SINGLE parents or couples dreading the prospect of an empty home when their teenagers head off to university this autumn can take advantage of a unique initiative on offer across London.
hapipod.com was set up as a DIY matching platform to directly connect householders with spare rooms with lodgers looking for somewhere affordable to live in the short or longer term.
The mutually beneficial arrangement sees lodgers pay a fee for their room while also providing their hosts some kind of help, covering everything from gardening to babysitting to DIY or even just good company.
By making practical homeshare easily accessible, and utilising some of the almost 1.5 million underoccupied homes in Greater London, hapipod aims to play a significant role in improving the home lives and wellbeing of many householders as well as thousands of London lodgers struggling with sky-high rents.
It is now reaching out to anyone whose child may be going to college or university this year, leaving them with empty nest syndrome or even people looking to relocate for work.
“For people who have invested so much focus and effort on their children, finding themselves in a quiet, empty home can be extremely difficult to adapt to, leaving some feeling a little lost or lonely,” said Andrea Frankenthal, Founder of hapipod.
“hapipod is a great solution to find good company in someone younger or a contemporary who can help out around the home, whilst also providing an income for their spare room.”
The website is a new take on a dating app where members sign up to search for lodgers or rooms, matching by location, requirements, skills and interests.
In enabling members to match and connect directly, hapipod differs from traditional homeshare agencies by offering a cheaper and more flexible service.
While currently most members are based in London, the service is also available nationwide.
The membership scheme is currently running a special deal where anyone who signs up before 31 October will get six months of free access to the site.
The hapipod.com site incorporates a verification gateway by digital ID checker Yoti to give members a level of confidence that people are who they say they are.
It also offers safeguarding guidance on steps members must take before moving forward with an arrangement.
“By enabling the right people to find each other hapipod has the potential to help enhance the home lives of empty nesters, retirees, young families and lodgers of all ages struggling with the cost of living or loneliness across the capital,” said Andrea.
For further information visit www.hapipod.com