3. Personal Info
•
You may want to find out
about…
•
So you would politely ask…
Their age
Do you mind me asking…?
Their job/ studies
What do you do for a living?
Is it temporary or permanent?
How long for?
Their current house & who with
Family & friends in the city
Their income ???
Can I ask whereabouts you’re staying now?
Who do you live with?
Why dou you want to move out?
I’d also like to know if/ whether you have
family and friends nearby.
May I ask how much you earn?
4. Habits and quirks
If you are going to share your personal space,
you’d better be open and straightforward from
the outset. So you may want to find out about…
• Getting up time, what they are like in the morning
(grumpy, unsociable, energetic, chatty…)
• Meals at home & cooking habits
• Time they spend on the Internet, watching TV,
listening to music (what kind they’re into), reading…
• Weekend planning (outdoor activities, leisure, having
friends round, whether they’re early birds or night
owls…)
• Drinking & smoking
5. Previous experiences and expenses
You may want to know about other times when they’ve
shared a flat and how they sorted out certain things…
•
•
•
•
•
When people don’t pull their weight around
the house.
When the kitchen hasn’t been cleaned and
the dishes done after use.
If they bring too many friends in or give a lot of
parties.
If they hold a grudge for some time or are
brutally honest.
If they use things without asking.
As for expenses… (bills, rent, common shopping)
- how and when are they going to be dealt with.
- is there going to be someone in charge?
- who will do the common shopping?
(cleaning products, toilet & kitchen paper, salt,
oil, spices, etc)
6. Planning your interview
You live with a friend, and you are
looking for a third lodger to stay in
your spare room. You need to
agree on:
• What kind of person you are looking
for
• How much you are going to ask for
the room
• How you are going to arrange the
housework, stating common chores,
such as:
- taking out the garbage
- sweeping and mopping the floor
- dusting the furniture
With your current flatmate, write ten questions to ask
your lodger-to-be. At least half of them should be
expressed as indirect questions.
7. Interview your candidate
• You will interview
somebody near you.
• Then, you will be
interviewed by that
same person, as if
you were their
candidate.
8. Making a decision
•
Finally, once you have carried out
your interviews, you’ll get back to
your current flatmate and report
your conclusions. Make sure you
use all the nice and brand new
vocabulary we’ve seen as regards:
•
His or her personality (your
impression)
A physical description, as detailed
as possible)
Why you reckon he/ she would
make a good/ bad flatmate.
•
•
