Essential advice if you're taking in a lodger

January is always a busy time in the rental market. Not only are there lots of people moving, there are also plenty of people thinking about taking in a lodger to help with their finances. With a cost of living crisis in full swing, we expect that to be doubly true in 2023.

If you're thinking about taking in a lodger, it's a good idea to start getting ready now, rather than waiting till after the new year. It means you'll have everything ready to go and will be able to get your ad up quickly and make sure people see your room in those first few busy weeks of the year.

To help you, we've put together some great advice from us, as well as from people who've had lodgers themselves.

Whether this is your first time, or you’ve already had a lodger but want to rent out your room again, we can answer all your burning questions.

Here are some of the most common questions we get asked:

Getting a lodger - where should I start?

If you're getting ready to take in a lodger, we've got a great guide to walk you through the process step by step. This is a handy place to start if you need an overview.

SpareRoom's step by step guide to taking in a lodger

What's the difference between a lodger and a tenant?

There are some key differences between lodgers and tenants you might not be aware of. If so, you're not alone - plenty of tenants don't know the difference either. Luckliy we've got a simple, handy guide for you.

What’s the difference between a tenant and a lodger?

What's the Rent a Room Scheme and how does it work?

The Rent a Room Scheme lets anyone with a spare room earn up to £7,500 a year tax free by renting it out. It was interoduced in the 1990s to increase the supply of rental accommodation (and we were instrumental in getting the amount raised to the current level of £7,500 in 2016). Here's our guide with all the info you need on the scheme.

SpareRoom's guide to the Rent a Room Scheme

How do I choose the right lodger?

This is perhaps the most important question of all. It's not just about the money - you'll be sharing your home with the person you rent your room to, so you need to make sure you pick the right person.

Who better to answer that than people who've been there and done it?

The best questions to ask a lodger

Want to hear more? Here are a few people who used SpareRoom to find a lodger answering some of the most common questions about the process (and they're being asked by their lodgers!)

Image credit: Jessica Lewis