Letting someone live in your house rent free can be a gesture of love to some and compassion to others. People may allow someone to live rent free in their houses for various reasons. Rent-free means someone lives in your house without paying rent. A person who is allowed to stay without paying rent is usually referred to as an occupant and not a tenant. Regardless of this the rights of tenants applies to a certain extend depending on whether there are any agreement in place. Every house owner should familiarize himself with regulations on letting someone live rent free in their house.
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Why Letting Someone Live Rent Free
There are many ways in which land lords can let someone live rent free in their house. These various ways depend on the arrangement and agreement between the landlord and the rent free person.
Working As a Live-In Nanny
This is one of the ways in which a person can allow someone to live rent free in his or her house. In this set up the person usually takes care of babies and the house. That is the most common agreement and the terms usually offers the rent free as long the person works there. In this arrangement there may be no written agreement but only verbal agreement for the terms and conditions. Letting someone live in your house rent free as a live-in nanny is different from a non-paying tenant. The rights of tenants do not apply to live-in nanny. The terms of the verbal agreement or written in case there is a written agreement are the only binding conditions.
Live-In Handy Man
This option is similar to the one above. People can let someone live in their house rent free in exchange for their labour or skills that is important for them. Many people would be handyman working in the garden, pruning flowers and cleaning the yard. The handy man will take care of the pets and fowls in case they are there. This kind of set up usually allows a person rent free housing as long as the person works there. The binding terms are contained in the agreement and tenant rights does not apply to this kind of set up.
Sharing Home With an Elderly Person
Elderly people require care always. They need someone close by to assist them carry out many things and this offers an opportunity for a person to stay in your house rent free in exchange for his or her services to assist the elderly person. This is usually the best option for people with an elderly relative who spent most of their time away at work. Usually you may also have to give the person an allowance in addition to rent free housing depending on the terms of your agreement. The terms of the agreement are binding and can be terminated upon mutual consent.
What to Consider When Allowing One To Live In Your House Rent Free
There are certain things that one has to consider before allowing one to live in his house rent free. The first thing to consider is what kind of relationship exists or will exist between you and the person. You may allow someone to live rent free in your house as a caretaker or friend or a relative. Whatever the case may be you need to have an agreement in place either verbal or written. Written agreements are encouraged since you can produce them as evidence in future when need be. In the agreement all the terms should be clear and closure terms clearly spelt out. Conditions of termination are critical and should not be left out. This will make it easy for the owner in case you want to let the person go.
It is supposed to be clear if you are exchanging your house for services. If there are any monetary payments you shall make to the person it also has to be stated clearly in the agreement. Usually no matter the case, problems usually arise when you want to evict the person from your house.
How To Evict a Person Living Rent Free From Your House
As long you are still together everything will be well and good until the day you may want to evict the person living rent free in your house. This can be the most troublesome and challenging moment in one’s life. Problems usually arise when you want to evict the person within a short notice when the person is unprepared. Generally the steps below may help you to evict the person from your house. This applies to anyone be it a relative or a friend.
- Talk to the person you live with. The relationship that existed between the two of you should not be made sour by the eviction process. Always make your intentions known and give justifiable reasons.
- Give the person a reasonable eviction notice from at least one month to prepare. You may need to assist the person to get another place to stay where possible.
- Wait for the notice period to lapse and the person should vacate your premises.
- It’s possible that the person may not vacate the house after the notice period may be there may be no ready accommodation. The choice remains with you as the owner of the house but humanity in certain circumstances has to prevail. You may need to allow an extension for the person to secure a place.
- If you have reasonable doubt that the person is refusing you may initiate court process to get the person out of your house.
Conclusion
Letting someone live rent free in your house is a practice that is common in many states. This is mainly done in exchange of services and there is no statute requirement for written agreement to exist between the parties. However fair play should be allowed to take place in place the house owner wants to evict the person living rent free. Where an agreement exists, it should be respected by both parties.