Rent a room scheme.

cookiecakes

Hi,

I'm looking for advice for one of my students who is renting a room as a licensee who this scheme. He signed an agreement for his tenancy which he showed me yesterday. It states his tenancy will end in June. However, he is quite unhappy with his accommodation and wants to leave but doesn't know what he has to do.

He showed me the agreement as English isn't his first language. It just states the dates of the tenancy but doesn't say anything about notice periods if he wants to leave early. I know that as a licensee, he doesn't have the same rights afforded to him as a renter would so I'm just looking for advice for him. I haven't a notion about the scheme or the rights so I thought I'd ask here for some help.

Thanks!

snubbleste

Just give a months notice.

quietsailor

Generally for rent a room schemes if nothing is written in the lease about notice periods then it's the same length as the rent ie rent paid monthly then one months notice

Mrs OBumble

quietsailor wrote: »

Generally for rent a room schemes if nothing is written in the lease about notice periods then it's the same length as the rent ie rent paid monthly then one months notice

There is no legal requirement for notice. He can just leave.

cookiecakes

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

There is no legal requirement for notice. He can just leave.

Even if he wants his deposit back? He's paid quite a sizable amount and is pretty broke so can't really afford to lose it!

The_Conductor

cookiecakes wrote: »

Even if he wants his deposit back? He's paid quite a sizable amount and is pretty broke so can't really afford to lose it!

He needs to talk to the owner-occupier. Its not a tenancy- he is living with the owner under license. As Mrs. O Bumble states- strictly speaking he doesn't have to give notice at all- he can leave at any stage. If the deposit is an issue- the only way to ring fence it is by communication with the owner-occupier.

quietsailor

cookiecakes wrote: »

Even if he wants his deposit back? He's paid quite a sizable amount and is pretty broke so can't really afford to lose it!

Just to clarify this for anyone reading in the future - the owner can also evict him without notice.

Getting the deposit back is going to be difficult if they are fighting with the house owner ie if they move out without notice it might create an bad situation and the owner will be more likely to hold onto as much, or all, of the deposit.

makeorbrake

quietsailor wrote: »

Just to clarify this for anyone reading in the future - the owner can also evict him without notice.

From citizensinformation.ie:

...private tenants living in your home are living under alicensee agreement not a tenancy agreement and are really only entitled to reasonable notice if you choose to terminate the agreement. Tenants are, however, entitled to refer disputes regarding periods of reasonable notice, retention of deposits, and disputes regarding deductions from rent for damage to property that is over and above normal wear and tear to the Small Claims Court.

I've refused to return deposits when given no notice in the past when I used to do the rent a room gig. If paid weekly, then a weeks notice - if paid monthly, then a months notice - either way.

cookiecakes

Thanks for all the advice guys. Will pass it on!