There are times in our lives when someone we care about needs a roof over their head for a while. It might be that relatives are visiting from overseas or a friend has just gone through a hard break-up. Although not a permanent arrangement, living with someone is very different to welcoming them as a visitor, and you need to be fully prepared.

Be clear from the start that they’re not a weekend guest and you won’t be running around cooking and tidying up after them (unless you want to of course), they’re going to have to pull their weight. You also need to set up some boundaries in the same way you would for a lodger or tenant. The most important thing to find out before they move in is roughly how long they’re planning to stay – and if possible the absolute latest leaving date. You’ll be surprised how a few weeks can turn into many months and, unless you’ve talked about it in advance, it’ll be really hard to ask them to move out without sounding unfriendly.

In the first few days sit down together and establish some house rules that you’re both happy with. This is very handy when dealing with good friends and family, as it’s not always easy to tell them what you’re annoyed about without hurting their feelings. The sorts of topics to cover include: levels of noise, agreeing on a quiet time between, say, 11pm and 7am, cleaning duties, visitors, other people staying, sharing the bills and breakages. The last two might sound a bit cold but you don’t want to end up out of pocket at the end of their stay.

If you’re living alone and are claiming a single person’s discount for your council tax, you should speak to your local council about whether having someone to stay will affect it. Normally, if the person has another main residence it doesn’t.

Don’t forget to clear a shelf in the fridge and some kitchen cupboard space for them to store their food and drink and, if you are sharing food costs, decide which items you’re prepared to pay for together. It’s also an idea to find out what they’re expecting at mealtimes. For example, they may think you’ll be having a cooked dinner together nearly every night, but if that’s not your style they need to know.

Having someone stay in your home for an extended period not only affects your lifestyle but also your contents insurance. In the same way as having a lodger or tenant, a long-stay guest in the house is an extra risk and your insurer needs to know about this change in circumstance or else any claim you make could be rejected.

And remember that any claims for theft will only be accepted if there is evidence of a break-in, so make sure you fully trust the person you’re allowing to stay in your home for free. Keep your home fully protected at all times by showing your house guest how to lock the windows for example and running through your security set-up. And don’t forget to tell your guest that they will have to sort out insurance for their possessions as your policy won’t cover them.

You might want to think about adding accidental damage to your contents insurance if it’s not already included – but make sure it covers people staying for long periods. After all, you don’t want a bit of red wine on the carpet or a broken ornament to ruin your relationship.