Taking in a lodger in England: agreements, notice and responsibilities

The usual case: you share the kitchen or bathroom

If your lodger shares a kitchen, bathroom or living room with you or your family, gov.uk calls them an excluded occupier. That's most lodgers. Their agreement can be a licence or a tenancy, and the label you put on it matters less than how you actually live together. An excluded occupier can be asked to leave without a court order once the notice runs out.

The exception: they don't share any living space with you

Sometimes the lodger lives in your home but shares no living space with you, for example a self-contained room with its own small kitchen and shower. Then they're what gov.uk calls an occupier with basic protection. You have to give written notice, often at least four weeks, and if they won't leave you need a court order. Check which situation you're in before you write the agreement.

The 2026 reforms usually don't apply

The Renters' Rights Act changed the rules for most private tenancies from 1 May 2026. It ended fixed terms and Section 21 "no-fault" evictions for those tenancies. But those rules only cover lettings where the landlord doesn't live in the property. So if you live there and share facilities with your lodger, the new rules won't usually apply to you. Some general duties still do, which the checklist below covers.

Ending the arrangement

For an excluded occupier, you give "reasonable notice", which is usually one rent period: a week if they pay weekly, a month if they pay monthly. It doesn't have to be in writing, though writing saves arguments. Once it ends you can change the locks on their room, but you must give their belongings back, and you must never use threats or force. A fixed term changes things. If you've agreed one, neither of you can usually end it early unless the agreement has a break clause. So think twice before you agree to six months if you might want the room back sooner.

The deposit

A tenant's deposit has to be protected in a government scheme. A lodger's doesn't, so you can hold it yourself. Agree in writing what it covers, do an inventory of their room and the shared rooms, and give a receipt. Our guide to taking a deposit when you let a room covers the limits and what you can deduct.

Before they move in: a checklist

• Permission: tell your mortgage lender. If you rent your home, get your landlord's permission.
• Insurance: tell your home insurer. A lodger can affect your cover.
• Safety: gas appliances need an annual gas safety check, because you count as a landlord (Health and Safety Executive). And the home has to be safe and in good repair.
• Checks: check the lodger's right to rent in England. That applies to lodgers too. Ask for references, and follow them up.
• Written terms: the rent and what it covers, which rooms are shared, the notice each of you gives, and the house rules that matter to you.
• Tax: you can earn up to £7,500 a year tax-free under the Rent a Room Scheme.

Our guides on the paperwork for taking in a lodger, choosing a lodger and the Rent a Room Scheme go into each one in more detail.

Choosing the person

You're choosing someone to share your kitchen with, so who they are matters more than how fast you fill the room. On Among Our People, members can earn an ID-verified badge by passing a document and selfie check, and you can ask applicants for references. Neither replaces meeting them, but both help you decide who's worth inviting round.