Lodger has job but says he doesn't have to pay rent due to coronavirus crisis?

JohnnyWishbone84

I am a live-in-landlord, who rents a room in my home to a lodger. To date, my lodger has been unaffected by the coronavirus crisis. He has no symptoms and he is still working, albeit from home, on full pay.

However this evening, in a brief conversation in the kitchen, he suggested that he wouldn't have to pay rent to me, as the government would cover it for him. I am aware of the government ban on evictions and extra protection for renters.

However, surely the issue of not paying rent only applies if he has lost his job or has been put on reduced pay?

I have searched for information on this but can't find very much with regards to lodgers, aka excluded occupiers. Can anyone help clarify this?

Murphybear

Have you looked at the “house buying, renting and selling” area on the Forum.  There are lots of regulars on there who are fairly clued up.  I’m fairly certain the government wouldn’t expect tenants to stop paying rent when they haven’t lost their job.  

sharpe106

The government is not paying anything. They only expect a suitable repayment play is agreed to cover the missing 3 months. It is only expected to be used if the renter has found themself in financial difficulties due the coronavirus. So unlucky for your renter he does not get 3 months rent paid by the government.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/complete-ban-on-evictions-and-additional-protection-for-renters

[Deleted User]

He sounds like a nasty piece of work!  

unforeseen

And I don't think the no eviction includes lodgers as you can turf them out without having to go anywhere near courts

Emergency legislation will be taken forward as an urgent priority so that landlords will not be able to start proceedings to evict tenants for at least a 3 month period.

calcotti

Legally a lodger is not a tenant and does not have the same rights. It occurs to me that many people may actually need to consider evicting lodgers in order to maintain protection for vulnerable members of their family (although I haven't seen this raised anywhere).

JohnnyWishbone84

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I think this might have been better in the 'house buying, renting and selling' area. Will bear that in mind next time.

sharpe106

Probably although out of interest have you spoken to him yet about this?

JohnnyWishbone84

Just that one conversation when he raised it. It caught me off guard so wanted to get more information before it came up again. His next rent isn't due for a couple of weeks

[Deleted User]

Are they a close friend or just someone you found to take the room? At a time like this and with them continuing to work you need to think about your own health and other members of your family. It would be very easy to get rid of them if they give you hassle. Yes you will loose out on that extra income for a room but your health is more important and if they are not a family member you should really be careful who you share with at this moment in time. As harsh as it might be, they seem to have a pretty poor outlook on things from what they assume the Government will do for them. 

prowla

It sounds like they are trying it on; the government schemes are to help people who need it, not give chancers some extra cash.