Home is where the heart is

Please read to the end of this ad, folks who haven't read the full description won't get a reply.

I'm looking for a lodger to share my flat in the West End of Paisley, near the University of West Scotland. There's free on street parking and plenty of amenities in the area.

The flat is bohemian, quirky, full of plants and bits of old furniture I found on the street. I believe a home has a soul, and I'm looking for someone who also resonates with the space. The flat is cosy (code word for small) but big enough for 2 people.

I'm a nature lover, and have a background in the arts - studied at Glasgow School of Art many moons ago. I'm looking for a housemate who shares a similar sense of humour, appreciates the glory and absurdity of life, and is up for mucking in with stuff like cleaning the yard and making sure the bins get put out on time etc. I'm neurodivergent, self-employed, and like to put my energy into creating an environment in that is comfortable, safe and functions well. Food, laughter, music, cinema and art are all valuable commodities to me - bonus points if you have a working projector.

Good communication is essential, if you don't have any prior experience of living in shared houses and having flatmates, then this probably isn't the right home for you. Same goes if you are a working professional who sits in front of a computer all day. I have tried living with people who spend all their time in their room, it's not a dynamic I enjoy. I'm looking to share the space with someone fairly sociable (think cups of tea, shared meals and tarot cards) rather than someone who is always on their own in their room - within reason of course! I respect that everyone needs downtime to recharge their batteries. If you are queer, politically motivated, have an art/music practice and feel like wider society is broken then consider this place a port in a storm.

I am very much open to negotiation on rent, particularly if you are interested in entering into an accommodation/work exchange. I have several renovation projects on the go and there's always work to do, so if you have skills in carpentry/building/fabricating/renovating/electrical work then I'd be happy to discuss a discount/free rent in return for a clearly defined labour exchange, negotiated in advance and agreed in writing. This is really only available to people who already work in the trades and/or have a track record (eg instagram page) of work to evidence your particular skill set.

If you have read through this ad thoroughly and you feel like you might be a good fit, please reply by first telling me a bit about yourself - then let me know why this flatshare would be the ideal place for you. We'll then organise a first viewing, a cooling off period for at least a few days, then a second viewing before making a decision. Please don't offer to pay a deposit straight away or ask to move in without seeing the place and meeting me first.