BOARD, a plank or long narrow piece of timber. The phrase "to keep one's name on the boards," at Cambridge university, signifies to remain a member of a college. Board was early used of a table, hence such phrases as "bed and board," "board and lodging"; or of a gaming-table, as in the phrase "to sweep the board," meaning to pocket all the stakes. The same meaning leads to "board of trade," etc.
From the meaning of border or side, and especially ship's side, comes "seaboard" meaning sea-coast, and the phrases "aboard" (Fr. abord), "overboard," "by the board"; similarly "weather board," the side of a ship which is to windward, "larboard and starboard." a private house in which the pro prietor provides board and lodging for paying guests. The posi tion of a guest in a boarding-house differs in English law, to some extent, on the one hand from that of a lodger in the ordinary sense of the term, and on the other from that of a guest in an inn. Unlike the lodger, he frequently has not the exclusive occu pation of particular rooms. Unlike the guest in an inn, his land lord has no lien upon his property for rent or any other debt due in respect of his board (Thompson v. Lacy, 182o, 3 B. and Ald. 283). The landlord is, however, under an obligation to take reasonable care for the safety of property brought by a guest into his house, and is liable for damages in case of breach of this obligation (Scarborough v. Cosgrove, 1905, 2 K.B. 803 ; see BAIL MENT). Again, unlike the innkeeper, a boarding-house keeper does not hold himself out as ready to receive all travellers for whom he has accommodation, for which they are ready to pay, and of course he is entitled to get rid of any guest on giving reasonable notice (see Lamond v. Richard, 1897, I Q.B. What is reasonable notice depends on the terms of the contract; and, subject thereto, the course of payment of rent is a material circumstance (see LANDLORD AND TENANT). Apparently the same implied warranty of fitness for habitation at the commencement of the tenancy which exists in the case of furnished lodgings (see LODGER AND LODGINGS) exists also in the case of boarding-houses; and the guest in a boarding-house, like a lodger, is entitled to all the usual and necessary conveniences of a dwelling-house. Although a boarding-house keeper is carrying on a "business," water supplied to him by a waterworks company but used only in the house for cleaning, cooking, drinking and sanitary purposes, may be water supplied for "domestic purposes" and not for those of "any trade, manufacture or business" (Pidgeon v. Great Yar mouth Waterworks Co. (1902), I K.B. 31o).
The law of the United States is similar to English law.
Under the French Code Civile, claims for subsistence furnished to a debtor and his family during the last year of his life by boarding-house keepers (maitres de pension) are privileged over the generality of movables, the privilege being exercisable after legal expenses, funeral expenses, the expenses of the last illness, and the wages of servants for the year elapsed and what is due for the current year (art. 2,101 [5] ). Keepers of taverns (aubergis tes) and hotels (hoteliers) are responsible for the goods of their guests—the committal of which to their custody is regarded as a deposit of necessity (depot necessaire). They are liable for the loss of such goods by theft, whether by servants or strangers, but not where the loss is due to force majeure (arts. 1,95 Their liability for money, securities, jewellery and objects of value of any kind not actually deposited is limited to I,000 francs (law of April 18, These provisions, which have been held in France, however, not to extend to maitres de pension (Carpentier, Code Civil, art. 1,952, No. 27), are reproduced in substance, and with an extension to boarding-house keepers, in the Civil Codes of Quebec (arts. 1,814, 1,815, 1,994, 2,006) and of St. Lucia (art. 1,889). In Quebec, boarding-house keepers have a lien on the goods of their guests for the value or price of any food or accom modation furnished to them, and have also a right to sell their baggage and other property, if the amount remains unpaid for three months, under conditions similar to those imposed on inn keepers in England (art. 1,816 A; and see INNS AND INNKEEP ERS) ; also in the Civil Code of St. Lucia (arts. 1,714, 1,715).