Room for rent .... sold!

When it comes to matters of the heart, how much room are we prepared to give up for someone else to occupy it? And for how long? And at what cost? To me, all these questions are insignificant due to one fundamental problem. There is never an agreement signed between you and the tenant to begin with. The landlady or landlord will always be at a disadvantage whatever happens.

If all is well, you probably get a tenant that does all the right things to only make your heart grow fonder. He or she pays his or her dues. Gifts and dinners reciprocated with care and love. Anniversaries remembered and ahem acts of love, right out of the roof! No surprise overnighters and the room always smells of you.

But more likely than not, you get a tenant that short-lives the stay, leaving piles of mess behind and create such a havoc in the neighborhood, the whole heart ends up empty and lifeless. Such an awful after-taste leaves you wondering 'Is it worth advertising again for a new tenant?' or maybe it is better off letting it out on a prepaid basis with seven years worth of deposit. You know what they say about tenants always itching to move out after seven years.

So next time, before you decide to take on a new tenant, remember everyone has a heart. Do we really need to share ours with another?