Can I foster while renting? 

Can you be a foster parent if you rent your home?

  Becoming a foster carer and renting your home aren't always two subjects synonymous with each other – as many people believe that if they don’t own their own home, fostering a child is not possible. However, this is a myth – and actually, living in rented accommodation would not affect your eligibility to foster a child. 
   
Fostering while renting your home is in fact something that many people do and is very much acceptable, but it is important that you check with your landlord (this can be a private, housing association or council) that there is no clause in the lease preventing you from doing this. It’s also worth checking if it needs to be included in the contract that there is another tenant staying in the home. 

Criteria for fostering in a rented home 

Before looking to sign up to become a foster carer, it’s also a good idea to check that your family meet the fostering criteria needed for fostering. This includes being over the age of 21, being a full time UK resident and having a spare bedroom in your home. 
  
Some foster children may not have ever had their own bedroom before – which is why it’s worth considering how you can make this space feel like their own as they adjust to their new life where they are allowed to play and relax. The only cases where foster children can share a room with each other is if they are foster siblings who are under the age of 10.   
  
Part of the fostering assessment process will involve a home check, assessing the property, pets, your living situation and others that you live with. It’s important that where the foster children are placed is stable and a supportive environment – so the foster family should be planning on remaining in their home, not be in rent arrears or in any risk of eviction. 
  
Other requirements that will be looked at by the team will include your financial situation, what your experience is around children, home life and also, if applicable, if you have any past criminal convictions. Learn more about if you can foster from our detailed myth-busting guide. 

What if you are renting out your house or rooms?   

If you have a number of spare bedrooms and rent a room out on a temporary basis, such as through Airbnb or SpareRoom, this will be part of your assessment. Fostering a child should become the family's main priority, as providing them with a stable and consistent environment is very important. Therefore, their wellbeing should be at the forefront of any decisions made within the household, which includes how other spare bedrooms are used within the home.  
  
If you have a permanent lodger, this too will be assessed by the team as part of the fostering process. This is because they’re likely to be spending time around the child, which then means that their eligibility will also need to be considered. 
  
Our team at Excel will be able to help with more details about fostering a child and our experts are on hand to assist with any questions you may have. Get in touch with a member of our friendly team today.