What is a lodger?

Lodger

Someone who rents a room in a property where the landlord also lives, sharing living space such as the kitchen or bathroom. A lodger is an excluded occupier, not an assured tenant, so the landlord can end the arrangement with "reasonable notice" and does not need a court order. The Rent a Room scheme lets the resident landlord earn up to £7,500 a year tax-free.

Reviewed by Erdem VolkanLast reviewed 16 September 2026How we check facts

Why it matters

What Lodger means for a landlord

The lodger relationship sits entirely outside the Renters’ Rights Act 2025: because the landlord is resident and shares facilities, the tenant-protection and possession rules that govern assured tenancies do not apply. That makes taking in a lodger far simpler than letting a whole property, and the Rent a Room allowance makes it tax-efficient. The line matters, if the "landlord" does not actually live there, the occupier may in fact be a tenant with full statutory protection.

Worked example

How it plays out

Jane lets a room in her Bristol flat to a lodger who shares her kitchen. She gives the lodger a written agreement, checks their right to rent before they move in, tells her mortgage lender and insurer, and when she wants the room back gives a month’s notice in writing, matching the monthly rent period.

An illustrative example. Names, places and figures are made up.

Common mistakes

Where landlords go wrong

01Skipping the Right to Rent check for a lodger.
02Assuming someone in a self-contained annex is still a lodger.
03Not telling your mortgage lender and insurer.

What to do

A short checklist

Put the lodger arrangement in writing.
Check right to rent before they move in.
Keep Rent a Room income records.

Sources

Checked against these sources on 16 September 2026. A guide to the rules in England, not legal advice: for a dispute or a possession claim, speak to a solicitor.