Need A Bit Of Advice Re Short Term Tennant

[hammerman]

We have a spare room and i know someone who needs somewhere to stay for a short while. He's a good lad (my ex apprentice) and i get on well with him. He might only want a room for a few months which is no problem.

Would you advise getting a formal agreement made up ? if so, how would you go about getting this done, preferably without using a solicitor.

Many thanks

[murraymints]

always best to get ground rules laid out...agree a rent/lodging fee...give him a wee book to record when he pays you sign...discuss use of phone..energy bills etc...friends staying over ?..cleaning of communal areas..use of kitchen...does not have to be too formal .as long as you lay things on the table to begin with

[ubasses]

have a look at the rent a room scheme on the Govt website. You only have to give a week/month notice depending on often he pays the rent. If you charge no more than £4250 per annum it will be tax free income.

[Peter Pedant]

good advice from MM
and also say that it is for three months renewable
rather than open ended ( altho this sounds like a tenancy-at-will)

[pravstar]

Get a formal AST drawn up. You can get a free copy from My Bad Apple of a tenancy agreement and write it up yourself, saving you loadsa wonga

Mate or no mate, you need to take a deposit and put it in the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, thats all

[Peter Pedant]

goggle rent a room agreement template

and there are quite good ones available - having just got hold of one - FREE !

If you do take a deposit - from my splodging days thirty y ago, we neva paid deposits - you will need to be registered and it is a pain.

and hope it works out (for the young fella) - it works for you as you;re gonna get paid !

[Twenty20]

There's no AST necessary (assuming the chap is living in your house with you). He'll be a lodger with very few rights. Just draw up a simple agreement between you, saying what the rent is, when it should be paid etc. Deposit, if taken, doesn't need to go into a scheme.

[ckendall]

In response to Pravstar - if you get a lodger living in your home this is not an Assured Shorthold Tenancy and therefore you do not need to protect a deposit with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme. Deposit protection only applies to ASTs.

"Get a formal AST drawn up. You can get a free copy from My Bad Apple of a tenancy agreement and write it up yourself, saving you loadsa wonga

Mate or no mate, you need to take a deposit and put it in the Tenancy Deposit Scheme, thats all"