Renting a Room - Term of Lease

[Ducky]

Hi, I'm going to rent a room in my house and am just wondering if there are any benefits to making the lease 6 months insteaed of 12 or vise versa? Will it have any huge impact on me as a landlord if this is broken (with 28 days notice given) during either term?

 

[serotoninsid]

Your not in a position to offer a 'lease' under the rent a room scheme. Its treated differently to regular renting scenario. The amount of notice required from either party isnt clear - other than that it should be 'reasonable'. Most people here are of the mind that if they're paying weekly, then a weeks notice, if monthly then a months notice. Do a search for previous threads on the subject (of which there are many).

 

[Shano79]

Sorry Serontinsid is incorrect. You are entitled to request that someone signs a lease if you so wish.

It doesnt matter whether you are letting out a bedroom as an owneroccupier or as a landlord.

A lease is justy a statment of terms to which both parties agree and sign and therfore becomes legally enforceable.

Ditto if you are renting your garage or your car parking sace or your attic - it makes no difference.

Regarding the term of the lease again it makes no differtence from a legal or tax perspective. It depends whether you want that protection of knowing that your lodger wont be leaving at the drop of a hat. Alternativly if you do get a tenant to sign a lease say for 6 or 12 months then that individual will have a right to stay in your house for that period unless they do something which would warrent being evicted.

 

[bacchus]

Sorry Serontinsid is incorrect. You are entitled to request that someone signs a lease if you so wish.

There is no notion of "lease/tenancy agreement " under rent a room scheme. Tenants are living under Licensee agreement.

A "reasonable notice period" is to be agreed between parties. Entirely up to you and your tenant.
Best is to write ground rules, incl. notice period, in 2 copies, signed by each party, and each party keeps a copy.
If dispute arise, these ground rules could be used in Small Claim Court.