An increasing number of UK tenants are illegally subletting their rented accommodation without the consent of their landlord, according to a new study.
Research from online letting agents PropertyLetByUs found that a third of UK tenants were currently subletting their rented home without permission – and that more than half of UK tenants had plans to do so in the near future.
Furthermore, 78 per cent of tenants said that they believed they were entitled to the legal right to sublet without their landlord’s approval – despite the fact that illegal subletting in the UK currently falls under tenant fraud.
Jane Morris, Managing Director of PropertyLetByUs, urged concerned landlords to look out for the common warning signs of subletting, such as extra toothbrushes, clothing and shoes.
She advised landlords to conduct regular inspections of their properties – and to seek expert advice, should they be alerted to any suspicion.
“Many tenants will try to hide the fact they are subletting; the warning signs can be excessive rubbish and accelerated wear and tear,” she said.
“It is imperative that landlords make regular checks on the property to check for additional occupants. Illegal subletting falls under tenant fraud and renting a property makes landlords vulnerable to fraud,” she added.
96 per cent of tenants surveyed told PropertyLetByUs that they were subletting their rented property to help out members of their family, while a further 82 per cent said that they turned to subletting in order to help pay the rent.
Landlords are advised to conduct thorough checks on new tenants and ensure that they have a solid, clear and fool-proof tenancy agreement in place.