Tied accommodation
This content applies to England only.
Housing laws vary between England and Scotland. Get advice relating to Scotland
Tied accommodation is where you live in a home that is provided to you by your employer. There are two different ways in which it’s possible to live in tied accommodation - as a service tenant, or as a service occupier.
It is important to know which of these applies to you, as it will significantly affect your rights. If you live in agricultural accommodation the rules are also different.
Am I a service tenant or a service occupier?
You are likely to be a service occupier (and not a service tenant) if you live in accommodation provided by your employer, and it is either:
- essential for you to live in that accommodation to do your job, or
- there is a term in your employment contract which says that you must live in the accommodation and you are able to better perform your job as a result of living there.
Service occupiers
You are probably a service occupier if your home comes with your job, and either it is essential for you to live in that accommodation to do your job, or your employment contract says that you must do so.
Service tenants
You may be a service tenant if you live in tied accommodation but it is not essential for you to live there in order to do your job. In addition, your employment contract must not say that you are required to live there in order to do your job better.
