Deposits, notice periods and house rules

There is no legal cap on lodger deposits in England and Wales, unlike tenant deposits which are capped at 5 weeks rent under the Tenant Fees Act. In practice, one month's rent is the most common amount — anything significantly higher may put off good applicants.

You do not need to put a lodger deposit into a protection scheme, but you must be clear in writing about when and how it will be returned.

Notice periods for lodgers are whatever you both agree to. Common arrangements are 28 days (most common, considered reasonable), one month (easier if rent is monthly), or two weeks for short-term arrangements.

You can end the arrangement without notice if the lodger seriously breaches your agreement — for example by not paying rent, damaging the property, or behaving in a threatening way. Put this in writing so it is unambiguous.

Because you share your home, you have a lot of latitude with house rules. You can reasonably set rules about: guests and overnight stays; noise levels and quiet hours; shared spaces such as kitchen and bathrooms; smoking and vaping; pets; cleaning responsibilities; use of appliances; and parking.

What you cannot do is set house rules that discriminate based on protected characteristics, or that would be unreasonably intrusive.

Be explicit about what is included in the rent. The clearest arrangement is to include everything so neither party is guessing. If bills are not included, specify how they will be split and who pays what. Ambiguity here is a common source of friction.

If a lodger stops paying rent, you can give notice and they must leave. You do not need a court order — unlike with tenants. However, if they refuse to go after the notice period, you cannot physically remove them yourself. At that point you would need to apply to the court.

This is rare with lodgers. A clear agreement and good communication prevent most problems before they start.