Room Rental Agreement

Room Rental Agreement: Create a Verified Agreement for Renting a Room

A verified room rental agreement sets out the terms on which someone rents a room in a home. It covers the room and shared areas, the rent and bills, any deposit, house rules and how either side can end the arrangement. Robot Lawyer drafts the agreement from your answers, for the law of the country or state you choose, and takes into account whether the landlord lives in the home. On the Verified plan, a legal professional checks it before you sign.

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What Is a Room Rental Agreement?

A room rental agreement records the arrangement between the person letting a room and the occupier. Whether the occupier is a lodger in the landlord's own home or a tenant of a room in a shared house makes a big difference to their legal rights, so the agreement is drafted for the right type of letting.

When Do You Need One?

• Taking in a lodger
  Letting a spare room in the home you live in.
• Renting out rooms in a shared house
  Letting individual rooms where you don't live.
• Renting a room yourself
  You want clear terms on rent, bills and notice.

What's Included in Your Agreement?

• The room and shared areas
  Which room is let, and which kitchen, bathroom and other areas can be used.
• Rent and bills
  The rent, when it is paid and which bills are included.
• Deposit
  The amount and how it is held and returned, where you take one.
• House rules
  Guests, smoking, pets, noise and cleaning.
• Insurance
  Who insures the building and contents.
• Ending the agreement
  The notice either side must give.

Lodgers and Tenants in Different Countries

In many places, the key question is whether the landlord lives in the home. Someone who rents a room and shares living space with a resident landlord is usually a lodger, with fewer protections. If the landlord doesn't live there, the occupier of a room is often a tenant with full statutory protection, and a Tenancy Agreement may be the right document. A few examples:

• UK
  In England, a lodger who lives with a resident landlord usually has a licence, so the landlord can end it with reasonable notice and no court order. A room let by a landlord who lives elsewhere is likely to be an assured periodic tenancy. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules.
• United States
  Rules vary by state and city. In some places a lodger can be asked to leave on notice, while in others the landlord must still go to court.
• Ireland
  Someone renting a room in the owner's home is usually a licensee rather than a tenant, so the main tenancy laws don't apply.
• Canada
  In several provinces, such as Ontario and British Columbia, the tenancy laws don't apply where the occupier shares a kitchen or bathroom with the owner.
• Australia
  Lodgers and boarders often fall outside the main tenancy laws, although some states have specific rules for them.

These notes are general, so check the current rules where the property is.

How It Works on Robot Lawyer

1. Answer the questions
   Tell us about the home, the room, the rent and whether the landlord lives there.
2. Generate your agreement
   We draft a complete room rental agreement for the right type of letting.
3. Get it verified
   On the Verified plan, a qualified legal professional checks the agreement within 24 hours and makes amendments where needed. See how our documents are verified.
4. Sign and move in
   Both parties sign before the occupier moves in.

Room Rental Agreement FAQs

Is a lodger the same as a tenant?

No. A lodger lives in the landlord's home and shares living space with them, and has fewer rights. A tenant has exclusive possession of their home, with much stronger protection.

Do I need to protect a lodger's deposit?

It depends on where the property is. Many places require tenants' deposits to be protected or lodged with an official scheme, but not always lodgers'. In England, for example, a lodger's deposit doesn't need to be protected. Either way, it is good practice to hold it safely.

How much notice must I give a lodger?

Reasonable notice, usually at least one rental period (for example one month where rent is paid monthly), unless the agreement says otherwise.

Create a Verified Room Rental Agreement

Let a room with clear, fair terms. Related documents: Lodgers Agreement, Tenancy Agreement, Roommate Agreement and Rent Receipt.