Subletting – A housing crisis for North West Landlords.

Subletting – the practice of an official tenant letting out part (or in some cases all) of their rented accommodation to another person, known as a ‘sub-tenant’. The meaning in legal terms is that the act of leasing the property comes from the tenant rather than the landlord. Most landlords will be well aware of this practice and when agreed fully it can work well for both landlord and tenant/s, for example when the landlord prohibits this practice and it is stipulated in the contract between landlord and tenant.

However there’s a current rise in cases of subletting where the landlord is unaware that the tenant is letting out part of the property to other ‘unofficial tenants’. Worrying this trend seems to be particular growing across the North West region. A recent study by Home insurance company Direct Line (yes we know, take anything from an insurance company with a pinch of salt), revealed that just over a quarter a tenants in the North West do or have sublet their rental home.

The North West Landlord’s Association highlighted cause for concern, suggesting that as well as the various legal implications landlords should be careful with having people who they don’t know and are typically un-vetted residing in their properties. Recent horror stories include huge fines when inadvertently failing to comply with HMO (Houses in Multiple Occupation) licensing legislation. The HMO legislation states that landlords must have a licence when letting properties which comprise of three or more storeys and compromise of 5 or more unrelated people.

With record numbers of evictions occurring and a 5% rise in rental costs over the last year some tenants are keen to protect themselves by generating additional income through sharing their living space unofficially. The growth of companies such as Airbnb means there are more avenues available for promoting unofficial, short and long-term subletting practices.

Naturally with February’s introduction of Right to Rent the focus is on the landlord to be aware of who lives at their property/s (including history and any unspent convictions) and so it’s crucial landlords protect themselves against unnecessary fines.

What are your experiences of subletting?

Alex Evans

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Housing market’s summer surge dampened by soaring stamp duty costs

Housing market activity has surged, with buyer demand up 11 per cent and agreed sales up eight per cent year-on-year, defying typical summer slowdown National house price inflation has slowed to 1.3 per cent, driven by a 12 per cent increase in homes for sale and higher stamp duty costs for many buyers Higher stamp…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Rents reach another new record as tenants pay £400 more than five years ago

The average advertised rent of homes outside of London has risen to another new record this quarter of £1,365 per calendar month (pcm), but the yearly pace of rent growth continues to slow: London rents also reach a 15th consecutive new record of £2,712 pcm this quarter Five years on from the pandemic, new tenants…
Read More
Breaking News

Six UK vineyards where homebuyers avoid the 84% premium

Six affordable UK vineyards where homebuyers avoid the 84% house price premium and toast a better deal The latest research from Yopa has revealed that living close to one of the UK’s top vineyards will set homebuyers back an average of £494,739, 84% more than the current UK average house price. However, there remain a…
Read More
Breaking News

Red tape slashed to revamp high streets with new cafes and bars

Communities and town centres across the UK are set to benefit from a wave of new cafes, bars, music venues and outdoor dining options, as the Government slashes red tape to breathe new life into the high street. Government to overhaul planning and licensing rules to make it quicker and easier for new cafes, bars…
Read More
Breaking News

London’s prime parks command 86% property premium

The latest research from Jefferies London has found that buyers hoping to live within arm’s reach of one of the capital’s royal parks will need to stump up a serious property price premium, with the average price of property around these green spaces coming in 86% higher than the average London house price. Jefferies London…
Read More
Planning disputes on new build land
Breaking News

Padel Boom Sparks 113% Surge in Planning Applications

17,000 UK Sites Ripe for Development New insight from Searchland reveals that planning applications for padel courts surged by more than 113% in 2024, with the upward trend expected to continue throughout 2025. The explosive growth of the sport in the UK has unlocked a wealth of potential for developers and investors, with Searchland estimating…
Read More