Homestay Basics

Homestay has evolved into a very big business sector in a relatively few years. It is a new phenomenon. But actually, it’s not. Travellers have been staying in other people’s homes, tents, castles and caves for thousands of years. When I was very young, my father was away at college and my mother took in three teachers from a local school as lodgers to help with the finances. One of these gentlemen became a lifelong friend and sadly died recently. Taking in lodgers has been around for a very long time. They are people who live in your home, share some of your rooms but have their space. Some of you may remember relatives telling stories of people being billeted at their home during the war. This was homestay but was enforced by the government. Now we have choices. It is your home and a lodger does not have the right to exclude you from any part of it as a tenant would. Whilst lodgers were not generally travellers, they were sometimes students, people working away from home for periods or people needing somewhere to stay whilst looking for permanent accommodation. Legally there is no distinction between a lodger and a homestay guest. We have just learnt to formalise, update, repackage and advertise in a different way lately. Homestay is about ordinary people living in an ordinary house welcoming others as guests into their home. The home owner acts as a host and guide in return for a fee. This means that hosts can earn money by staying at home. It doesn’t get much better than that. Throughout this book I have included some small Value Added Tips (VAT). They are aimed at helping you highlight some important points that I have learnt over the last seven years. The Difference Between a Bed and Breakfast, a Homestay and Rent a Room • A bed and breakfast is a commercial enterprise that provides overnight accommodation and (usually) a cooked breakfast. Guests are expected to be out of the room during the day and to seek dinner elsewhere, though some do provide an evening meal for an extra price. Guests usually stay for a few nights only. They are a cheaper alternative to a hotel. It is unusual for a bed and breakfast not to have ensuite rooms these days. Some however, specialize in working men’s accommodation and are very basic. Others may have antiques and designer décor appealing to more discerning tourists. The owner’s accommodation will be entirely separate from the guest areas. • Homestay is a non-commercial, private home that provides warm friendly accommodation for a guest in someone else's home. It becomes the guest’s home for the duration of the stay. A light breakfast is included. Whilst some expect guests to self-cater, many will provide an evening meal for an extra amount or included in the overall price. Guests can stay for a couple of days or up to a year. Homestays can be found anywhere but are typically in a residential area. They don’t have Michelin stars, nor do they have AA stars or are part of accreditation schemes. They are relaxed family homes with shared bathrooms. • Many people supplement their income by renting out a room. Indeed the government wants people to do this so they allow you to earn a certain amount every year tax free. Renting a room to someone means that the homeowner gives up a certain amount of control. They are not guests they are tenants and have a contract with legal rights. They don’t interact with the family and the owner does not provide food or any other service. They may or may not share a bathroom. Tenants will live an autonomous life. What Will Homestay do for you? Homestay allows you to use your home to pay for itself and to have the flexibility to live a style of life that suits you. Some people will use homestay as a secondary source of income, some as their primary income giving up the rat-race entirely. Some hosts can earn more from homestay than in a full time job. Some hosts will choose to only have one guest at a time and others will have multiple guests. Some will be available 365 days a year, others for just a few weeks in the summer. Homestay is about putting you in control and giving you lifestyle flexibility.