Property & rentals 2 signers 2 pages 16 blanks to fill in

Rent-Free Occupancy Agreement Template

Letting family or a friend live in your place for free? Write down who lives there, for how long, who pays what and how it ends.

Use this template — free See the agreement Signers don’t need an account
Rent-free occupancy agreement
The blanks in brackets are what you fill in. FileIt adds each signer’s signature and date boxes.
Rent-free occupancy agreement — page 1 of 2
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Rent-free occupancy agreement — page 2 of 2
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Use this template Fill in the blanks, name who signs, and send — from FileIt eSignature.

What is a rent-free occupancy agreement?

Letting a son between jobs, a parent after a move, or a friend in a hard patch live in a property you own is generous. It can also become awkward when nobody agreed how long it lasts or who pays the electricity. A short written agreement keeps the favour from turning into a family dispute.

This agreement gives personal permission to live in the property without rent, names anyone else who may live there, and sets a start date and an optional end date. Either side can end it with written notice. You choose who pays the bills, list what you keep paying as owner, and set the occupier's everyday upkeep and pet rules. It records that the parties don't intend to create a tenancy, while acknowledging that the facts and local law decide that in the end.

Best for
Family members or friends living in an owner's property for free
Signed by
Owner and occupier, initialled on every page
Term
Fixed end date or open-ended, with written notice either way
Length
2 pages

When to use a rent-free occupancy agreement

  • An adult child living in a flat their parents bought
  • A grandparent moving into a family-owned cottage
  • A friend minding an empty house during a long work posting
  • A sibling staying in an inherited home while the estate is settled
  • A carer living in a relative's spare property nearby

What you fill in

16 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: owner, occupier.

1 The arrangement

  • Date of this agreement*
  • Owner name(s)*
  • Occupier name(s)*
  • Relationship to the owner (optional)
  • Address of the property*
  • Others who may live there (optional)

2 How long

  • Start date*
  • End date (optional)
  • Notice to leave (days)*

3 Costs

  • Household bills* The Occupier pays all utility bills, internet and any local occupier taxes for the period of the stay. · The Owner pays the utility bills. The Occupier pays for internet and any other services the Occupier chooses. · The Owner pays all bills and charges.
  • Owner keeps paying*
  • Occasional contribution (optional)

4 Upkeep

  • Everyday upkeep by the occupier*
  • Pets* No pets without the Owner's written consent. · Only the pets named below
  • Pets allowed (if any)
  • Governing law*

5 Who signs

  • Owner signature and date, initials on every page · The owner of the property, or one owner signing with the others' agreement.
  • Occupier signature and date, initials on every page · The adult who will live in the property. If two adults will live there, name both above and have each one sign.

What the rent-free occupancy agreement covers

  1. Permission to live there
  2. No tenancy
  3. How long
  4. Costs
  5. Looking after the Property
  6. Insurance and lenders
  7. General

Using the rent-free occupancy agreement, step by step

1 Name the people and the place

Enter the owner, the occupier and their relationship, the property and anyone else who will live there.

2 Set the timing

Choose the start date, an end date if there is one, and the days of written notice either side must give.

3 Agree the costs

Choose who pays the household bills, list what the owner keeps paying, and note any small contribution.

4 Upkeep, pets and signing

Describe the occupier's everyday upkeep, choose the pet rule, add the governing law and send it to sign.

Tips before you send it

  • Regular payments can make the arrangement look like a tenancy. If you want a contribution, keep it modest, tie it to real costs and take advice.
  • Tell your building insurer and mortgage lender if their terms require it. Some policies change when someone else lives in the property.
  • Keep your own set of keys and actually visit now and then, as the agreement allows.
  • Store the signed agreement in your vault alongside the property's deed and insurance policy.

Sign it online in minutes

  1. Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
  2. Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. FileIt builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
  3. Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in your vault and emailed to everyone.
Use the rent-free occupancy agreement template — it’s free

Rent-free occupancy agreement: frequently asked questions

Does this stop the occupier becoming a tenant?

It records that both sides intend no tenancy, and sets terms that support that, such as no rent, personal permission and owner access. But a court looks at the real facts and local law, so it can't guarantee the outcome.

How much notice do I have to give?

You set the number of days. The agreement adds that any longer period the law requires applies. Some places give rent-free occupiers a minimum notice period.

Can the occupier take in a lodger?

No. The occupier may not sublet, take lodgers, let the place for short stays or pass the permission on. Only the people named may live there, plus occasional guests.

Is it worth e-signing an agreement with family?

Yes. A signed, dated copy everyone can find later helps memories match. E-signatures are recognised for agreements like this in most countries, and FileIt keeps the audit trail with the PDF.

Use this template — free