In order to have a little extra money coming in for some beers and souvenirs, I decided to let my house out. It wasn’t something I was sure I wanted to do or feel 100% comfortable doing, but as am planning for this trip to last 10 – 12 months it’s an ‘easy’ passive income and will hopefully make some of my redundancy money stretch a bit further. Plus I cannot leave the house unoccupied for that length of time due to insurance purposes.
So based on a recommendation I contacted Romans, a reputable letting agent in Wokingham who can ‘fully manage’ the property whilst am away for a percentage of the rent. Sure enough, before it went ‘live’ on the web they had successfully secured tenants who are a professional working couple – so any fears I may have had of squatters or the inability for tenants to pay the rent are quashed.
As am letting the house unfurnished I need to put most of my belongings into storage. The rest of my stuff in the garage will be distributed amongst friends and family, taken to the tip / recycling centre or donated to charity. I managed to find a storage company locally which is handy but the cost is more than I thought it would be. I was expecting something like £50 – £100 per month, but for a 75 square foot secure storage unit, it’s about £37 – £43 per week! But at least I know I will have a comfy sofa and bed when or if, I return…