Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Renters in Cohousing

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

> On Jul 30, 2021, at 8:55 AM, Fiona Frank <fionafrank [at] gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> We’re not allowed to have renters who aren’t members ! They have to do all
> the hoops. We do however occasionally have lodgers and they can’t be
> members so can’t use the common house or food store etc on their own - but
> can if they are hosted

Since you are in the UK, this may be the difference between renters and leasers 
in the US. “Renters" tend to mean renting a room from the owner who is still in 
residence.

Leasers are people who rent when the owner is not there. They have full 
possession of the unit. 

We commonly refer to them as renters, too, but in fact they have different 
legal rights and responsibilities.

Our leasers are automatically members and expected to be engaged community 
members.

Renters have a choice. Some retain roommate status for years and are very 
involved. Others are here temporarily, some a few nights a week, and we may 
never see them unless they go to work at the same time or something.

Sharon
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Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org