This is a guide only for you to follow and add your own rules which suits your home. It is recommended for all homestay families to have house rules in place and to leave a copy in the student’s bedroom. Please ensure you explain your house rules to your student to eliminate any misunderstandings that may develop later on.

Welcome to our home

We are happy to invite you into our home and we hope you will enjoy your time here with us. So that everyone can live happily in this home together we all try to abide by the house rules. My name is__________________but if you want to,  you can call me Mum. The names of the other family members are__________________ .
Contact phone numbers: __________________
Mobile: __________________
Your new address is: __________________
The Bus number to your College is: __________________ .

Examples of House Rules

Bathroom

You may be sharing the bathroom and toilet with other family members. Please help keep the bathroom clean so that its clean for the next person. If you shower at night your shower must finish before 9:30 pm. It is important that you keep your shower to 4 minutes or less. Please respect this necessity for water conservation. Please Do not waste water Australia is a land of drought and bushfires. When our water levels are very low we must conserve our water by not wasting it. This may take time to get used to, but it is important that this rule is understood.

Washing your clothes

I will do the washing of clothes, towels and bed linen for everyone on Saturday. Your clean laundry will be placed back in your bedroom. If you need to iron anything I will show you where the iron and ironing board are stored. If you want to wash any clothes by hand, feel free to use the laundry tub.

Meal times

The evening meal is a time that we all try to sit together and chat about the days events and it is one of the many family traditions that help to bond the family. If you are not going to be home for a meal telephone me or text my mobile before 5 pm. We usually eat between 6 and 7 pm. If you are going to be late for a meal let me know so that I can leave something for you. You can send a text message to my mobile. Breakfast is generally a ‘help yourself meal’. I will show you where the milk, cereal, eggs, bread, jam tea and coffee is stored.

Your bedroom

Your bedroom is your private sanctuary, and all family members are expected to respect the privacy of each other’s bedroom. Please respect one another in regards to the bedrooms and each other’s privacy. The exception to this rule is the mothers right to enter any room for safety or hygiene reasons. If you need to talk to another person and they are in their room knock on the door and wait for the person to answer. You must make your bed each morning when you wake up each day. Please keep your bedroom clean and tidy, this means find a place to put everything do not leave lots of things on your desk, the floor or your bed. No food or drink (water is okay) to be taken into the bedroom. If you have food in our bedrooms, then ants will come in. Please place your rubbish in the bins provided in our home. When you leave your bedroom switch your light and your ceiling fan off. Turn the bathroom and toilet light off when you have finished in these rooms.

The telephone

If you wish to use the home telephone (local calls only) please ask me first and no phone calls to be made or received after 9 pm this includes mobile phones. Only local calls can be made from the home phone (no mobiles calls or international).

THE COMPUTER

There is a computer in this home. Please ask us first, if you need to use it.

General rules

This is a non-smoking home, smoking is not allowed inside the house.

A light will be left on at night in the centre of the house.

We have many videos and a few dvd’s; you are welcome to watch them.

If you are given a key to the street door it is then your responsibility. If you lose the key you will be responsible for the cost of having the lock replaced.

Please do not use electrical appliances (toaster/iron etc) or cooking facilities without first checking with me, how they are to be used correctly.

I understand that some of the rules may seem strange to you and that you will need time to adjust to them. Please come and speak to me of any worries or problems that I can help you with.