Renting a Room

Renting a room in a home where the landlord lives is a popular and often a cheaper housing option. However, renting a room means you will have to share some facilities with the landlord and sometimes other people. You should be sure that sharing rooms like a bathroom, kitchen or living room is an arrangement that is suitable for you.

You should establish if the landlord is 'resident' at the property because this will decide the type of agreement you have and your rights. For the landlord to be resident they must be using the property as their only or principle home. Even if they are away for short periods of time.

If your landlord is resident, you would be an 'excluded occupier', meaning you have limited rights in terms of security of tenure.

Finding a room

• Ask friends, family, employers or local colleges if they know of anyone who has a room to rent.
• Look in the local papers (online classified property adverts), local shop and social media noticeboards.

• There are many websites and agencies that advertise rooms for rent such as Roomster or Roomgo or SpareRoom.

Further information

The government has produced a useful guide for renting a room in someone's home. It explains how different types of excluded occupier living arrangements work in practice. Read the government guide to renting a room in someone's home.

Shelter gives some useful advice in relation to excluded occupiers rights.