Can I foster if I rent my home?

The key issue is not whether you own your home, but whether your tenancy permits fostering and whether the arrangement can support a child throughout a placement. Renting does not automatically prevent you from being approved, but you should address your housing arrangements at an early stage rather than waiting until the assessment is advanced.

Start by reading your tenancy agreement carefully. Look for clauses covering additional occupants, using the property for work or other purposes, alterations, inspections, pets and notification of changes to your household. Fostering is different from taking in a lodger or subletting, and a foster child would not become a tenant. However, your landlord or housing provider may still need to consider how fostering fits with the terms of your tenancy.

If you rent privately, contact the landlord or property manager before making an application. Explain that you are considering becoming a foster carer and ask what information they need to make a decision. Keep a record of any conditions attached to their approval. If a letting agent manages the property, check whether the landlord or another property owner has the authority to give the final decision.

People living in council or housing association properties should speak to their housing provider. Ask whether fostering affects occupancy rules, household information held on the tenancy, rent arrangements or any housing-related support you receive. These points can depend on your individual tenancy and circumstances, so obtain advice based on your own agreement rather than relying on another tenant’s experience.

Your fostering assessment will consider whether your accommodation is likely to remain available and appropriate for the duration of a placement. This can include questions about:

• how long remains on a fixed-term tenancy and what is likely to happen when it ends;
• whether the landlord has placed any relevant conditions on the property;
• who else lives in the household and how everyone feels about fostering;
• how the child’s privacy and day-to-day routines would be managed; and
• whether the household can provide a consistent base without frequent moves being expected.

A fixed-term tenancy does not necessarily rule out fostering. The important point is to be open about the tenancy length, any planned move and the prospects of remaining in the property. If you expect to move, discuss this during the assessment so that the fostering team can consider how it may affect a child and whether the new home would need to be assessed.

Do not make alterations to the property simply because you are considering fostering. Items such as stair gates, additional storage, locks or other equipment may require the landlord’s agreement. Check your tenancy terms and insurance arrangements before making changes, and keep copies of any permissions or relevant correspondence.

If a landlord will not agree to fostering, do not breach the tenancy or conceal the arrangement. Ask the fostering team what this means for your application and whether your circumstances could be reconsidered if your housing changes. You may need to resolve the tenancy issue, move to a suitable property or wait until you have a different housing arrangement before proceeding.

Become a Foster Family can guide you through the housing questions raised during the application, explain what information may be needed and help you understand how the assessment fits alongside landlord discussions. Be ready to provide your tenancy agreement and any relevant correspondence, and raise uncertainties early. Clear information about your accommodation allows the assessment to focus on whether the whole arrangement can offer a stable home for a child.