Rent out a room in the home you live in. Answer a few plain-English questions and Scorpia drafts the complete document for your situation, checks it with a second review pass, and shows you a free preview before you pay anything.
Draft my lodger agreement — free preview →LODGER AGREEMENT
Licence to occupy a room in the owner's home (resident landlord — excluded occupier)
THIS AGREEMENT is made on __________
BETWEEN:
(1) __________ of __________ (the "Owner"); and
(2) __________, currently of __________ (the "Lodger").
IMPORTANT: The Owner lives in the Property as their only or principal home and shares living accommodation with the Lodger. This Agreement therefore creates a licence, not a tenancy; the Lodger is an excluded occupier under section 3A of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 and does not have an assured or assured periodic tenancy under the Housing Act 1988. The Owner does not need a court order to recover the Room once the licence has ended by proper notice, but must not use or threaten violence to regain possession (section 6 Criminal Law Act 1977).
AGREED TERMS
1. THE ROOM AND SHARED AREAS
(1.1) The Owner permits the Lodger to occupy the room known as __________ (the "Room") at the Property as the Lodger's home, together with the shared use, in common with the Owner and the Owner's household, of the __________ (the "Shared Areas") and the furniture and equipment listed in the Schedule.
(1.2) The Owner retains possession and control of the Property, including the Room, and may enter the Room at reasonable times to clean, inspect or carry out repairs on reasonable notice except in an emergency. The Owner may, on __________ notice, require the Lodger to move to another comparable room in the Property.
(1.3) The Lodger may not have anyone else live in the Room, may have overnight guests only __________, and may not sublet or part with possession of the Room.
2. TERM
(2.1) The licence starts on __________ and continues for an initial period of __________ and then on a weekly basis until ended under clause 8.
A lodger agreement is the contract you use when you rent out a room in the home you actually live in. Because you share the house with your lodger, the law treats them very differently from a tenant: they are a licensee, not a tenant, and you keep far more control. That protection only works if the paperwork says the right things.
You need a lodger agreement if you own or rent your home, live there as your main residence, and let a room to someone who shares your kitchen, bathroom or living room. Typical cases: a spare room let to a professional, a student in term time, or a friend of a friend who needs somewhere for six months.
You do not want a lodger agreement if you will not be living in the property, or if the person has a self-contained flat with their own kitchen and bathroom and a lockable front door. In those cases the law will treat the arrangement as a tenancy whatever the document says, and since 1 May 2026 that means an assured periodic tenancy under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, with full eviction protection. Using a lodger agreement in that situation leaves you with a document that does not match the reality and gives you none of the rights you expected.
A resident landlord's lodger is an excluded occupier under section 3A of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. That means you do not need a court order to recover the room once the licence has ended by proper notice, although you must never use or threaten force to regain possession (section 6 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 makes that a criminal offence). You also need to give reasonable notice: for a weekly or monthly arrangement that is at least one rent period, and the agreement should say so.
The tenancy-deposit protection schemes do not apply to a lodger's deposit, and the Tenant Fees Act 2019 does not apply to excluded licences. A fair agreement still says how the deposit is held, what it can be used for, and when it comes back. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 changes to private tenancies do not change the position of a genuine lodger.
You must carry out right-to-rent checks on any lodger aged 18 or over before they move in (Immigration Act 2014). You remain responsible for gas safety (an annual check by a Gas Safe engineer), electrical safety, working smoke alarms on every storey and a carbon monoxide alarm in any room with a solid-fuel or gas appliance.
Tax: the Rent a Room scheme lets you receive up to £7,500 a year from a lodger tax-free. Above that, you pay tax on the excess or on your actual profit. Tell your mortgage lender and your home insurer; most permit a lodger, but many require notice.
The room and the shared areas, so there is no argument about which parts of the house the lodger may use. The rent, when it is due, and what it includes: bills, broadband, council tax (which stays your responsibility, though a lodger can affect a single-person discount). The deposit and how it is returned.
House rules that matter to you, set out in a schedule: overnight guests, smoking and vaping, pets, quiet hours, use of the kitchen. Notice to end the arrangement on both sides, and shorter notice if rent goes unpaid or there is serious misbehaviour. Your obligations: repairs, safety checks, and reasonable privacy for the lodger in their room.
No. Deposit protection applies to assured tenancies, not to excluded licences. You should still agree in writing how the deposit is held and returned, and itemise any deductions.
Reasonable notice, which for a weekly or monthly arrangement is normally one rent period, unless the agreement says more. Once the notice has expired you can change the locks without a court order, but you must not use or threaten force.
Yes, but if you reach three or more people from more than one household sharing facilities, the property may become a house in multiple occupation with licensing and safety rules. Check with your council.
A good agreement allows shorter notice for arrears. Give the written notice it requires, keep a record, and once it has expired you may recover the room peaceably.
The resident-landlord rules differ. Scorpia drafts the England and Wales version by default; choose the jurisdiction in the questions and the draft is adapted, or ask the assistant before you start.
No. Scorpia is software that drafts and checks documents. It is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. For a dispute, a company sale or anything unusual, use a solicitor.