Lodging

[richardfinch]

hi, does anyone have a clear definition of a lodger, i used to lodge in a house with another lodger and landlady, and i paid rent, that included bills and the responsibility of cleaning and house upkeep was with the landlady. Im now in a different place, and am being charged part of the bills on top of rent and also being told that cleaning and upkeep of the house is also my responsibility along with the other lodger (as the landlord doesnt live in) can anyone advise on thier interpretation of a lodger?
thanks
richard

[kira000]

I have always understood a lodger to be someone who lived in a property, along with the owner/landlord of the property. So without a landlord/owner present, it would make you a tenant instead.

However, being a lodger is not something that prescribes whether or not you do any housework or pay bills inclusively. Those are both things that are up to the individual owner to decide what the perameters are for the situation. I would imagine it would be quite rare for a landlady to do ALL the housework, so i think you must have had a rare and cushy number first time round!

Really you should check all thse things out before moving in, to save nasty surprises.

[Twenty20]

As kira000 says, you are a lodger if the landlord lives in the same house and you share facilities. You are a tenant if you live separately from the landlord.

As you say you are living separately from the landlord then you are a tenant and have much greater legal rights. Lodgers have very few, if any, rights and can be evicted without any legal process. Your landlord may call you a lodger but you are actually a tenant. Do you have any form of Agreement with the landlord? Anything in writing?

It does also mean that, as a tenant, your deposit must be protected in a tenancy deposit scheme.

I'm intrigued as to why your landlord would say that you are a lodger? If this is to get round legal responsibilities then it wont work. Just calling your tenant a lodger doesn't change the fact that he is, legally, a tenant.

As a tenant you would be expected to do your own cleaning.