The rules around subletting your home will depend on the specific type of lease you hold.
Shared ownership leaseholders
If you want to sublet all or part of your home, you must always check with your property management officer (PMO) to see if this is allowed. If you are allowed to sublet, you will be responsible for the sub-tenants and would be held responsible if their actions broke the terms of your lease.
Leases for most shared ownership properties will not allow subletting and we are not able to grant consent to sublet your property as this would breach the terms of your lease. However, in a small number of circumstances (such as a need to relocate temporarily for work, caring responsibilities or armed service) we will tolerate shared ownership leaseholders subletting for a time-limited period, provided certain conditions are met.
Subletting and building safety
There are also circumstances where we allow shared owners to sublet because the need for building safety works or the lack of an EWS1 form prevent them from being able to sell their home. In these cases, permission to sublet can be considered for a period up to two years and extended if necessary, upon further request.
100% owners
If you own 100% of your home, you do not generally need our permission to sublet your property. However, as the leaseholder you will remain responsible for your property as if you live there, which means you must fulfil certain responsibilities. For example:
- Fulfilment of lease terms: The leaseholder continues to hold responsibility for the fulfilment of lease terms. This includes the payment of service charge and ground rent (if applicable). It remains your responsibility as the leaseholder to cover the cost to ensure that you do not fall into arrears. It’s important you are still complying with the terms of the lease even if you are not occupying the property
- Landlord’s insurance: Ensure you take out landlord’s insurance. Our building insurance policy does not cover the rehousing of sub-tenants in the event of insurable peril, which means you must take out landlord’s insurance to ensure this is covered. It will also provide you with financial protection. Please also let us know if you are a landlord so we can inform our insurers and ensure our buildings insurance is not voided
- Access: If we require access to the property for any reason (such as for a repair) it is for the leaseholder to comply with our request and ensure the sub-tenant can provide access if the leaseholder can’t
- Sub-tenant behaviour and anti-social behaviour: The leaseholder, not us, is responsible for the sub-tenant’s behaviour. This includes any anti-social behaviour (ASB) committed by the sub-tenant. If there are reports of ASB, we will contact you and follow our ASB procedure as normal
Airbnb
We do not allow our residents to Airbnb their property, regardless of their equity share. This is because under the terms of most leases, there is a clause regarding private residence in single occupation. As most Airbnb lets are short term of under 90 days, you cannot use your flat for this purpose as this would be in breach of your lease and likely planning permission too.