Normally people are confused and do not understand the difference between a lodger agreement and an assured tenancy agreement (AST); here we will shed some light so that you may understand the difference between a lodger agreement and an assured shorthold tenancy agreement.
Who is a lodger?
A lodger is a person who is renting a room in your house and sharing it with you; a lodger can live in a room and in the same house with the landlord, or a person who is renting an entire house from the landlord can rent one room to the lodger as well.
What is a lodger agreement?
A lodger agreement is an agreement where a landlord can rent a room in the house to a tenant, where a tenant can share the house with the landlord. A lodger agreement is different from the assured shorthold tenancy agreement and has fewer rights for a tenant who is holding an assured shorthold tenancy (AST).
Difference Between a Lodger Agreement and Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement
In a lodger agreement, a tenant has fewer rights as compared to an assured shorthold tenancy agreement. In a lodger agreement a landlord can issue a 28-day notice; however, in an assured shorthold tenancy agreement a landlord must serve a 2-month notice before initiating court proceedings. Another major difference between a lodger and a tenant is that a tenant has exclusive possession of the property, whilst a lodger does not.
One more important point to be noted is that under a lodger agreement a landlord is not bound to secure the deposit with the tenancy deposit scheme; however, in the case of an assured shorthold tenancy, a landlord must secure the deposit with the tenancy deposit scheme and provide you the reference of the same. A landlord must secure your deposit within 30 days with the tenancy deposit scheme.
Why choose Asher & Tomar Solicitors:
a) Our firm has been operating since 2008 with an experience of about 16 years.
b) Solicitors in our firm have dealt with lots of landlord and tenant dispute matters.
c) We will represent your matter at the civil court and will draft and prepare your bundle.
d) Will advice you with your rights and obligations, whether you are a tenant or a landlord.
Our firm of solicitors in London is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Our office is based in West London. i.e. (Southall)
We have clients from all over the UK, such as Staines (solicitors in Staines), Hayes (solicitors in Hayes), Southall (solicitors in Southall), Greenford (solicitors in Greenford), Swindon (solicitors in Swindon), Hounslow (solicitors in Hounslow), and Reading (solicitors in Reading).
So if you have any issues or queries and want to find out your rights, either as a tenant or a landlord, then do not hesitate to contact our solicitors in London, as our solicitors will book your appointment and conduct your thorough interview, will gather the facts, assess the tenancy agreement, and will advice you accordingly. We will advice you whether it is the right approach to take the matter to the court or resolve it amicably without initiating the court proceedings, as the court proceedings will be a lengthy and costly process, and we cannot be able to give you the exact time involved in it, as it solely depends upon the backlog and caseload at the court; sometimes it can be decided within 3 months, and if it is defended, then it may take up to a year or more. Should you wish, then we can book a telephonic consultation or via email. We encourage prospective clients to read our reviews before contacting us.