Can You Sublet Your Room While on Placement or Away?

The Short Answer

You have no automatic right to sublet. Whether you can depends entirely on your tenancy agreement and your landlord's written permission. Since the Renters' Rights Act brought in periodic tenancies for everyone from 1 May 2026, an implied legal principle (Section 15 of the Housing Act 1988) now applies universally: a tenant cannot sublet without the landlord's consent - and the landlord generally doesn't even need a good reason to refuse.

Subletting vs. a Lodger vs. Assignment - They're Not the Same Thing

This distinction matters for exactly the situation you're in:

• Subletting: you create a separate agreement with a subtenant, who pays rent to you, not the landlord. You remain fully responsible to your landlord throughout - this is the right mechanism if you're going away temporarily and plan to come back.
• Assignment: you formally transfer your entire tenancy to someone else, ending your own liability completely. This is for someone leaving permanently, not a temporary placement - and since the Renters' Rights Act, landlords must now have a specific permitted reason to refuse assignment of a periodic tenancy, a genuinely new right worth knowing about even if it's not the right fit for a temporary absence.
• A lodger: someone sharing space with you while you remain living there - not relevant if you're actually going away.

For a placement or study-abroad situation specifically, subletting is almost always the right mechanism, since you're planning to return.

If You're in University Halls or PBSA

Check your agreement, but assume the answer is no. University and halls-style accommodation is tied to your specific enrolment and identity as a student on that course - these agreements essentially always prohibit passing on your accommodation to someone else unless it's explicitly written in.

How to Actually Do It Properly

1. Check your tenancy agreement first for a subletting clause - it will either ban it outright, allow it with written consent, or say nothing (don't assume silence means permission)
2. Write to your landlord requesting consent - explain who you want to sublet to, for how long, and why. Get any response in writing.
3. Expect conditions - landlords commonly require the subtenant to pass referencing, and will hold you fully liable for the rent throughout, regardless of whether your subtenant actually pays

What Happens If You Sublet Without Permission

• It's a breach of your tenancy agreement, and grounds for your landlord to evict you - not just the subtenant
• You could lose your deposit to cover the breach
• Your subtenant has very few rights and may be asked to leave immediately if your own tenancy is ended as a result

If Your Landlord Says No

You don't have to just eat the cost. Worth trying instead:

• Ask about a rent reduction or pause for the period you're away - some landlords prefer this to the hassle of vetting a subtenant they didn't choose
• Ask about assignment if you won't be returning to that room at all
• Check whether the room being empty is genuinely a problem - see our guide on paying rent over summer for the wider picture on rent liability during periods you're not there

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my landlord refuse to let me sublet?

Yes - in most cases they don't even need a specific reason. Always check your tenancy agreement, but assume you need explicit written consent.

Am I still liable for rent if I sublet my room?

Yes - subletting doesn't transfer your responsibility to the landlord. You remain fully liable for the rent throughout, regardless of whether your subtenant pays you.

Do I need to do a Right to Rent check on my subtenant?

Yes, if you get permission to sublet - this becomes your legal responsibility, not your landlord's, and skipping it can result in a fine.

What's the difference between subletting and just having a lodger?

A lodger shares the space with you while you remain living there. Subletting means you're not living there - which is the relevant scenario if you're away on placement or studying abroad.