Lodger or tenant?
A plain guide to what renting a room usually means: as a lodger in someone's home, or as a tenant.
If you rent a room in a home where the owner also lives, you are usually a lodger (sometimes called a licensee) rather than a tenant. Lodgers are generally not covered by the Residential Tenancies Acts, so the RTB's tenancy protections and dispute service may not apply. What applies depends on the real arrangement, not on what an agreement calls it.
What laba is for
laba lists rooms in shared homes. If the person letting the room lives there and you share their kitchen, bathroom or living areas, you're usually a lodger. If they don't live there, as with a landlord or letting agent, you're usually a tenant, and the Residential Tenancies Acts usually apply.
Self-contained flats, separate buildings such as cabins or granny flats, and whole houses can't be listed on laba. Those are usually tenancies, with different rules.
Fair, written arrangements
Every lodger agreement on laba has a notice period, house rules and deposit terms in writing, so both people know where they stand. A tenant gets a written tenancy agreement from the landlord instead.
Notice is always given in writing, with the date, and both people get a copy.
If you're not sure
What applies depends on the real arrangement, not on what an agreement calls it. If you're unsure about your situation, the organisations below can explain your position for free.
Official information and free advice
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. For advice about your situation, contact Citizens Information, Threshold or a solicitor.