Property & rentals 2 signers 2 pages 17 blanks to fill in

Work Exchange Housing Agreement Template

A room for a few hours' help a day works best when both sides agree the hours, the tasks and the days off before the backpack is unpacked.

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

What is a work exchange housing agreement?

Farm stays, hostels, homesteads and busy households all run on work exchange: a bed and meals in return for help with animals, gardens, guests or the house. It goes wrong when the hours creep up, the room isn't what was promised or nobody knows how to end it.

This agreement records the room, which meals are included, the tasks, the weekly hours and usual schedule, and how many days off the guest gets. It sets the host's duty to explain tasks, provide equipment and avoid dangerous work, lets the guest refuse unsafe jobs, and covers house rules, privacy, health and insurance, arrival and departure dates and notice to end early. It also says plainly that regular work for housing can count as employment in some places, and who checks the rules.

Best for
Hosts offering a room and food in return for part-time help
Signed by
Host and guest
Sets
Weekly hours, days off, tasks, meals, stay dates and notice
Length
2 pages

When to use a work exchange housing agreement

  • A small farm hosting travellers for the harvest season
  • A guesthouse trading a room for help with changeovers
  • A family offering a student a room for help with the garden and pets
  • A retreat centre with live-in helpers
  • A sailing or ski season host taking on a helper for a few months

What you fill in

17 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: host, guest.

1 The parties

  • Date of this agreement*
  • Host*
  • Guest*
  • Guest's phone or email*
  • Guest's emergency contact*

2 Accommodation

  • Where the guest will stay*
  • Room*
  • Meals* three meals a day on working days, and use of the kitchen on days off · all meals, every day · use of the kitchen to cook for themselves; food is not provided · breakfast only, and use of the kitchen

3 The work

  • Tasks*
  • Hours of help per week*
  • Usual schedule*
  • Days off per week*

4 The stay

  • Arrival date*
  • Departure date*
  • Notice to end early (days)*
  • House rules (optional)
  • Governing law*

5 Who signs

  • Host signature and date · The person or business providing the accommodation.
  • Guest signature and date · The person who stays and helps in exchange.

What the work exchange housing agreement covers

  1. The exchange
  2. The help
  3. The stay
  4. Health, safety and insurance
  5. Legal status
  6. Ending early
  7. General

Using the work exchange housing agreement, step by step

1 Name the host and guest

Enter both parties, the guest's contact details and an emergency contact.

2 Describe the accommodation

Add the address, describe the room and choose which meals are included.

3 Agree the help

List the tasks, set the hours per week, the usual schedule and the days off.

4 Set the stay and sign

Choose arrival and departure dates, notice to end early, any house rules and the governing law, then send it to the guest.

Tips before you send it

  • Keep the hours modest and stick to them; long hours for a bed are exactly what labour inspectors look at.
  • If your guest is coming from abroad, check whether their visa allows a work exchange at all.
  • Send photos of the room and a sample week's schedule before they travel, so expectations match.
  • Save a copy of the guest's passport, travel insurance and this agreement in your vault for the stay.

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 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 work exchange housing agreement template — it’s free

Work exchange housing agreement: frequently asked questions

Is a work exchange guest an employee?

It depends on local law. In many places regular work for room and board counts as employment, with minimum wage and tax rules. The agreement flags this and makes the host responsible for checking.

Can the host ask for extra hours?

Only by agreement, and extra hours are balanced by time off. The host can't regularly ask for more than the agreed weekly hours.

Is the guest a tenant?

The agreement says the guest stays as a guest, not a tenant, and the right to stay ends with the agreement. It doesn't remove any right the law gives either party.

Can we sign it before the guest arrives?

Yes. Send it by email through FileIt eSign; the guest signs from wherever they are, and you both get the signed PDF with an audit trail.

Use this template — free