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Box room

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Hey

Is 10' by 8' (or a tad smaller) a reasonable size room?

Just asking, because I'm moving in with some peeps, they've picked a house and one has put a deposit down on it, I've not seen it yet - was told that all rooms fit a double bed - but now I've seen the floorplan and opened up a program to try and virtually 'fit' my stuff into all the rooms - there's noway you'd fit anything as well as a double bed in that kind of space.

I've got a mini fridge, a computer, a tv and clothes etc need to go somewhere too. It would just about work with a single bed, but then my friends are being a bit shifty with the fact 'oh, all rooms are good sized - all fit a double'. Why not call a pear a pear?

The rent might be a bit pricey too, so even though it's a really nice house in a really nice place - I think its a bit unfair to be pushing ahead with all this /if/ one of the rooms is significantly smaller to the point where they would not be happy living in it themselves - just happy for another rent paying tenant to be in there.

I may be making it sound worse than it is to be fair - I've not seen the house, simply seen the floorplan.

But one point that makes it more complex, is one of my flatmates to be went to see it and a mutual friend who is going to be the landlord (he wanted to buy a house but not where he lived) and they liked it he put an offer on, that was accepted. So full steam ahead. I've not signed a contract mind, but just worried they've got a nice house in several ways, on the point that they don't have to worry about whoever gets stuck with the little room because it wont be them.

I guess what it boils down to, with a room that small, how bearable / unbearable is it?

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Does the box room have a cupboard jutting out and occupying space in one corner? Many boxrooms I've seen have this, and it's a bit of a pain! I lived in the box room of a houseshare (and paid less rent accordingly) for one year and thought I'd be fine with it, but ended up feeling a bit cabin-fevery by the end. I doubt you'd fit a double bed in a box room and still have any notable floor space left.. Maybe see how much rent they want to charge you, and then see if any larger rooms are available elsewhere for a similar price? The more space the better really x
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yea, I'm just a bit peeved as one person has seen the house and said it was so good they had to go for it, said all the bedrooms were a similar size and could fit a double bed, but it turns out one room (which, I wouldn't be surprised if they end up trying to lump on me as I'm the social outsider) is tiny in comparison.

    There is no built in furniture, we need to sort it all out ourselves, but it will be a squeeze. I think they are intending we all pay rent, but its looking to be about 20% higher than the market rate so if that is the case I'll just bow out before signing the contract. It's harsh for the guy who just applied for a mortgage but you can't just say 'hey, you're looking for a house, i just bought a house, now go live in it' especially if you say the rooms are good sized and one is -not- good sized.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If they're expecting you to pay the motgage for them then they can have the small room.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Erm I wouldnt ever move in anywhere without seeing it myself, too much potential for things to go wrong.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    no idea about the actual size,but if it is smaller i'd ask to pay less rent.

    check out what other storage is available in the house e.g. cupboards etc. if there are lots of cupboards there's always the possibility you could store your clothes and some other things in there so in your room you could just have your bed, desk etc which wouldn't be so bad.

    my rooms quite small but i have a 3/4 double bed, chest of draws, draw unit with 4 draws and a shelf unit. then my wardrobes are in the smaller, spare room. works fine for me!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Don't sign anything until you've looked at it and want to live there.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Can I just double check one thing Shyboy, is the room the one you will get? Might be worth checking as the guy whose seen it may be happy to take the smaller room.

    If not then, as other people have said, you don't want to accept anything until you've seen it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Jim V wrote: »
    Can I just double check one thing Shyboy, is the room the one you will get? Might be worth checking as the guy whose seen it may be happy to take the smaller room.

    If not then, as other people have said, you don't want to accept anything until you've seen it.

    Well the girl said she wants the master bedroom lol, and said the three of us guys can fight over the other three. We haven't had a discussion about it yet though - none of us have seen the house yet! But yea, won't sign until I've seen it and happy with the accomodations.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I would have thought that the person who went ahead and put down a deposit without anyone else seeing it has a good incentive not to have you all drop out, so they should be prepared to take the smallest room if no one else wants it. That would have to be preferable than having to find new housemates!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    jamelia wrote: »
    I would have thought that the person who went ahead and put down a deposit without anyone else seeing it has a good incentive not to have you all drop out, so they should be prepared to take the smallest room if no one else wants it. That would have to be preferable than having to find new housemates!

    One problem is that the person who put the deposit down isn't going to be living there - he wanted a house for the future and thought he may as well start paying off a mortgage now (he rents in Sheffield), and we said we were looking to rent a house - so it seemed a good match. Problem of course now is if the house isn't up to standard - but I need to go see it first of course. But the dimensions are fairly small, 3.1m by 2.4m. I've done a mockup with some furniture in as you can see attached (includes the other rooms for comparison), I certainly don't think you could fit a double in.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I have a box room at home. It's not that small and much bigger than my uni room. (although, my room at uni is full of boxes and is a mess)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    haha the hallways bigger than that room lol
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hellfire wrote: »
    haha the hallways bigger than that room lol

    There's a bathroom not drawn in and also some stairs, but yep it is a bit of a squeeze.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You might not get the box room though, eh? I wouldn't take the box room if I had other choices because I would feel... boxed in.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katralla wrote: »
    You might not get the box room though, eh? I wouldn't take the box room if I had other choices because I would feel... boxed in.

    Yea but then it's opening myself to looking selfish if I say 'hey guys, yea i like the house as long as i dont get the box room'.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't think it's selfish in a negative way, it's perfectly reasonable to want to spend your rent money on somewhere you will be comfortable living. And, I expect they will all not want to live in that room, unless one doesn't mind, which would solve the problem. I would mind though, and having looked at the dimensions in relation to a proper sized bed, I wouldn't want to pay to live there.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Unless you can pay less rent? In which case, could be worth it! I have no idea exactly how small it is though. Guess it also depends how much time you spend in your room - for me it's hardly any so it wouldn't be so bad I don't think. Looking at your plan, you could maybe get a double going the other way.. Or a 3/4 double anyway.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hey there ShyBoy,

    Have you sorted out your accommodation now?

    Hope it is going well.

    :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yea in the end I decided to move in somewhere else for less money and a lot more space! The guys weren't too annoyed thankfully.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    .
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    ShyBoy wrote: »
    Yea in the end I decided to move in somewhere else for less money and a lot more space! The guys weren't too annoyed thankfully.

    Good :)
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