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Post by kizi on Dec 28, 2012 21:32:40 GMT 1
Putting this here as it is indirectly horsey related.. Hope that's ok.. I'm just wondering if people have experience of live in help.. Horsey au-pair so to speak.. Or if you have been one.. I don't mind living alone.. Apart from the obvious reasons why I would rather not be, but I'm not afraid of the dark! I do think though that long term it's not ideal.. I'm sat here with gale force winds howling outside.. If a tree comes down I have to phone someone, if something gets injured I have to phone someone etc etc But the thought of a stranger coming to live here even short term, even someone I've met etc etc freaks me out.. I am a private person and I suppose I am also very set in my ways.. Foreign students may be a way, at least if I don't get on with them I'll never see them again! And I do like learning about new people, customs etc... I don't think a lodger as such would work, though rent would be helpful, it's a bit of day to day help I'd like.. Even just a fella to help with heavy stuff!!! People have been great but if I need help with a particular job that I just cannot do on my own, I hate asking for help and waiting for others to have time to help.. I feel guilty if they have to take time out to help useless old me... Like moving the duck house last week.. My brother very kindly helped as its very heavy, but he offered weeks ago and I am not being ungrateful but you know what I mean I hope.. Anyway.. Have you had live in students or lodgers or well... Anyone got any ideas? ? I have 3 dogs that live in the house.. There's no such thing as regular meal times.. But if I wanted to go somewhere even for a half day.. I need someone here I am farm bound and getting cabin fever...
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2012 21:57:15 GMT 1
Well, I've been a lodger, does that count?! I lodged with my last landlady for 2.5 years so she must have thought it was worth the cash or I'm sure she'd have turfed me out (I moved in with OH). We met online, found eachother because we both had dogs, she struggled to find a lodger who wasn't put off by her dog being a bit full on and I struggled to find a landlord/lady who would have my dog in their house. We had a good long talk face to face to say what our expectations were and as we seemed to fit well we went for it and agreed both had to give the other a month's notice to end the agreement.
It worked so well that in the end I walked and fed both dogs in the morning, my landlady did them in the evenings, we arranged our holidays separately so we could always look after the other's dog, she found me my first horse share and later we ended up sharing a horse together!
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Post by jill on Dec 28, 2012 22:40:52 GMT 1
I had lodgers when I bought my first house,had to to make ends meet. Mixed - mostly they were okay, one hogged the phone line for hours, one never cleaned anything, one was great at cleaning up after himself (yes, a him!) - the lesson learned is that you do have to set ground rules and stick to them. You could end up with someone you just can't get on with - but no-one says it has to be forever, you can ask them to find somewhere else and find another. It can be stressful, a lot depends on how tolerant you are I suppose, but I know what you mean about having to pay to do some basic stuff (and finding someone reliable to do it). I'm not sure I would be any good at sharing now after not having to for years and years.
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Post by kizi on Dec 28, 2012 23:10:40 GMT 1
I have done the house share thing after I finished school and the best part of that was when the others were all out! I'm not anti-social honest!! I guess what I should have said was that if I had foreign students of some sort that could help out with the horses a little would be more what I'm thinking.. I live on farm with my collection of animals, horses, goats, ducks, dogs, cat guinea pigs etc etc
I joked with my cousin who is a vet nurse student that her class mates should all come for a month at a time to learn basic animal handling etc.. She said I'd never stick them, but I actually like that idea! Everyone benefits.. Only problem would be insurance of course... Probably cheaper to pay for help.. If I had money!! It's so hard having to even think of things like this..
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Post by cookie on Dec 28, 2012 23:29:07 GMT 1
Are you close to a college or hospital? somewhere that has a turn over of staff / students, then you could advertise for what you want. Reduced rent in return for x hours about the place? Is that the kind of thing you mean?
I groomed as a student. Got board and lodging for a Weeks work,.I'm not sure you'd get away with the same terms and conditions these days but something similar might work?
I do feel for you, it must feel like quite a weight sometimes. Maybe put a sign up in local track shops, what about livery in return for a few hours help?
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Post by kizi on Dec 28, 2012 23:35:23 GMT 1
Ya something like that, heck free rent for some help! I've done the livery in exchange of help a lot but people want everything for nothing (not me!) I don't expect 10 hour days! But a hour or two a day if there's something to be done surely isn't much to ask for free full livery.. But people that have horses don't have time! Working to pay the bills I guess! No colleges etc near by.. That's the biggest hurdle.. Anyone would need a car if they wanted to go anywhere from here!!
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Post by kizi on Dec 28, 2012 23:38:02 GMT 1
There are website where foreign student apply to your ad about staying for a week or a month with free accommodation in exchange for help.. Enables them to travel cheap.. I don't know anyone that has ever actually done it... You could get some serious weirdos which if I wasn't already living alone I could deal with.. But when it's just an email 'I am coming Ireland Tuesday do you have a bed...' Hmm..!
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mel16
Intermediate Poster
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Post by mel16 on Dec 29, 2012 0:02:53 GMT 1
I 'wwoofed' while I was travelin in OZ and NZ...worked for bed and board, mostly with horses and other animals.. longest I stayed anywhere was three weeks tho I did go back to one place as became good friends. maybe worth a look, don't know how it works here but twas easy 'down south' (as everything ) www.wwoof.org.uk/
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Post by kizi on Dec 29, 2012 0:22:57 GMT 1
That's the one.. Only problem is insurance... Did you have to have your own insurance? Some websites do t require it.. But my insurance company basically said I'd need extra insurance if a 'house guest' was 'working' at the yard.. Or vice versa.. I'd need b n b insurance and employers liability... Not sure I could do it without insurance really nowadays...
Mta: never mind!!! Found the Irish website and it explains insurance needs etc!! Thanks going to look into that some more... Just need to be organic in some way....
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Amanda Seater
Grand Prix Poster
Listen to your horse you may be surprised what he may tell you about yourself
Posts: 3,866
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Post by Amanda Seater on Dec 29, 2012 10:17:13 GMT 1
we had wwoofers last year FANTASTIC and a real breath of enthusiastic fresh air. some wooffers have more practical experience than others. mine did 4 hours a day 5 days a week. I have realy missed then this summer as we don't have accomodation for them. Some stay a month others more.
re insurance - technically you should have employers liability insurance - technically for the wwoof site and it is advisory even if you have the neighbour or your best friend to help for an hour in exchange for tea and bickies!
however no one checks and from what I have heard few do have insurance. It is risk though... I didn't at first but then did as business changed
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Amanda Seater
Grand Prix Poster
Listen to your horse you may be surprised what he may tell you about yourself
Posts: 3,866
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Post by Amanda Seater on Dec 29, 2012 10:18:56 GMT 1
re organic - just showing an effort towards principles and practices and care and concern for the environment
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Post by SarahW on Dec 29, 2012 10:20:09 GMT 1
I don't know what the law is in Eire but here you have to have insurance for anyone that works for you whether they are paid or not. I have to have Employer's Liability for work experience students and volunteers. I think you'd also need to let you house insurance company know if you were taking in lodgers on any basis. It might not be all that expensive to do either.
As for the privacy thing - people in short doses sounds like the thing to me. There's a website (and I can't for the life of me remember its name but Google like mad) where people advertise accommodation in exchange for work all around the world. That would give you and idea of how it could work.
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Post by kizi on Dec 29, 2012 10:59:11 GMT 1
I am insured don't worry!! James was a personal injury solicitor and I'm a safety freak so we're over insured! But because the house and yard are insured separately, i would need additional insurance for someone to stay in the house and work around the yard.. Last time I checked it was many hundreds... So if I was going to do it it would be a big gamble if it didnt work out!
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Post by cookie on Dec 29, 2012 12:13:46 GMT 1
The other thing I noticed in horse and hound was an ad that went something like: part time odd jobs and house keeping, suit retired couple, accommodation provided.
Of course that's probably a bit more permanent than other situations and I don't know if you have the space / budget but its an idea...
Churches sometimes have visiting members if you don't have access to the student population...
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Post by Hannah on Dec 29, 2012 15:37:44 GMT 1
I think I would approach from a slightly different angle. Get a lodger who pays rent, maybe with their own horse, then get a self-employed handyman/gardener/odd job man once a week or fortnight.
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