adding tenants to a single family home

[Mary Lou Zolko]

I have a small home, about 900 sq. ft. that I rent to a man and woman and their two boys, ages 10 and 14.  The tenant recently asked if I would allow her to let her cousin move in with her two children, a 16 yr. old boy and an 8 yr. old girl for 6-8 months until she can get on her feet and get her own place. She wants to be close enough to help her since the son is rehabbing from a gunshot wound. My initial reaction is to not allow it due to the extra wear and tear on the appliances and home in general, not to mention the stress the overcrowding would cause her family.  I called my homeowners insurance and the municipality to see if either entity would have an objection, but both said that as long as I don't separate the home into two units, they don't regulate occupancy per sq. ft.

A friend suggested that if I allow it, that I should increase the rent substantially to account for the potential repairs and replacements that might need to be made.  I currently get $1200/month rent, tenant pays all utilities.

[Kevin S.]

@Mary Lou Zolko How many bedrooms is the house? Typically I would not allow 7 occupants in a 900 sq ft home, you're just asking for trouble. I generally follow the HUD guidelines of 2 per bedroom plus 1 over all, so a 2 bedroom max would be 5 people, for example (2 x 2 + 1).