A lodger is somebody who lives in the same property as a landlord. They will share the kitchen, bathroom, or other living accommodation with the landlord but will have their own room. A lodger will usually have the legal status of an ‘excluded occupier’. For more information, read Taking in a lodger.
Lodgers in Wales
In Wales, a lodger may be an excluded occupier or, since the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 came into force on 1 December 2022, it is possible for lodgers to be contract holders. This means that they hold an occupation contract and usually have enhanced rights (eg it’s often harder for them to be evicted or to choose to leave the property). A lodger will only be a contract holder if the landlord notifies them that their contract will be an occupation contract before or when it is made. For more information, read Occupation contracts in Wales.
The information below applies to lodgers in Wales who do not have an occupation contract. To evict a lodger with an occupation contract, some of the usual eviction methods for Wales may be used.