I've never been the landlady either but I've lived in both house shares and basement apartments.
In the house share, it seemed cool at first. My housemates were an engaged couple and they had two cats. As time progressed it got uncomfortable. They were so freaking stuffy and serious (and only loosened up when they drank) and I felt like I was imposing on them by being there. The younger cat used to follow me everywhere I'd go (I'd pick her up and put her somewhere, but she'd just jump back to where she'd been), and the older cat went from being quiet and hiding to hissing at me. After six months I'd had it, so I broke the lease and found a basement apartment.
I liked this new arrangement and my only qualms were that you could hear them singing and walking around. But there were no cats, a kitchen to myself, and I could do laundry when I felt like it (and leave the clothes in the dryer). Unfortunately they're moving out of the country so I have to go somewhere else.
My upcoming arrangement is also a basement apartment, but the rules in their lease are much more strict and the landlady is a little on the worrywart side (she was the prior tenant in the apartment and is worried about giving up on her baby and wants me to take good care of it
). I really wish I could stay where I am now, but you gotta do what you gotta do. I'll just have to see how this new arrangement works out.
(Waiting for the day when I can own my own property, and hopefully have enough money to maintain it so I don't have to get into legal issues with renting parts out.)