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An interesting story hit the Twittersphere recently, when a company specialising in sub-letting plugged a blog claiming that students had the right to sub-let their private rental accommodation during the holidays. Of course it wasn’t long before a property lawyer disavowed their claim.
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Sub-Letting is a ‘Student Right’
The blog, which was titled ‘Subletting as a tenant right’ announced that it was perfectly legal to sub-let. The company claimed that the landlord could not reasonably withhold consent as the freedom ruling had been enshrined in common law since 1927.
Giles Peaker from Nearly Legal sent out a large number of tweets highlighting the fact that the advice from Unlease was incorrect at best and basically utter garbage. He reminded students that sub-letting meant almost certain eviction.
He even @mentioned the National Union of Students, just to make sure no unwitting students took the company up on their offer.
“Hi @nusuk This lot appear to be encouraging students to sublet. Their ‘legal advice’ is wrong & will mean eviction.”
It wasn’t long before a student replied to the tweet and said representatives from the company had been to his university to promote the sub-letting service.
Landlords: Check Your Properties!
In theory, sub-letting student accommodation during the summer, when you are paying for a room you are not there to use, is a good thing. Sadly, it is illegal and if you let to students, you should probably check up on the property after summer term has ended, just in case someone else is living there.
