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| What are people's experiences of living in a shared home? | What are people's experiences of living in a shared home? |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Landlords have warned tenants in shared houses could face eviction or rent increases because of a change to government rules. But what is it like to live with strangers? We asked three people to tell us about their experiences. | |
| Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) are homes where people, who are not related, sleep in separate rooms but share facilities such as kitchens or bathrooms. | Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) are homes where people, who are not related, sleep in separate rooms but share facilities such as kitchens or bathrooms. |
| Previously only houses of more than three storeys and with five or more people forming at least two households had to be licensed. | Previously only houses of more than three storeys and with five or more people forming at least two households had to be licensed. |
| A new rule has been introduced that removes the three-storey threshold and applies to smaller homes. | A new rule has been introduced that removes the three-storey threshold and applies to smaller homes. |
| 'They cram as many people into one space' | 'They cram as many people into one space' |
| Shanice Ireland, 25, moved into her first shared house after leaving her mum's home in May. | Shanice Ireland, 25, moved into her first shared house after leaving her mum's home in May. |
| She says her landlord has "crammed" four people on to the ground floor of the end-terraced house in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. | She says her landlord has "crammed" four people on to the ground floor of the end-terraced house in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. |
| "The upstairs is then rented out as a flat where people come and go, it is almost like a hotel," she said. | "The upstairs is then rented out as a flat where people come and go, it is almost like a hotel," she said. |
| "We've had builders, a family of four and tourists going to the Harry Potter experience, so you often have people getting drunk and being loud. | "We've had builders, a family of four and tourists going to the Harry Potter experience, so you often have people getting drunk and being loud. |
| "It has no soundproofing so when they are walking around and talking I can hear everything." | "It has no soundproofing so when they are walking around and talking I can hear everything." |
| Shanice says she hates living in an HMO, which costs her £800 a month, and wants to get out as soon as possible. | |
| "I haven't cooked in this place once. It's such a small kitchen with four people trying to cook, I just go to my mum's to cook. | "I haven't cooked in this place once. It's such a small kitchen with four people trying to cook, I just go to my mum's to cook. |
| "I literally just use it to sleep in. It is a bit of a rip-off." | "I literally just use it to sleep in. It is a bit of a rip-off." |
| Shanice, who works in Watford as an IT reseller, says she would leave if her landlord increased her rent. | Shanice, who works in Watford as an IT reseller, says she would leave if her landlord increased her rent. |
| "If they were going to rent it normally as a house they would never make as much money as they do by splitting it up. | "If they were going to rent it normally as a house they would never make as much money as they do by splitting it up. |
| "They just try and cram as many people into one space." | "They just try and cram as many people into one space." |
| 'Landlords forget we call these places our home' | 'Landlords forget we call these places our home' |
| Anna Mäkinen has lived in five shared homes since she moved to England from Finland in 2013. | Anna Mäkinen has lived in five shared homes since she moved to England from Finland in 2013. |
| The 26 year old says at the worst place she stayed in Whitechapel, east London, there were seven people living in a three-bedroom house. | |
| "I was living in the living room. We had one girl living on a balcony. It had a roof and was sealed but the wind would come in. | "I was living in the living room. We had one girl living on a balcony. It had a roof and was sealed but the wind would come in. |
| "When I moved into where I live with my boyfriend now there was still painting to be done and the floors needed to be finished. | "When I moved into where I live with my boyfriend now there was still painting to be done and the floors needed to be finished. |
| "We had to put our stuff on the balcony and it got wet." | "We had to put our stuff on the balcony and it got wet." |
| Anna, who works in HR, now lives in an HMO in east London with her boyfriend and two other women. | Anna, who works in HR, now lives in an HMO in east London with her boyfriend and two other women. |
| She hopes the new legislation will mean people in shared houses have a better standard of living. | She hopes the new legislation will mean people in shared houses have a better standard of living. |
| "Our landlord has been overpromising for seven months to fix things that aren't working. | "Our landlord has been overpromising for seven months to fix things that aren't working. |
| "We had mice in the house and had to get rid of the problem on our own and with our own money. | "We had mice in the house and had to get rid of the problem on our own and with our own money. |
| "I have tried to contact the council but we never get any help. They said it was the landlord who needed to fix it. | "I have tried to contact the council but we never get any help. They said it was the landlord who needed to fix it. |
| "I understand the market is competitive but I feel like landlords have completely forgotten that we call these places our home." | "I understand the market is competitive but I feel like landlords have completely forgotten that we call these places our home." |
| 'One bloke smashed the place up with a hammer' | 'One bloke smashed the place up with a hammer' |
| Liam Moyna lived in about 20 different shared houses over a 20-year period after leaving university. | Liam Moyna lived in about 20 different shared houses over a 20-year period after leaving university. |
| He says he rarely had a problem with landlords but often had issues with the people he lived with. | He says he rarely had a problem with landlords but often had issues with the people he lived with. |
| "I found it was a bit of a mixed bag with anything from PHD students to people who are just out of prison," the 43-year-old added. | "I found it was a bit of a mixed bag with anything from PHD students to people who are just out of prison," the 43-year-old added. |
| He said he had once lived in a house with a drug dealer. | He said he had once lived in a house with a drug dealer. |
| "One bloke turned into a nightmare when he had a drink and smashed the place up with a hammer once," he said. | |
| "The houses have generally all been nice and the landlords have been brilliant." | |
| Liam thinks there should be legislation to stop landlords being able to put too many people in houses. | Liam thinks there should be legislation to stop landlords being able to put too many people in houses. |
| "Young single men on a low wage make up a lot of the people I found in shared houses," the IT worker says. | "Young single men on a low wage make up a lot of the people I found in shared houses," the IT worker says. |
| "You've got these people who are almost forgotten, they coast along and are stuck there. | "You've got these people who are almost forgotten, they coast along and are stuck there. |
| "The problems come from having too many people in a house. I think they should legislate against that. The houses are just not designed for it." | "The problems come from having too many people in a house. I think they should legislate against that. The houses are just not designed for it." |
| Liam, who bought his own house in Southampton this year, adds: "Most of the time you move because the landlord sells up. | Liam, who bought his own house in Southampton this year, adds: "Most of the time you move because the landlord sells up. |
| "I certainly didn't have enough money to save up for a mortgage and that is what I found with a lot of housemates. | "I certainly didn't have enough money to save up for a mortgage and that is what I found with a lot of housemates. |
| "I am one of the lucky ones." | "I am one of the lucky ones." |