I'm considering getting a studio flat for incalls (scary; I've never had more than a few quid a week regular work expenses), and I've been thinking about what to tell the landlord. I don't have a day job so I can't get an employment reference (although I do have accurate tax returns), and I don't want to get a reference from my current landlord since I'm not leaving. I'm thinking of saying that I've been living abroad so don't have any references but can pay three months rent upfront.

If any of you were in a situation like mine, what did you do? Also, have any of you applied for a second home discount on your council tax?

I live in a house share, but even if my home was suitable I wouldn't want to combine a home and work address after the problems others have had. I've recently started using a en-suite room in someone's flat, but I require a deposit for first time clients and charge my outcall rates, so it's not busy there. When I've gone recently I've thought it was a shame I didn't have a proper place I could welcome people to, and yesterday I realised there was nothing stopping me from getting one. Dur.

I estimate that rent + bills on a studio flat would be a little over ?500/month. I'd rather not throw that away, but I can afford to do so for a few months if that's how it goes. With renting down I'm hoping I can get a three month contract and then see if it's worth staying.

The law isn't what's stopped me sharing with someone (although I'm concerned about the proposed changes), I've just never got to know anyone who's local, looking for a flat, and who I'd feel comfortable sharing with.

As for registering it as a business premises, it would be a residential property and no doubt against the terms of the contract to work there. Maybe tax-deductible, though.

I don't know if I can find a private landlord; I only saw one suitable place that wasn't advertised through an agent. Thanks for the offer a reference, that's a good idea.

Hi if you have more then 5 visitors a week you need planning premission, fire regs, and so on, you can not work from a residential area,
but as long as no one knows what you are doing and no one wants to stitch you up you would be fine, to claim tax relief you would have to put it down as a work place which would need planning, there are different rules everywhere so best ask about how things work in your area but you could get a place with someone else but work different days,


Mercedes x

I agree totally.
You will want to know that any stuff you leave in the place is left alone.
That they will not pull the 'I don't have any cash' line when the bills come in and so on.

It's really difficult to find a person to flat share with on a regular flat share that you can trust nevermind a working flat.

That seems a daft law, that more than 5 visitors a week you will need planning permission and so on. How odd. If you have more than 5 friends and they all visit you a week, imagine the council saying, 'get a fire escape put in now!'

People in charge of anything these days don't seem to understand anything. That's what I find. The heath and safety regulations have gone banana's. Totally.

As you already know the whole private landlord thing, it's pointless telling you how to go about finding one! Good luck, I hope you work something out. When you least expect it, something always comes up (Ha, quite!).

Same here, looking for a place for mid-next month in another city. Im just going to look into either month to month studios or efficiencies. But with the prices I seen may just have to pop for a hotel for the first few days or so

Most of the places saying 'room for rent' just wouldnt do it. I mean, they are in nice houses and all...but how would one work about having incalls in some random person's house. I would need my own space 

Anika..would you consider getting an efficiency thats attached to a rather large home as a room? I used to have one, which worked well for several months, but after awhile the landlord starting making 'rules' about people over. So now Im reluctant to go that route. Would you?




whoa...what the fuck is this new phenomenon going on that I've been missing out on! This is the 2nd ad in D.C. area thats advertising a roomate with benefits!

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/roo/1152028403.html

Ani...I know you wouldnt consider this, but regardless doesnt it just sounds crazy or what. You meet someone for the 1st time to rent your place, you're having sex a couple times of week? Im sorry but I have NEVER seen that work out and I've done it twice. Live with a man sex addict for a pre-determined amount of time, and before the week is over they're done with the sex and want you out. B.S. That comes close enough to boyfriend-girlfriend thing and I can imagine one or the other would be at each other's throat at some point.

To me, it seems a mixture of marriage, prostitution, roomate...just seems weird. I mean what if the other partner doesnt WANT to have sex when they do? Sorry LOL...I just had to bring that up.

LOL...and at the end he says As far as the "roomate with benefits" thing goes, it means exactly that.....we would have to be attracted to each other in a way that we could play around maybe once or twice a week.....just to relieve the stressors of every day life.....age or race doesn't really matter, this will be kind of a discreet thing anyway.

this guy needs an escort. period! stop being cheap    Im sorry I just found this to be so hilarious

I'd also chuck money at the landlord. I did the same think a few years ago with my private residence. I sold my flat back when the market was still good, I didn't have any references so I offered my landlord a few months rent in advance and he jumped at it.

As for being in breach of planning regulations, it does depend on a few things; how many people you have coming in and out of your flat (although if five is the magic number, you should be okay as I remember you saying you don't see that many during the week, correct me if I'm wrong), how much of the flat is used for work (which would be the whole flat in your case, so that might be a minor problem), keeping your head down so you don't attract any attention from neighbours and in turn piss them off enough to report you, and if you take on a maid/receptionist.
Remember, even if the landlord did find out, he couldn't evict you straight away anyway, even if you are in breach of your contract. He'd have to go through the proper channels, taking you to court etc., so you'd have the time to move out and find alternative premises.

It isn't actually against the law for a landlord to rent out to a lone escort who wishes to work from the premises. It is when it's rented out to more than one person. You could even take a chance in telling him what your purposes are, but that could lead all sorts of sticky situations, eg. asking for sexual favours in return, or putting up your rent, which he'd be within his rights to do.

If your budget can stretch to it, legally and for the sake of less hassle, you'd be better off working on your own. You wouldn't be breaking any laws and there's less of a chance of the neighbours finding out (less traffic, etc).

If your calls take place 9-5 on weekdays then there's less chance of your neighbours even noticing how many visitors a week you have. 

.. it looks like that only applies to tenants. Weird. I think telling the truth would be more awkward than lying in this situation, though.

Yep, this is one of the reasons I don't say the legal situation makes sense! I wonder if it's the class / money issue coming up - the number of people owning property was rather smaller in the mid-50s than it is now.

I'd be interested in seeing a reference for the 'five people' bit, because it sounds odd to me.

The big problem with telling the truth in this situation is the risk of them either raising the rent or wanting freebies.