Lodgers Agreement

Lodger Agreement: Rent a Room in the Home You Live In

A lodger agreement is a written agreement between a householder and a lodger who rents a room in the householder's own home and shares the kitchen, bathroom or other living space. It sets out the room, the rent and what it includes, any deposit, the shared areas, house rules, how long the arrangement lasts and how either side can end it. Robot Lawyer drafts the agreement from your answers, for the law of the country or state you choose, and on the Verified plan a qualified legal professional checks it within 24 hours before you sign.

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What Is a Lodger Agreement?

A lodger agreement (also called a lodger licence or a room rental agreement for a lodger) is used when someone lives in your home with you and rents a room. Because you share your home, a lodger usually has fewer rights than a tenant: they have permission to live there, not a tenancy of their own.

A written agreement makes the rent, bills, house rules and notice clear from the start, and helps avoid disagreements about what is shared and what is expected.

When Should You Use One?

• Renting a spare room
  When you take in a lodger in the home you live in.
• Rooms with services
  When you provide meals, cleaning or bills as part of the rent.
• Short or rolling stays
  For a fixed term or an arrangement that continues until either side ends it.
• Shared living space
  When the lodger shares the kitchen, bathroom or living areas with you.

What's Included in Your Agreement?

• The room and shared areas
  Which room the lodger has and which parts of the home they can use.
• Rent and bills
  The rent, when it is paid, and which bills and services it includes.
• Deposit
  Any deposit and when it is returned.
• House rules
  Guests, smoking, pets, noise and keeping the home clean.
• Term and notice
  How long the agreement lasts and the notice each side must give.
• Access and leaving
  When the householder can enter the room and what happens when the lodger leaves.

How to Rent a Room to a Lodger

Before your lodger moves in, a few practical steps help the arrangement start on a clear footing:

• Check you can take a lodger
  If you rent your home or have a mortgage, check whether your tenancy agreement or lender needs you to ask permission first. Tell your home insurer too, as a lodger can affect your cover.
• Agree the rent and what it includes
  Decide whether the rent includes bills such as energy, water, internet and local property taxes, and whether you provide meals or cleaning.
• Check the lodger
  Meet them, take references from a previous landlord or employer, and carry out any identity or immigration checks the law requires where you live.
• Record the condition of the room
  Make a short inventory with photos of the room and its furniture, signed by both of you. It makes questions about the deposit much easier to settle.
• Give receipts
  Give a receipt for the deposit and keep a record of every rent payment.
• Keep the home safe
  Make sure gas and electrical appliances are safe and that there are working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, as the law where you live requires.

Lodger or Tenant: Why It Matters

Whether someone is a lodger depends on the facts, not just on what the agreement is called. A person is usually a lodger if they live in your home while you live there too and share a kitchen, bathroom or living room with you. If they have a self-contained part of the property, or you move out, they may have a tenancy instead, with more rights and a different process to end it.

That difference affects how much notice must be given, whether a court order is needed to end the arrangement and whether a deposit must be protected. Your agreement is written for a lodger who shares your home. If the arrangement changes, for example because you move out, put a new agreement in place, such as a Room Rental Agreement.

How It Works on Robot Lawyer

1. Answer the questions
   Tell us about the room, rent, deposit, bills, house rules and notice.
2. Generate your agreement
   We draft a clear lodger agreement from your answers.
3. Get it verified
   On the Verified plan, a qualified legal professional checks your agreement within 24 hours and makes amendments where needed. The Essentials plan does not include this check. See how our documents are verified.
4. Sign and move in
   Download it, sign it with your lodger and each keep a copy.

What Your Document Looks Like

Your agreement is a numbered agreement: the parties and the home, the room and shared areas, rent, bills and deposit, house rules, the term and how it ends, with signature sections and a schedule of the key details. Here is an extract from a sample agreement we generated:

5. Deposit

5.1 The deposit is £650, payable before keys are handed over. It is separate from rent and may not be used as the final month's rent.

5.2 Once received, the Landlord will hold the deposit as security only for unpaid rent, missing items or damage to the Property or its contents beyond fair wear and tear. Any deduction must be lawful, itemised and supported by reasonable evidence.

5.3 The Landlord will return the undisputed balance within 14 days after departure, return of all keys and the checkout inspection, or within any shorter period required by law. The Landlord will provide a written, itemised statement of any proposed deductions and the reasonable evidence supporting them.

How It Works in Different Countries

• UK
  In England and Wales, a lodger who shares living space with you in your only or main home is usually an excluded occupier. You need to give reasonable notice to end the arrangement but do not need a court order to do so. A lodger's deposit does not have to be protected in a deposit scheme. In England, the Tenant Fees Act 2019 caps the deposit at five weeks' rent and bans most other fees, including requiring the lodger to take out insurance. Under the Rent a Room scheme, up to £7,500 a year of rent from a lodger in your home is tax-free.
• United States
  Rules on renting a room in your home are set by each state and city, and some treat lodgers like tenants, especially after a set period, so check local rules on notice and eviction.

These notes are general. Check the current rules where the home is.

Lodger Agreement FAQs

What is the difference between a lodger and a tenant?

A lodger lives in your home with you and shares living space. A tenant has the property, or part of it, to themselves. Lodgers usually have fewer rights.

How much notice do I need to give a lodger?

The notice set in your agreement. If none is set, reasonable notice, which is usually the length of a rental period.

Can I take a deposit from a lodger?

Yes. Your agreement records the amount and when and how it will be returned, less any deductions it allows.

Can I enter the lodger's room?

Your agreement sets out when you may enter, for example to clean or carry out repairs, usually after giving reasonable notice.

Do I need to tell my mortgage lender or landlord?

Usually, yes. Many mortgages and tenancy agreements require permission before you take in a lodger, so check yours before they move in.

Is rent from a lodger taxable?

It usually counts as income. Some countries give tax relief for renting out a room in your own home, so check the rules where you live.

Can I use this agreement outside the UK?

Yes. Your agreement is drafted under the law of the country or state you choose. Our lawyers are qualified in England and Wales and, on the Verified plan, check documents for good practice, clear formatting and the law of England and Wales. They are not qualified in other countries' law, so if your agreement is governed by another country's law, we recommend having a local lawyer check it too.

Create a Lodger Agreement

Set clear terms for sharing your home. You can start with a 7-day free trial. See our pricing for the plans. Related documents: Room Rental Agreement and Roommate Agreement.