the entire house. In order for the situation to be legal, the house must be your only home, and you must be there for at least part of the year to allow the lodger to be legal.
When you’re ready, you’ll need to do a little preparation work, but that’s where self storage can help. Grab some boxes, or sort through what you already have in that spare room, and get organising. If you can’t see yourself using it, recycle it, send it to a charity shop, or bin it. If you think you’ll need it in the future, or it’s something with sentimental value, it can go into one of our secure self storage units.
Give the room a fresh coat of paint, make sure the furniture is in place and in a condition a lodger would be happy with, and advertise your spare room. If you live in a central location, or somewhere with excellent transport links, you’ll find your spare room suddenly in great demand. Thanks, self storage!
