Becoming a Host Family
Here at HFS London we match host families with international students looking for accommodation in the city. Homestays in London for students choosing to study abroad are an affordable and convenient way for them to experience the city, but it also has many benefits for you (the host) too.
Choosing to host international students in your London home, is a wonderful decision that can benefit you and your family in many ways. Here we’ll talk about how it can benefit you, and what to expect from your international student and new tenant.
Help pay the mortgage and bills
Hosting an student studying higher education in the United Kingdom with HFS London is a low-risk way to take on a reliable paying guest, and make a little extra money for yourself. The location of your home and size of the accommodation will affect how much you can charge for the room each month, but we can help assess this for you. The extra income can help go towards bills or your mortgage payments, or even straight into savings for your next holiday.
Fill an Empty Nest
Many hosts have reached a point where their children have flown the nest. What once was a busy home is no longer the same. Maybe the kids are at university, or perhaps they have their own homes now. For parents in this position, hosting international students can go some way to countering this.
Many host families have more than one spare room. As a result, they have the option to host more than one student at the same time. The British Council are happy with up to four students in a homestay. Whereas this is by no means a requirement, hosts with an empty nest can take in more than one student.
Helping a new-comer settle into London life is in itself a rewarding experience that can give empty nesters a renewed sense of purpose.
Expand global connections and make friends
Many of our hosts become friends with their student guests, and they share knowledge and experience about their cultures, lives and countries with each other. It’s a wonderful thing making connections with people from other countries and around the globe, and hosting international students is a great way to do just that. Many of our hosts have even taken trips to visit their international students, and stayed in touch for years after too.
Learn a new language
Your student may like to teach you their native language, and living with someone who speaks a different mother-tongue is a great way to start learning. It’s actually a lovely way to help them feel more at home, and it shows you’re making an effort to understand their home culture. For our host families with children, even their children have picked up new language skills from the students staying with them!
As you can see, hosting an international student with HFS London is a great way to share you home, and add additional income to you monthly incomings. If you have any additional questions, we’d love to hear from you.
