Sublet

A sublet (or sublease) is an arrangement where a tenant rents their unit, or part of it, to a third party while remaining a party to the original lease. The original tenant becomes a sub-landlord; the new occupant is a subtenant. The original tenant remains responsible to the landlord for rent and lease compliance — the landlord doesn’t care whether the subtenant pays; they care that you do.

Most leases require the landlord’s consent for a sublet. State law often constrains the landlord’s ability to refuse — many states require landlords to "not unreasonably withhold consent," which means they can object to specific subtenants for documented reasons but can’t blanket-refuse. A few cities have additional protections (notably New York under Real Property Law § 226-b).

Sublets are commonly conflated with assignments. They are different: a sublet preserves the original lease and adds a new layer; an assignment transfers the original tenant’s lease entirely to a new party, releasing the original tenant. Most leases prohibit assignments more strictly than sublets.

Before subletting, get written landlord consent (or at least documented non-objection), have a written sublet agreement with the subtenant covering rent and house rules, and understand that you remain on the hook to the landlord. If the subtenant trashes the place or stops paying, the landlord comes after you.