Read this first - background & law

Law? 

You may be thinking ‘All I want to do is make a bit of cash by renting a room to someone, I don’t want to worry about a lot of legal stuff’.

The trouble is the law is everywhere!  If you don’t take a few essential precautions you may find yourself in trouble.  This is why reading a guide such as this is important.

So in this introductory section, we take a look at what a lodger is and why renting rooms in your home is different from renting a house or flat to tenants. 

We also discuss the differences between the law in England and Wales (with effect from 1 December 2022).

Note that this guide deals ONLY with lodger agreements where you are renting out room in your own home.  For information about tenancies (for example with resident landlords) and Welsh occupation contracts, you need to see the Landlord Law website.