Subletting a leasehold flat
The answer sits in the covenant you actually signed.
Some leases prohibit subletting. Some require consent. Some set conditions. Find the wording, the decision-maker and the proposed letting before advertising the flat.
Start here
Read four layers before saying yes or no.
The lease covenant
Quote the restriction in full. Check whether it is an absolute prohibition, requires consent or permits subletting subject to stated conditions.
The person who decides
Identify the landlord, management company or other party whose written consent the lease requires. Do not assume the managing agent owns the decision.
The proposed letting
Record the tenancy type, term, occupiers and intended use. A long residential tenancy and a short holiday let may engage different wording and rules.
The other permissions
Check the mortgage, buildings and contents insurance, planning position and landlord obligations created by the proposed tenancy separately.
Work through it
Make a consent request someone can actually decide.
- 01
Send it in writing
Use the notice route in the lease where one is specified. Date the request and keep the complete pack and delivery record.
- 02
Give relevant information
Provide the proposed tenancy and the information reasonably needed to consider the covenant, without turning the request into an unnecessary data collection exercise.
- 03
Separate consent from administration
Identify any fee, registration, deed or notice requirement and the lease wording said to support it. These are not automatically the same question as consent.
- 04
Record the decision
Keep the consent, refusal, reasons, conditions and date. Do not rely on an informal conversation when the lease requires writing.
Take the next step in LEASE-iQ
Is this prohibited, permitted or subject to consent?
Use this for subletting, pets, alterations, assignment or another proposed use.
Keep checking: The answer depends on the exact covenant and proposed activity. A disputed refusal or material transaction may need legal advice.
Open the sources
Read the covenant before asking for consent.
This guide does not confirm that a particular flat may be sublet or that consent has been unreasonably withheld. The lease, proposed tenancy, mortgage, insurance, facts and current landlord-and-tenant rules all matter.
Duties where a lease covenant requires consent to assignment, underletting or other dealings
↗Independent guidanceLEASE subletting guideCurrent independent guidance on lease wording, consent and practical checks
↗Government updateGOV.UK private renting guideCurrent government overview of landlord responsibilities
↗Lease-consent sources checked 18 August 2026. This page does not cover every rule that applies after somebody becomes a landlord.
