The Student Room Group

Tenancy or lodging? Going to be homeless

Hi my landlord wants me out as I entered arrears today due to financial problems.

I have no family and a history of homelessness and the landlord has said I have 7 days to leave

The property is a townhouse on three floors with each floor converted into three individually let rooms with their own bathroom and kitchen.

The contract states he is a resident landlord and essentially gives me lodging rights (ie no rights)

However -

The landlord lives in the flat in the floor above. The flat has its own door but no lock on it or numbering.

And according to the Postal Directory as well as the London gov 'check if your property requires an HMO', the address does not appear - instead there are separate addresses for each floor of the property. Someone I spoke to said it sounded like an HMO and that people on my floor have tenants rights, but not those on the landlord's floor, as he lives with them.

The landlord sometimes uses the washing machine in the flat on my floor.

He described it as a tenancy several times in messages and also wrote words to the effect that I have exclusive possession of my room.

Is this a tenancy or a lodging? Do I have any defence against being thrown out in 7 days?

Thanks
You've put this in the Student Accommodation forum. Are you studying, in which case have you spoken to your uni?

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