Homes for Ukraine: Future accommodation options
Option 3: Transfer from ‘hosting’ to ‘lodging’ agreement after a 6-month stay
Information for Guests
Your current host or any other landlord may offer you the option to stay with them as a ‘lodger’. This means that you will pay them directly to ‘rent’ the room or space in their home. This will be cheaper than the cost of renting privately.
Landlord and lodger will sign a private lodger agreement and the host will not receive ‘Thank You’ payments as a host under the Homes for Ukraine scheme. What help guests can expect from the council:
- Make an appointment at Guildhall 2 to do a calculation of your income and what amount of housing benefits payments to expect.
- Help with reviewing and understanding lodger agreement
In the table below you can find the differences between Hosting and Lodging arrangements:
| Be a 'guest' | Be a 'lodger' | |
| Type of arrangement/ contract | Home for Ukraine scheme only | Contract on private base (between guest and host) |
| Finances | Guests will not need to pay towards accommodation | Guests will pay rent and bills, but usually less than the private rented sector. There is the option to claim Universal Credit towards rent. |
| Eligibility | All hosts will complete Council checks under the Homes for Ukraine scheme (DBS and accommodation check) | Landlords will not complete the Council checks |
| Time | Hosting new guests for a minimum of 6 months | Flexibility to agree length of short term contract or rolling monthly contract |
Kingston Council will continue to support your integration in Kingston whilst living as a lodger (for example supporting you with English learning, employment, school places etc - you can continue to request support with our team through requesting help via email: ukraine@kingston.gov.uk
Information for hosts/landlords
At any point after after finishing 6 months hosting, you can ask your guest to become a ‘lodger’ rather than a Home for Ukraine guest. If you didn’t have a guest from Ukraine before you still can have a possibility to sign lodger agreement.
In the table below you can find the main differences between ‘become a host’ and ‘lodger agreement’ options.
| Become a host | Become a landlord (with a lodger) | |
| Type of arrangement/ contract | Home for Ukraine scheme only | Contract on private base (between guest and host) |
| Money | Monthly payments from the Government £350 or £500 (depending on your guest’s first arrival date in the UK) |
Payments from the guest’s salary or/+ Universal credit Landlords decide how much rent to charge. More guidance can be found in the Lodging Guidance sheet. |
| Eligibility | Required to complete Council checks under the Homes for Ukraine scheme (DBS and accommodation check) | Landlord will not be required to complete DBS or accommodation checks |
| Time | Hosting for 6 months or longer, can be until the end of guest’s Homes for Ukraine visa (36 or 18 months) | Decide length of short term contract and notice period and agree in lodging agreement |
| Bills | Host can’t take any payments for the rent but can ask the guest to contribute towards the bills if required | Cost agreed in Lodging agreement can cover bills expenses |
| Deposit | No deposit needed | Landlords can choose to charge a deposit |
Tell us if you are changing to a lodging arrangement. Or if you are interested in offering space to a lodger from Ukraine, please email us: ukraine@kingston.gov.uk
For more information about having a lodger
Rent a room in your home via gov.uk has some further information on having a lodger in your home.
You would have to consider whether there would be any implications as to whether you are a homeowner or renter (discuss with your mortgage lender or landlord), whether any benefits that you receive would be affected by lodger income, any sort of legal or other costs related to setting up a lodging arrangement, any implications around insurance, ensuring no ‘overcrowding’.
Your property may be classed as an House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) if you let rooms to more than 2 people.
Declaring the extra income
Boarding/lodging income does not affect Universal Credit (as claimants are not entitled to housing costs for spare rooms) unless the claimant is self-employed and renting out rooms in their house as part of conducting a trade (for example, running a bed and breakfast - income from bed and breakfast being conducted as a trade is to be treated as self-employed earnings)
Lodging income may have tax implications, please go to Gov.uk for more information.
When a hosting arrangement ends, either the guest or host will need to fill out this Departure Form to inform the council of the date that the guest moved out. This then prompts the council to update their records and stop 'Thank You' payments, preventing an invoice being issued.