Renting out room in marital home

[Tichky80]

Mu husband left me and I live alone in our house (which is in join names) it's coming up to a year since he left and I am offering him a lump sum of money to buy him out.
Anyhow my question is, I want to rent out one of the rooms to a lodger, as i need the money. Is this ok? I mean im not breaking any sort of law doing this? Do i need his permission first?

You're allowed to rent a room in your home & earn a certain amount before you need to declare it. There's loads of info here

www.gov.uk/rent-room-in-your-home/becoming-a-resident-landlord

Not sure about whether or not you need his permission though. Can you ask the lawyer who is dealing with you buying him out?

If you have a mortgage you would normally need the consent of the mortgage company

Are you sure you need mortgage company's permission for having a lodger? Thought that was just if you rent out the whole place?

I thought that only applied to renting your house too?

I don't think you need mortgage company permission if you are under the £3600 per year allowance

It does depend on the conditions of your mortgage but yes I would always recommend checking with the mortgage co a They won't be bothered but should be checked

Hi, yes you can rent the room, and under £4250 p/a there is no tax to pay, you don't even have to declare it. The mortgage company doesn't need to know but your insurance company does for sure, if you don't tell them it could invalidate any claim. It is money for old rope, I have had at least 30 lodgers since buying my first house and never had any issues at all.

Check the terms of your mortgage, most insist you tell them. Mine was with nationwide and the lodger just had to fill out a declaration stating they were a lodger and had no rights on the property should it be repossessed etc. You can get £4250 p/a tax free and you don't have to fill out a tax return if your income is less than this. You will also need to tell your home insurance. Mine didn't change my premium but said if there was a theft without forced entry then they wouldn't pay out or if the lodger caused any accidental damage I wasn't covered for that either, only damage caused by myself.

Just to add if you have a gas boiler you also need a landlords gas safety cert. British Gas do these for around £25.

I have been hosting for a few years ago (mostly during the summer as this is when student travel is at its peak) and really enjoyed the experience. I live with my husband, two kids and a dog! As long as you can offer a safe and welcoming home then that is what the student is after! The agency will check that your guest room has all the necessary requirements i.e. wardrobe, side lamp, desk or area for the student to work. And also be able to answer any question you have around insurance, tax and generally becoming a host (the agency we used actually provided a welcome pack so we knew exactly what to expect).

As I am based in London the agency we use is specialised to the area and would really recommend using them (www.hostfamiliesltd.com). Its good to also bare in mind that as the host you get to make a lot of the decisions. Our agency always keeps in regular contact but also when becoming a member we were able to express our preferences e.g. no smokers, male or female guests, over 18. Which when starting out is good to know!

no you don't need the permission of your STBXH/ the co-owner, just as you wouldn't need his permission to have guests overnight.
but make sure you declare the income from the lodger in any financial disclosure.