Take in a lodger... official MoneySavingExpert.com discussion

Scuba_Steve

We rent a Room 325PCM and it is all ours Fab tax break and makes our living costs almost free

jordylass

bundly wrote: »

I am really curious about this business about having locks on rooms and how this changes the status of a lodger.

Can anyone point to any official document that has anything to say about this, or is it just another myth?

I know this was a while ago, but my understanding is that if they have exclusive use of a room, (because it has locks), and you do not go in there to vacuum etc, then they are a sub tenant and not a lodger, they then have more rights, such as needing a court order to remove as oppose to asking them to leave if they are a lodger/boarder.

kellange

please can someone advise me, i have a lodger who has his son stay weekends, currently he has 2 rooms downstairs plus 1 bedroom, i have attic bedroom and a double bedroom i use as my living room on first floor, i feel like i am the lodger and want to re asses the living arrangements as the son is very disrespectful of my property, am i within my rights to re locate the lodger to the attic and share bathroom and kitchen? and charge same rent? or even tell the lodger he must make other arrangements for his sons sleep overs? my lodger is quite selfish leaves lights on and does not look after my propert neither does his son, as much as when i pulled him up about his 9yr old son jumping on my settee he said thats just kids! my friends 2yr old son does not do that, ideally i dont want to lose the income but would like my house back, and him just renting one room or charge extra for a 2nd bedroom? please your advice will be appreciated

jordylass

am i within my rights to re locate the lodger to the attic and share bathroom and kitchen?

Yes - tell him that from a date (I would give some notice, if he pays weekly 1 week, monthly 1 month notice etc) that you are changing the room allocation. He might be unhappy with it, but he has no rights, more than take it or leave it!

or even tell the lodger he must make other arrangements for his sons sleep overs?

If you are not happy with the sleep overs tell him he is no longer welcome to have his son, (or anyone else) stay in your house.

He has very little rights as an excluded occupier in your home, you may want to draw up a lodger agreement which states what you expect.

kellange

thankyou so much, i appreciate your help :j

cla666

ANSWERED AS BELOW POST

To make a long story short, I rented my second bedroom out of my rented house (with permission from the landlord) at the beginning of September.

She asked if her bf could stay 2 night a week - so far it has been a minimum of 5 and he has made himself right at home. Someone she has advised myself and my sister "is dodgy and has dodgy mates" - great!!! She also started texting me saying he would be staying at the house all day while she was at work. Since the second time she did this - last Thursday, I sent her a very polite text asking that she kept his visits down a bit as it felt like I was living with a couple and he shouldnt really be hanging about the house when we are out, she has behanved like a spoilt brat, coming in at 11 and making as much noise as humanly possible until the early hours.

She also makes no effort whatsoever to keep the house clean as agreed. I even got up one morning to find she had thrown a bowl, with contents and wrapped in tin foil in the bin rather than wash it!

Now in the agreement it states that it would be leased to her for an initial 3 months, then on a rolling month basis after that. Is it possible to give her one months notice to ask her to leave at the end of Ocotber?? Or do I need to grin and bear it for another month?

DVardysShadow

cla666 wrote: »

Hey guys,

To make a long story short,

thread of its own https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3515437

sread81114

Would appreciate some advice on the follow issue please!
I am moving in with my partner, my son (19 years old) is remaining in the family home and I need a lodger to continue to pay the mortgage.
I understand that under the rent a room scheme I can charge the lodger £350 per month tax free. However I am a little confused regarding the definition of resident landlord.
The HMRC website refers to the property as being "Your only or family home is the one where you/your family live for most of the time." Does this mean that I am ok to use the rent a room scheme as my son still lives there permanently even though I don't??
I assume I will need a licence agreement rather than a tenancy agreement?
Sorry there are so many questions but what I thought was a straightforward decision is not looking a little more complicated

hayley57

Can I make sure I have this right...
If I join the rent a room scheme, I dont have to declare anything as long as I dont earn over £4250, I just need to sign up. BUT if I dont join I have to fill out a tax return? Confused dot me!
Want to rent out my spare room to a lodger for as little hassle as possible.
Any tips/advise please?

katejo

hayley57 wrote: »

Can I make sure I have this right...
If I join the rent a room scheme, I dont have to declare anything as long as I dont earn over £4250, I just need to sign up. BUT if I dont join I have to fill out a tax return? Confused dot me!
Want to rent out my spare room to a lodger for as little hassle as possible.
Any tips/advise please?

There is no need to join the scheme at all provided that your rental income stays below the £4250. Just keep receipts to show how much you have taken. If you are a basic rate tax payer (and have no need to complete a tax return for any other reason), this is the easiest way to do it.
Note though that the £4250 has to be the total rent including gas/electricity/council tax. You can't charge these separately to keep below the figure.

The following comes from this website http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/moneytaxandbenefits/taxes/taxonpropertyandrentalincome/dg_4017804

How to opt in or out of the scheme

If you want to be part of the scheme

If you don't normally receive a tax return and your receipts are below the tax-free thresholds for the scheme, the tax exemption is automatic so you don't need to do anything.
If you wish to be part of the scheme and your receipts are above the tax-free threshold, you must tell HMRC. You can do this by completing a Self Assessment tax return and claiming the allowance.