The difference between “lodger” and “tenant”
A lodger is someone who pays rent to live in a room or rooms of a property in which the owner (or ‘landlord’) also lives. The lodger usually shares other space – such as kitchen, bathroom and perhaps sitting room – with the owner (or ‘landlord’), who might also provide other services such as cooking, cleaning or laundry.
A tenant is someone who pays rent to live in a property in which the owner (or ‘landlord’) does not also live. The tenant usually has unrestricted to the property that he or she rents.
Someone who pays rent to use a business premises is also called a ‘tenant’.
The agreement or contract between the landlord and the tenant is called the ‘tenancy’.