Cats and cuppas - How one spare room changed two lives for the better
#RealRenters
Ingrid and Clementine
When Ingrid, 54, learned that a colleague was looking for a room to rent, she offered her spare room. With her daughter having moved out and the burden of covering the mortgage and bills on her own, it felt like a good idea. Three years later, Ingrid and Clementine, 34, are still living together and are now good friends. This is their story, in their words…
Ingrid: I’d wanted to live in London since the age of 12, and for as long as I can remember I wanted to teach. About 30 years ago, I decided to make the move from my hometown in France to the UK – on my own – and pursue my dream. By 1995 I was a qualified teacher working in a school in Camden. And a few years later, I moved to Kingston and bought a house.
Housing was much more affordable back then. It was just myself and my daughter living in our two-bedroom house, but of course, the time came when she left home. Living alone again didn’t bother me, but the financial impact of paying my mortgage and bills started to. The cost of living has risen so much in the past few years that I felt myself stressing more about money than I’d wanted to. I wasn’t struggling, but I became more conscious of my spending.
Around this time, Clementine, a colleague at my school, had started pet-sitting for me regularly. She loved spending time with my two cats, Matisse and Mattéo, and when she mentioned she was looking to move out of her houseshare, I offered my spare room. I’d never thought about having a lodger, but it made sense. My daughter's bedroom was unused, and Clementine was already familiar with my house.
“Because of the money I save on rent, I’ve been able to buy a car. It’s given me much more freedom.”
Clementine: I was really unhappy in my last flatshare because I didn’t get on with my flatmates. The house itself wasn’t in good condition either, so when Ingrid offered me a room in her house, I was relieved. Her house is lovely and we already knew each other pretty well, so I thought it was a great idea. I also adore spending time with the cats, and knowing I’d be living with them was a huge draw for me. We’ve been living together for three years now.
I didn’t really have any reservations about being a lodger because I’ve been one before. My only concern this time was that we’re work colleagues, but we established boundaries pretty early on so, thankfully, that’s never been an issue.
I only pay £550 per month for rent, including bills, which is much cheaper than anywhere else I could live in the area. And because of the money I save on rent, I’ve been able to buy a car. It means I can get to work on my own schedule, rather than depending on the bus and I can take friends on road trips too. It’s given me much more freedom.
Deciding to lodge really depends on what you’re looking for. I used to live with a family who were lovely, but I felt like it was their home. At Ingrid’s, the house feels like my space too. I even have my own corner of the garden for plants.
“I’ve gained a friendship, I have someone to look after my cats and I am more financially secure.”
Ingrid: I set firm boundaries from the beginning. If I'm honest, I wasn’t completely convinced I’d get used to living with another person. Had that been the case, it wouldn’t have been any reflection on Clementine. But having someone new living in your space is a strange concept and you can’t foresee if that will work for you.
It took some adjusting at first, but we’ve ended up becoming good friends. We quickly discovered we liked having a cup of tea in the kitchen and a chat, but didn’t necessarily need to spend the evening together cooking or watching TV. We have our own space and lives and we’ve managed to perfect that balance.
I’ve always tried to be mindful of Clementine's needs as well as my own. While it is my house, I still want to be amenable if she wants to add some of her own decor. I’m away a lot, she has the house to herself often, and I want her to feel comfortable.
My advice for anyone considering taking in a lodger is not to be afraid of being clear about your expectations and boundaries. Tell them what your schedule is and how you imagine they’d fit into that. You don’t necessarily have to become best friends, but you have to be respectful of one another. Living with Clementine has developed into more than I expected. I’ve gained a friendship but it also has helped me in a practical sense, because I have someone to look after my cats. And it’s also made a huge difference to my financial security.
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