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Lodger agreement for a room in your own home (Northern Ireland)
Northern Ireland · in English
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Made for use in Northern Ireland
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For a homeowner or tenant in Northern Ireland who lets a room in the home they live in to a lodger. The agreement sets out the room and the shared parts, the rent and what it includes, any deposit (no more than one month’s rent), house rules and the written notice either side gives to end it — at least four weeks, and from you at least eight once the lodger has stayed more than a year. A lodger who shares your kitchen, bathroom or living space has the use of a room, not a tenancy of it. A tenant needs their own landlord’s consent first. Signed by both; each keeps a copy.
- Made for use in Northern Ireland
- Last updated October 29, 2026
- Document in English
Where a UK document reproduces the words of legislation or of a government publication — UK, Scottish or Northern Irish — it contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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When to use this document
- You have a spare room in your house in Northern Ireland and want to take in a lodger.
- A friend of a friend is moving into your spare room and you want the rent and rules in writing.
- You rent your own home and your landlord has agreed you can take in a lodger.
- You want a simple lodger agreement before someone moves in with you.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Date
- Landlord
- Landlord's address
- Town or city
- Landlord's postcode
- Lodger (full name)
- Start date
- The lodger's room, and the shared parts of the home they may use
- Amount of rent
- Rent is paid every
- When the rent is paid (e.g. on the 1st of each month)
- What the rent includes (e.g. gas, electricity, water, broadband, council tax, meals)
- Deposit amount
- Notice either side gives to end the agreement
- House rules: smoking, guests, pets, quiet hours (optional)
Common questions
- Is a lodger in my home in Northern Ireland a tenant under the Private Tenancies Order?
- A lodger who lives with you and shares your kitchen, bathroom or living room usually has permission to use a room — a licence — rather than a tenancy, and this agreement is written that way. It also keeps to the main rules of the Private Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 — a deposit of no more than one month’s rent, receipts for cash and written notice of at least four weeks, or eight from the landlord once the lodger has stayed more than a year — so it holds whichever way that question is answered.
- Should I protect a lodger’s deposit with a scheme in Northern Ireland?
- The deposit protection rules apply to private tenancies. A lodger who shares your home usually has a licence, not a tenancy, but the line is not always clear, so protecting the deposit with TDS Northern Ireland or myDeposits Northern Ireland within 28 days of taking it removes the doubt. This agreement caps the deposit at one month’s rent and says when and how it is returned.
- Does taking in a lodger in Northern Ireland affect my tax or my rates?
- Under HMRC’s Rent a Room scheme, up to £7,500 a year from furnished accommodation in your only or main home is tax-free (£3,750 each if the income is shared); above that you report it in Self Assessment. Rates are charged on the home, but Lone Pensioner Allowance is only for people aged 70 or over who live alone, so tell Land & Property Services if a lodger moves in. If you rent or have a mortgage, ask your landlord or lender first.
How you can sign this document
- Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
- Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked
DocMuse sells documents, not legal advice. Acceptance always depends on the recipient's rules and your local law.
Related documents
- Notice to a lodger to leave your home (Northern Ireland)
For a homeowner or tenant in Northern Ireland who lives in the home and wants a lodger to leave. The notice refers to your lodger agreement, gives the date it ends — at least four weeks ahead in writing (eight weeks once the lodger has lived with you for more than a year), or the longer period the agreement sets — asks for the room to be cleared and the keys returned, and says what happens to the deposit. Hand it over in person and keep a copy the lodger has signed. Not for a tenant who has the home or part of it to themselves: a landlord’s notice to quit is a different document.
- Ask your landlord for consent to sublet or take in a lodger (Northern Ireland)
For a private tenant in Northern Ireland who wants to take in a lodger, or sublet a room or the whole home. Most tenancy agreements require the landlord’s written consent first, and going ahead without it can breach the tenancy and lead to its end. The letter says what you ask for, who would move in, where and for how long, confirms you stay responsible for the rent and every term of the tenancy, and asks for an answer within 14 days. Not for Housing Executive or housing association tenants, whose own tenancy terms apply.
- Ask the council to inspect a rented home in poor condition (Northern Ireland)
For a private tenant in Northern Ireland whose landlord has not dealt with serious problems — damp and mould, no heating, dangerous electrics, vermin. The letter asks the district council’s environmental health team to inspect the home against the fitness standard and take action against the landlord, such as a notice requiring repairs. Many councils take inspection requests online or by phone, free; this letter sets out the problems, the history of your reports and the photos in one place, by post or email.
- Check-out report and return of keys (Northern Ireland)
For the end of a private tenancy in Northern Ireland. It records the day the keys were returned, the final meter readings, the condition of each room compared with the check-in report and anything the tenant does not accept. Signed by both — or, if the landlord or agent does not attend, completed by the tenant alone with dated photos and sent the same day by email and by recorded delivery. It is the evidence the free dispute service of TDS Northern Ireland or myDeposits Northern Ireland weighs.
- Inventory and check-in report for a rented home (Northern Ireland)
For landlords, letting agents and tenants in Northern Ireland at the start of a private tenancy. It records the condition of each room, the furniture and appliances, the meter readings, the keys and the smoke, heat and carbon monoxide alarms, refers to dated photos, and gives the tenant seven days to add comments. Both sign it. No law requires an inventory, but the free dispute services of TDS Northern Ireland and myDeposits Northern Ireland rely on one when a landlord proposes deductions from the deposit.
- Rent statement and receipt for rent paid (Northern Ireland)
For a private landlord or letting agent in Northern Ireland to confirm the rent a tenant has paid — for a benefit claim, a mortgage or visa application, a new landlord’s reference or the tenant’s own records. It names the property, the landlord registration number, the rent and how often it is paid, the period covered and each payment received, and states whether any arrears are owed, signed and dated. A landlord must give a free written receipt for rent paid in cash (Article 5 of the Private Tenancies (Northern Ireland) Order 2006).