Lodger Agreement

Free Lodger Agreement Template

A Lodger Arrangement is required when a landlord chooses to rent a room in a furnished property where the landlord also resides. In this situation, the landlord usually shares communal areas (such as the bathroom, toilet, kitchen or living room) with the tenant or tenants. 

This Lodgers Agreement should only be used in cases where the property is your primary residence and you want to rent a room within your flat or home.

Is a lodger agreement legally binding?

A lodger agreement is legally binding and is crucial to protect your interests should any disagreements arise between you and your lodger. Without an agreement, any legal proceedings would likely be unfavourable for the landlord. 

How do you end a lodger agreement?

It is best practice to end a lodger agreement in writing and with at least 28 days notice. Doing so in writing is important as it provides you with a permanent record of events. Whilst this is appropriate in most cases it is important to check the terms of termination as outlined in your lodger agreement. It may vary to this depending on when it was written and in what state or country it applies.

What’s included in a lodger agreement?

Each lodger agreement will vary however at very least there are some basic topics that should be covered. This includes how much rent is charged at (weekly/monthly) and when the rental payments are due. The agreement should also include:

• Deposit amount and terms (if applicable)
• Insurance or liability of personal affects
• Rules on keeping pets in the property
• Communal areas e.g. kitchen, bathroom and lounge
• A statement on the expected upkeep/condition of the property
• How the agreement can be ended and the notice period required

How do you write a lodger agreement?

Writing a lodger agreement from scratch requires a good level of understanding in writing legal contracts. Such a task is often only attempted by legal professionals. However, by using our free simply boilerplate lodger agreement template, anyone can write a basic agreement. Get started using our online agreement generator or download the basic template and edit it yourself in your favourite document editor.