Accommodation that comes with your job
Tied accommodation means you live somewhere that your employer provides.
You might pay rent or your employer might take it out of your wages before you get paid. Your payslip should show if it's taken out of your wages.
You could be either a:
service occupier
service tenant
Service occupiers have fewer rights. You can be evicted more easily if your job ends.
Sometimes your former employer still needs a court order to evict you.
Farm or agricultural workers may have stronger rights in tied accommodation.
Service occupiers
You're a service occupier if either:
you must live in the accommodation to do your job
your employment contract says you must live there to do your job properly
Examples of service occupiers are:
live-in carers, nannies or housekeepers
hotel or pub employees who live on the premises
caretakers or gardeners who live in or near their workplace
Your contract
Your employment contract or occupancy agreement should set out:
how much rent you have to pay or the amount taken out of your wages for rent
how much notice you get if your employer dismisses or makes you redundant
the notice you must give if you quit your job
What happens if your job ends
If you're a service occupier, your right to live in your home usually ends when your job ends.
You might still have basic protection from eviction. This means your former employer needs to get a court order to evict you if you do not leave when your job ends.
Your former employer will not need a court order if either:
you live there rent free
it's their home too and you share living space with them
Rent free accommodation
Your accommodation is free if you do not have to pay rent and get normal wages for your job. You can be evicted without a court order.
If you do not have to pay rent but get lower wages because of the accommodation, you are paying 'money's worth'.
This means you're treated as if you paid rent. Your employer must get a court order to evict you unless you live with them.
If you've been sacked unfairly
You might be able to challenge an unfair dismissal through an employment tribunal.
This will take time. It's unlikely that you will be able to stay in your home during this process.
Find out more about unfair dismissal from Citizens Advice.
Service tenants
You're a service tenant if you rent from your employer but do not need to live there to do your job.
The type of tenancy you have depends on who you work for and rent from. For example, an individual, private company, council or housing association.
Your employer must follow the legal eviction process if they want you to leave even if your job has ended.
Find out more about:
Ask the council for help if you are homeless or will be in the next 8 weeks.
Last updated: 15 January 2024
