Introduction to hosting

Learn what it means to become a London Homestays host family.

Hosting is about more than providing a room — it’s about helping someone feel at home while they study, work or train in London. We’re looking for warm, welcoming hosts who are happy to include guests in everyday home life (as much or as little as suits both sides).

Most placements are for adults (18+). Some hosts also choose to accommodate 16–17-year-old students, with additional checks and guidance.

Under-18 placements are ages 16–17 only. We do not place under-16s individually.

Existing host? Log in to the Host Portal

At-a-glance: is hosting likely to be a fit?

A quick sense-check before you apply:

You’re in London Zones 1–6 (strongest demand is usually Zones 1–4).
Wi‑Fi is available for guests.
English is the main language spoken in the home while guests are staying.
You can offer a clean, comfortable bedroom (single rooms are most requested).
You can offer one or more options: self-catering, bed & breakfast, or half board.
You’re happy to respond promptly to booking requests and keep your availability up to date.
You’re able to offer a friendly welcome and treat guests as you would a visitor to your home.

Not sure about travel times? Apply anyway — we’ll confirm whether your location is suitable for current requests.

What a “homestay” is

A homestay is accommodation in a real home, with a host who offers a safe, comfortable environment and a friendly, everyday experience of life in London. Guests often choose homestay because they want a home-from-home feeling — not just somewhere to sleep.

Guests may spend time out at school or work, but it helps when the home feels welcoming and clear about routines and expectations (for example meal times, shower times, and quiet hours).

Who you may host

We place international students and guests who are in London for study, training or work.

Typical stay lengths range from 1–2 weeks up to a full academic year (and sometimes longer if a guest renews). The average stay is around 3–4 weeks.

What you provide

Every home is different. What matters most is that guests have a clean, comfortable room and a welcoming, respectful environment.

Room types we use:

Single, twin or double rooms (most requests are for single rooms).
A comfortable bed, storage, and access to a suitable study space (for example a desk/table in the room, or a suitable desk/table elsewhere in the home).

Meal plans:

Self-catering
Bed & breakfast
Half board (breakfast + evening meal)

Meal plan details are agreed per booking. You can read the definitions on our Meal Plans Explained page.

Home environment:

A friendly welcome and clear, simple house guidance on arrival (how things work, what’s OK to use, and what to do if they’re unsure).
A home where guests can practise English and feel comfortable asking questions.
Clear house rules that are fair and easy to follow.

Private home accommodation (where relevant)

In British Council terms, “private home accommodation” may apply where a host accommodates more than four paying guests/students at the same time. If this is your set-up for adult guests, you can mention it in your application so we can register your accommodation correctly.

How bookings work

When we have a request that matches what you offer, we’ll send you the details. You can then decide whether to accept the booking.

Reliability matters. Schools, agents and guests plan travel, courses and arrivals around confirmed accommodation. If you accept a booking, we ask you to honour it wherever possible.

If something changes and you need to cancel, please tell us as soon as possible so we can arrange an alternative. Cancellations can be disruptive for guests and may affect relationships with schools and agents, so we ask hosts to cancel only if it is absolutely unavoidable.

Checks and onboarding

If your application looks like a good fit, we’ll arrange a call and explain the next steps. We normally complete an in-person home visit before the first placement, alongside reference checks.

For hosts who choose to accommodate 16–17-year-olds, additional checks and training apply. This includes DBS checks and basic safeguarding training provided by us.

For all placements arranged through our accredited language school partners, we work in line with the Accreditation UK Homestay Code of Practice.

Support and contact

Our team is available Monday–Friday, 9am–5pm. Phone lines are open 11am–3pm.

Contact options (office hours):

Web form: Contact us form (recommended for first enquiries)
Email: info@londonhomestays.com
Phone: 020 8395 0333 (calls 11am–3pm, Monday–Friday)
WhatsApp: 020 8395 0333 (message-only during office hours). Please do not use WhatsApp for emergencies.

Out-of-hours emergency support is for genuine emergencies relating to current placements. Out-of-hours emergency phone numbers are provided at booking confirmation and via our office voicemail. We do not publish emergency numbers on the website.

Payments

Hosts are paid by bank transfer. Payments are made 10 days after the guest’s arrival, and then every two weeks during the stay.

Your agreed rate depends on the booking details (location, room type and meal plan). Full terms are set out in your host agreement.

Host portal (existing hosts)

Once you are approved and active, you’ll have access to the Host Portal where you can:

Check your profile details and update information (for example household changes or new pets).
Update photos (where available).
View past and upcoming bookings.
Keep your availability up to date (including marking unavailable dates).

Host Portal login

What hosts say

“My first student has just left to return home and I have thoroughly enjoyed hosting her. It has been a lovely experience for me to help her with her English and learn about her Japanese culture.
I was nervous and apprehensive at first but it was so worthwhile and I look forward to continue hosting in the future. It has given me a boost knowing that I can give someone an opportunity that they may not have been able to afford without using London Homestays.”
— Audrey, Tooting

“I’ve hosted students through London Homestays for many years. This has fitted in well with family life. My adult children and I have enjoyed the company. We’ve met people from all over the world who have appreciated coming to a home where they are warmly welcomed. A spin off benefit is that we’ve had invitations to visit those we have hosted – currently, we have a trip to a wedding in Brazil on the horizon. There are so many positives. Students find their feet quickly and enjoy making friends and exploring the UK. Their energy and enthusiasm is a tonic. I recommend hosting through London Homestays.”
— Carol, Dollis Hill

“When my children went off to university and got married, my husband and I were empty nesters rattling around. We have an empty bedroom and I quite enjoy keeping it fresh for new students who come to stay with us both short and long term. Invariably, they show us a lot of respect. Coming to London to study or to work as interns is a big adventure for them and I enjoy settling them in and seeing them flourish. Some return or recommend to their friends to come and stay with us. London Homestays are a great organisation to deal with – good at communicating and highly ethical.”
— Cathy, Colindale

Useful links

In their words...

“We have been working with London Homestays since 2011. With their support, we have managed to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction. We strongly recommend London Homestays to anyone who’s looking for quality, reliability and exceptional customer service.”
Alex Fernandes, Accommodation & Visa Compliance Manager, Malvern House London
“Having worked with them since 2013, I can state that London Homestays have always taken care to match our students with suitable host families. They have a very friendly yet professional approach to their work. Our students have enjoyed staying at their homestays. Overall, students say that their host families are attentive and welcoming.”
Carl Roberton, Principal, Stafford House School of English
“We at Burlington School have worked with London Homestays since 2014, and I professionally know the team since 2009 when I worked for another company in the education and accommodation industry. Having had the opportunity to work with London Homestays since the company started operations in London, all of the enquiries have been dealt with in a dedicated and timely manner, the team members are customer-oriented and always provide an exceptional accommodation experience to our students. I have no hesitation to recommend London Homestays as excellent accommodation providers and business partners.”
Eliane Tomasi, Accommodation & Welfare Officer, Burlington School
“LSC Stanton has been working with London Homestays since 2011 and we are very pleased with the quality of accommodation and service they give to us. We have a good relationship with the team and they are always on hand to deal with any last-minute requests.”
Nick Bray, Managing Director, London Study Centre.
“Cooperation with London Homestays is always great! We highly appreciate proactive approach and effort to ensure the best possible services for our groups. We always had a great clean accommodation, friendly family and smart local organisers. Students of our groups were satisfied and they enjoyed staying in London very much. We would like to recommend this agency. The whole team is very kind.”
Miroslava Foltýnová, Owner, CK Bus Tours.
“We offer internships in London to European students and looked for a reliable partner to provide accommodation to our candidates. We have been very happy with the services provided by London Homestays, as have our candidates, as they have always received quickly information on families, the possibility to book a room in a short delay and also a good quality of families. I would recommend without any doubt this agency. The team is very professional, efficient and friendly :). We hope to send new trainees soon!”
Stéphanie Frassanito, Program Manager, Work Overseas
“Our school from the Czech Republic has had great experiences with London Homestays. The host families were generally welcoming, kind, and accommodating. The service provided by the coordinator Kate O’Connor and other admin staff is second to none.”
Kate Powers, Vice Principal for English Studies, Sunny Canadian International School
It was an amazing experience, I’ve found a new home where I feel as comfortable as I do in my own home!
Laura, student from France: Homestay booking in Zone 2
“When my children went off to university and got married, my husband and I were empty nesters rattling around. We have an empty bedroom and I quite enjoy keeping it fresh for new students who come to stay with us both short and long term. Invariably, they show us a lot of respect. Coming to London to study or to work as interns is a big adventure for them and I enjoy settling them in and seeing them flourish. Some return or recommend to their friends to come and stay with us. London Homestays are a great organisation to deal with – good at communicating and highly ethical.”
Cathy, Homestay host in Colindale, London
“My first student has just left to return home and I have thoroughly enjoyed hosting her. It has been a lovely experience for me to help her with her English and learn about her Japanese culture.
I was nervous and apprehensive at first but it was so worthwhile and I look forward to continue hosting in the future. It has given me a boost knowing that I can give someone an opportunity that they may not have been able to afford without using London Homestays”
Audrey, Homestay host in Tooting, London
My homestay host Debra transformed my stay into the most amazing experience of my whole life!
Florian, student from Belgium: Homestay booking in Zone 3
My homestay host is a lovely lady, she was very helpful and genuine. London Homestays offer an excellent, fast service and quality accommodation. I would definitely recommend to my friends!
Shelaine, student from Canada: Homestay booking in Zone 2
Daphne was a really nice and welcoming host, I really enjoyed my stay with her and her family. Thank you London Homestays for connecting me with her!
Ben, researcher from USA: Superior homestay booking
My stay with my host family makes my time at UK much more fun and exciting! Life is happening!
Bao, student from China: Homestay booking in Zone 4+
“Really, we are very happy with our room at the residence. James in the residences team has helped us with all aspects of our booking and we would like to say, big thank you from the bottom of our hearts!”
Dmitriy and Maria, two students from Russia: Residence booking
“I felt completely at ease and very comfortable with my host! She was really kind…many thanks!”
Doris, student from Italy: Superior homestay in Zone 2
“Shanghai Chelsea International Consulting (SCIC) has worked with Home from Home many times and they have provided a very professional service.”
Chan Sen, Director at Shanghai Chelsea International Consulting
“I highly recommend London Homestays! We have been working with them for a while now, and their professionalism and the quality of their homestays have always been exceptional. One of the homestays we collaborated with was so impressive that we even shared it on our YouTube channel to give our students a glimpse of the warm and welcoming environment they can expect. Thank you, London Homestays, for providing such amazing services. We look forward to continuing our partnership!”
Tuba Akca, Owner at Tubik Academy