Asking lodger to leave early

[Jemblue101]

Hi all, I have a lodger and he originally said we wanted somewhere for 4 months, has now been just over 2 but I'm finding it really stressful and I can't relax in my own home. There has also been some minor damage in the bathroom.

I want to give him notice now to leave a month early (he will have a month notice) am I out of order?

I've given it a chance and took the lodger out of financial desperation. But hate it. Equally it might then become awkward for the final month :(

It’s also his home, that’s what he is paying for. You had an agreement, you have changed your mind. Unless he has actually done something wrong you’re completely out of order kicking him out of his home. Unfortunately in law, a lodger is very much a second class citizen, but it doesn’t make it ethical to boot him out.

You’re well within your rights to ask him to leave.

I would put pause on having lodgers though because frankly it’s irresponsible to do it without full consideration and then being like “oops actually no”.

Sorry but you are being Very unreasonable - but it’s your house right so you can do what you what. I think it’s very poor of you tho.

I'm not booting him out, I'm giving him a month which is also what you get as a tenant when renting somewhere.

Unless he is doing really unreasonable things then I think it is a mean move to kick him out a month early. Saying that he could Airbnb for a month sounds very expensive for him. Would you cover any of the cost given that it is you that has changed your mind?
Be a grown up and live with the decision you made when you agreed to a four month lodger. It really isn’t that long, he will be gone soon.

@Jemblue101 appreciate he doesn't have the same rights as a tenant, but tenants get a minimum of two months notice, not one month. They also can't be given notice during the minimum term, ie the contract that was agreed when they first moved in.
I think giving notice now would create a lot of ill feeling and wouldn't make that much difference for the sake of four weeks. Even if they agreed, if they don't find anywhere that quickly it would be very difficult to force them to go?

It isn't his home, it's the OP's home. As a lodger he is a guest/visitor and has very few rights. Ethics doesn't matter, if the OP is uncomfortable in their own home to the extent it is making them ill then it is quite right to put themself first and ask ask the lodger to leave.

The OP does not have to put a lodger's needs over their own.

He's a lodger so you can just ask him to go.

Even if you decide to be let him stay make sure he knows now what the final date is otherwise he my think he can extend.

Why are you stuck in your bedroom?
I know you say you've had a lot of things going on recently, but your response sounds disproportionate.
But anyway, one month is perfectly fine; I have a lodger and we have a (written) basic agreement that stipulates a month's notice on both sides.

It would be heartless for you to kick him out earlier than the agreed 4 month period. What happened in the bathroom? Was it an accident? All of us have accidentally broken something at some point in our lives.

If you do make him leave earlier, please do not take in any more lodgers. It's not fair to mess people around like this. If you suffer from anxiety, then admit that really you are not suited to having lodgers. Lodgers should not be treated like toys you can discard.

It's only 4 months! Stick it out for your own conscience.

I agree with this, though if the OP is feeling a bit fragile it might be difficult for her to enforce unless she has any support - and it doesn't sound like she's comfortable living with an atmosphere.
Whilst the lodger doesn't have rights to stay, if they weren't willing to leave (entirely possible if they don't have anywhere to go!) I don't know how likely it is that the police would assist for example - even if they would in theory, getting the police out to a 'planned' event is very difficult in my experience, as they're always needed for something more urgent somewhere else.

It's not even been a whole month since your other thread on this lodger - so things haven't really worked since the beginning despite the ' breakage ' in the bathroom.

I rented until a couple of years ago and only got a month. But it might vary. I got a month in a HMO too. Difference is as a lodger you get no tenancy, guess is why it's much cheaper. We didn't sign anything with end dates. Just that I would give a months notice.

It was a mistake. I was talked in to it by friends as I was really struggling with money. Never, never again.

That doesn't sound like a legal tenancy. Just because you had a bad/illegal experience renting, doesn't mean you shouldn't be on the (legal) ball when you're a landlady with lodger.

You could legally kick him out, but it's not a nice thing to do. Is he otherwise a nice person? What else does he do that causes you such distress?

@Jemblue101 landlords often break the law unfortunately! Legally an AST is two months and has to be served by a specific date. Landlords often rely on tenants not knowing their rights, or not challenging them, and it sounds like that happened to you.
It doesn't apply here though as you've said.

You’re being disingenuous. You guys discussed four months, you’re suggesting moving the goal posts

Well yes, that's why I started this thread, as want it to end a month early, but I still don't think a months notice is "booting someone out"

making someone to leave their home a month before agreed is harsh. You know it is hence the dilemma. You have the power but it’s up to you how to use it- imo the law around all rental in the Uk is way to stacked in favour of landlords with tenants simply being viewed as income streams.
if I was you, I would try to have a respectful conversation with him, explain that you’re finding it much harder than you thought, and ask him if it would be feasible for him to move on any earlier without it causing him major headaches. perhaps give him a month free if he is willing to leave a month early. Treat him like a human being basically.

Another thing to consider is that if you decide to make him leave before the agreed time, you do not know how they will react. They might intentionally make it uncomfortable for you and even take a little petty act of revenge. You are wanting to mess this person around so they might want to mess you around in some way. Might not happen but it is definitely a possibility. So consider this if you make him leave early.

I suppose technically i would be around 3 weeks early, but still earlier than agreed.

They get a pretty cheap nice room and I do all the cleaning and keep it nice and helped them move so it's not like I am horrible to them, I just find it so much harder than expected.

This is exactly what I am worried about

This would just confirm the OP is making the right decision!

OP don't be uncomfortable in your own home. You don't owe him anything.

So what is he doing that you find difficult? Why not have a conversation and see if he's willing to modify his behaviour? If he's taken over communal spaces, you could suggest taking it it turns to e.g. have the living room to yourself for the evening.