Comments on: The five main differences between a lodger and a tenant

By: Tessa

Tessa — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:57:53 +0000

@Leanne Its not really any of his business who you have visit you at your property, and if he pesters you about this it could be construed as harassment. You can certainly have guests stay – although not take in a lodger without his permission (as he is right, this could affect whether the property is an HMO or not).

However best to try to conciliate him or he may decide to end your tenancy at the end of the term! Maybe just tell him that they are your guests and are not staying permanently. Thats all he needs to know.

By: Leanne

Leanne — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:27:11 +0000

Hi
I can’t believe I am even writing this. My landlord called today asking me how many people live at my apartment which I am privately letting from him along with my best friend. Our neighbours reported that a lot of people were coming and going from the aparment. Both of us have girlfirends who come by once or twice a week and may or may not stay over some of those nights. Can the landlord classify people coming to visit and stay for a night at a time, as a lodger or tenant?! He is stating that we could possibly be putting him at risk of losing his licence as this could turn the property into a HMO, what do you think on this?

By: Tessa

Tessa — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:31:53 +0000

@ref toni I can’t find where that phrase is but it would mean at all relevant times.

By: ref toni

ref toni — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 09:47:58 +0000

what is “at all material time a lodger” mean

By: Tessa

Tessa — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:14:14 +0000

@Kris As you can see from this site, it is important from the landlords point of view that they have the right to enter a lodgers room (while respecting privacy) in the same way as happens in a hotel.

If this is the basis on which you have rented your room then your landlord can object to you fitting a lock on the door. If you don’t like the situation then the answer is, I am afraid, to look for somewhere else to live.

Maybe a compromise could be a bolt on the inside, then you can be private while you are there, but the landlord can enter to do cleaning etc while you are out.

By: Tessa

Tessa — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 07:09:30 +0000

@Matt It sounds like a tenancy to me.

By: kris

kris — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:49:44 +0000

Hi, I moved into a home with 2 other roomates. One lady is responsible for the house and renting the rooms. The owner is out of the country. The lady cleans the house and the room is furnished. Toilet paper and cleaning supplies are included in my rent. Ive only been there for 3 days and she has come in my room twice. I want to get a lock for my door????? Can I do that?? Im 33 years old and I dont want someone in my room.
thank you for your help.

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:05:56 +0000

If I have a self-contained granny flat, with a connecting door to our house, but no access is provided to the person. I provide Broadband for this person – is this a seen as a service? And is this a tenancy?

By: Tessa

Tessa — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 15:38:15 +0000

@Lorraine If the three youths do not live in the same house as you they cannot be lodgers, whatever is written on their occupation agreement. It is likely that they will be tenants.

This site does not cover problems which are not lodger problems. If you want some legal advice from a specialist property litigation solicitor, take a look at this link here: http://tenancylawyer.co.uk/fixed_fee_advice.html

By: Lorraine

Lorraine — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 15:08:43 +0000

I was working with a charity who was paying me to be a mentor to would be homeless youths who lived with me at the time and the charity drew up a license agreement. The charity also had a new project where they introduced candidates from a homeless shelter to be placed in a 2nd house I own again with a varied license agreement and which I was responsible for all the utility bills. The charity and I have parted company and 1 man from my other house still remains but has refused to go after he gave a signed notice, so does this mean: 1. he is now an illegal squatter? Three youths who were living with me were moved in to the same house and are under his influence. Their license agreements had my home address on them instead of my 2nd house. The relationship has deteriorated to the extent I want them out of the house. They say they are tenants, I say they are lodgers because I pay all the bills and they rent a bedroom each and share the rest. I actually want to move in it myself, which I would have to consider doing while they are still there. What is my best course of action and are they lodgers or tenants?