I used to live in Reading with a live-in landlady, her husband and their child. The place was well-maintained and she provided the cleaning, BUT everything else was absolute hell!!! I was not allowed many things, including overnight guests or cooking meals (apparently making a sandwich was ok but nothing more). Anything you can think of, she had a problem with. I was only allowed to use the 30-minute wash and dry function in the washing machine and she constantly monitored how long I took in the shower and to brush my teeth. In my first week there, she sat me down to tell me off for running the tap for too long and washing my clothes on a 2-hour programme (her incompetent husband couldn’t work the washing machine when I asked him, he was a moron). Oh and lets not forget my room did not have a lock, so she used to go in whenever she pleased. If it wasn’t tidy, she’d tell me off.

I left after 7 months. One thing I learned: NEVER rent with a live-in landlord