Live-In Guardians: Is it for you?

You have chosen to live adventurously in someone else's property. We expect you to be a 'good caretaker' and to look after the property responsibly as if it were your own. If you are planning to throw huge parties, this arrangement is not for you. As a Camelot guardian you are an important ambassador for our services to the owner and to the residents of neighbouring properties.

FLEXIBILITY
Above all you need to be flexible. Anti-squatting is very different from renting. You have a Temporary Occupation Agreement rather than a lease, which means you do not have any tenants' rights. This agreement clearly sets out the agreements between us. We are ISO certified which means that our processes are independently assessed. Our notice period is two weeks so you need to be aware that you will only hear very shortly in advance that you will have to hand back a property in its original condition.

PRIVACY
Another major difference from renting is privacy. Camelot and the owner are able to visit the property of which you are guardian at any time to inspect installations, read meters and to work on the future use of the building (an estate agent who will be selling the property, for example). You are often given notice in advance, however, sometimes somebody will enter the building where you are living when you are not expecting it. Consider whether this is something you can live with before you apply to become a guardian.

TRANSFER
We will try to transfer good guardians at the end of a placement depending on availability at the time. Some of our guardians are living in their tenth property for Camelot, averaging around one year per property. But sometimes you will be unlucky and have to look for somewhere else after just a few months.

WHAT WE EXPECT OF YOU
We expect our guardians - our ambassadors - to keep their temporary living space clean and tidy. It is important that the property and its surrounding area look presentable. We monitor this strictly through our monthly property inspections.
We expect you to perform minor maintenance such as changing a light bulb or unblocking a sink. You must report any disasters (such as leaks, burglaries etc.) to Camelot immediately. We therefore expect you to be resident in the property on a regular basis. For that reason, someone who frequently travels abroad for work or goes to their parents every weekend is not suitable to become a guardian.

Thousands of enthusiastic guardians across Europe have trodden this path before you. You can read about their experiences in newspaper articles, television reports and testimonials on this web site.