Renting a room to a student for the first time: a homeowner's checklist
Thinking of taking a student into your home? A practical checklist: meeting them, the ground rules, what to put in writing, the money and staying safe.
- Post your room free
- Rent-a-Room Relief
- Rent guide by area
- Living in digs
- Revenue – Rent-a-Room Relief
- RTB – students: tenancy or licence
Before you advertise
Decide what you're offering: Monday to Friday (digs) or seven days, meals or self-catering, and which rooms they can use. Be specific in the ad; it saves a lot of messages.
Work out the price. Our rent guide shows what rooms and digs cost in your area, and our guide "How much should I charge for a room or digs?" helps you decide.
Rent-a-Room Relief can make the income tax-free if you meet the conditions. Our guide to the relief explains the limit and what counts.
Meeting the student
Many homeowners say their biggest worry is having a stranger in the house. Meet the student in person, and if they're young, meet a parent too: they usually want to meet you as much as you want to meet them.
Ask what they're studying, their timetable, whether they go home at weekends, and what they do in the evenings. On StayLister you can see whether they confirmed their phone, email and ID.
Ask for a reference: a previous host, a school or college, or an employer.
Agree the ground rules
Write down the few things that matter to you: visitors and overnight guests, quiet hours, kitchen and laundry times, heating, smoking and alcohol, and keys.
Agree the rent, when and how it's paid, the deposit, what's included (meals, bills, laundry, broadband), the days they stay, and how much notice each side gives. A one-page agreement you both sign avoids most problems.
Licence, not a tenancy
A student renting a room in the home you live in is usually a licensee, not a tenant, so the tenancy rules and RTB registration don't usually apply. Our guide "Do I need to register a lodger with the RTB?" explains when they do.
Money and safety
Take payment by bank transfer and give a receipt. Keep a simple record of what you receive: you declare it on your tax return even when the relief means no tax is due.
Tell your home insurer you have a lodger; some policies need to know.
Common questions
Do I need to register a student lodger with the RTB?
Usually not. A lodger in the home you live in is normally a licensee, and licences in your own home aren't covered by the tenancy rules. See our RTB guide for the exceptions.
Can I take a student only Monday to Friday?
Yes, that's digs. Say so in your ad and agree the days in writing.
Is the income taxable?
It can be tax-free under Rent-a-Room Relief if you meet the conditions and stay under the limit. You still declare it.