FAQs Homeowners

A: A homeshare is an arrangement which brings together two unrelated people to share a home for their mutual benefit. Typically the older Homeowner wants to stay in his/her home and has a room to spare. He or she is carefully matched by Homeshare Living with a younger person we call a Sharer. A Sharer is often a mature student or young professional who needs low-cost accommodation and can provide an agreed amount of support and companionship in exchange.

A: Our Sharers range in age from 23 to 55 and will typically be mature students, professionals or people working in the public sector. He or she will have a regular job during the day (full or part time) or be a student, which can also be full or part time. We look for Sharers who are friendly, mature and caring and who would welcome the opportunity of affordable accommodation and making a new friend. We take referencing very seriously and all Sharers have current valid Enhanced DBS certificates.

A: You need to provide the Sharer with a bedroom and clean linen, as well as access to the main facilities of the house. The idea is that the Sharer lives in your home – not just a room in it – so you might spend time together in the lounge watching television, in the kitchen and in the garden.

A: Yes, you can set ground rules with your Sharer from the very beginning and we will help you communicate them to your Sharer so that expectations are managed on both sides. As each match is unique it’s important that both parties are open about their needs and requirements so that an agreed and convenient schedule can be established early on and the homeshare can run smoothly. 

A: There is no exchange of money between you and the Sharer. For facilitating the homeshare, we charge you a small monthly fee starting from the date the Sharer moves in of £150 per month which works out at less than £5 a day for the support, peace of mind and companionship. Your monthly fee goes towards the running of our scheme and the on-going monitoring and support.

A: We understand that change can be hard, especially when a close relationship develops. We therefore look for Sharers who are in a position to commit for at least one year. Many homeshares last several years. Sometimes a homeshare will come to a natural end as the Sharer finishes studying or his/her personal circumstances change. In this instance we do our best to re-match you with a new Sharer as soon as we can.

A: No, Sharers are not able to provide personal care. If you require a carer, we would suggest contacting the social services department of your local authority to request an assessment of your needs. A homeshare can complement a more complex care package.

A: Usually the Homeowner and Sharer each pay for their own food, or a fair share of the cost of the food if eating together. You will continue to be responsible for the household bills and normally a Sharer does not contribute towards these.

A: If you are eligible for Council Tax and the Sharer is a student (or an apprentice or student nurse) then they are exempt from council tax and no additional council tax is payable as a result of them moving in. They are disregarded for the purposes of council tax and you would not in those circumstances lose your single person discount.

If the Sharer is working there is a possibility that, if you are claiming a single person’s 25% discount, this may be withdrawn. However, councils do have different rules as to whether a Sharer can be exempted from council tax so we would suggest that you call your council and discuss your personal situation directly with them. If this happens, you are entitled to request an agreed contribution to Council Tax per month.

A: We will be there to speak to both you and the Sharer to provide support if something goes wrong. We are experienced in helping parties to manage expectations or concerns and in getting things back on track. If the situation cannot be resolved, we would proceed by issuing a one month’s notice for the Sharer and during this time, we would help to rematch you with a new Sharer.

A: Homeshare Living is a member of Homeshare UK and adheres to its Code of Conduct and the guidelines set out in its Quality Assurance Framework. We offer expertise and knowledge when matching people together, undertake a strict vetting process of the Sharers, and for the duration of every homeshare agreement we remain in regular contact with both parties to give advice and ensure you are fully supported.