Taking in lodgers and sub-letting part of your home

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• Taking in lodgers and sub-letting part of your home

If you are a secure tenant you have the legal right to have a lodger or sub-let a room in your home but you must first get written permission from the Council. You, or at least one of your joint tenants, must still live in the property as their main home.

You must put your request in writing to your estate manager. As long as the property will not be overcrowded and there is no reason to think that a nuisance will be caused to your neighbours, the Council will usually agree to your request. The law states that the Council cannot unreasonably stop you from having a lodger.

If you receive Housing Benefit the amount of benefit you receive may go down if you have a lodger. You should therefore make enquiries to the Housing Benefit Department before you think about having a lodger.

If you are in sheltered housing you are not permitted to have a lodger or sub-let a room in your home. With permission you may have a guest to stay for a maximum of two nights.