Write a letter asking to sublet

Information about the tool

This tool creates a letter asking your landlord if you can sublet your rental unit.

After you answer a series of questions, you’ll get an email with the letter. Review it carefully and make any changes you want.

Note: CLEO does not store your personal information.

What you need to get started

To use this tool, you need:

your email address
a mailing address for when you move out
the name and address of your landlord
the dates you want the sublet to start and end
the name of the subtenant, who's the person you want to sublet to

What is subletting

When you sublet, a new tenant, called the subtenant, moves into your unit for a fixed period of time while you move out. You move back in when the sublet ends.

You’re still responsible for the terms of your rental agreement during the sublet. For example, if the subtenant does not pay the rent, you might have to.

Don't use this tool if you want to:

move out for good and have a new tenant take over your rental agreement. This is called assigning your rental unit.
get a roommate who rents from you, while you still live in the unit. This is called having an authorized occupant or roommate. Learn more about roommates using CLEO's tool Sharing Rental Housing?

If your landlord refuses

Your landlord can’t refuse to let you sublet without a good reason.

If your landlord refuses or rejects your subtenant, there are steps you can take.

Fees and expenses

Your landlord can charge you for reasonable expenses they have related to the sublet. For example, this could be the cost of doing a credit check on the subtenant, or for advertising if they find the subtenant.

Your landlord can't charge for cleaning or general "sublet fees".

Ask your landlord for proof of their costs, such as receipts.

If you have questions about what reasonable expenses are, it's important to get legal advice.

Your information

Fields marked with an asterisk * must be filled in.

My name *

First

Last

My address *

Address line 1

Address line 2

Town/city

Province

Postal code

My email (where this letter will be sent) *

Email

Confirm Email

My signature (see instructions below)

Clear Signature

Adding your signature

You can add your signature now or when you get the email with your letter. If you do it now, you won't have to print off and sign your letter and then scan it before sending.

You can sign with your mouse if you're using a computer. You can sign with your finger if you’re using a touch screen device like a phone or tablet.

If you want to re-do your signature, click on the X in the top-right corner of the box.

Landlord information

You must tell your landlord in writing that you want to sublet. You have to enter your landlord's name. You don't have to enter an address or email address. But if you don't, the letter will have a blank space where this information would go.

Landlord’s name *

First

Last

Landlord’s address

Address line 1

Address line 2

Town/city

Province

Postal code

Landlord's email

Email

Confirm Email

Subletting information

Name of subtenant *

First

Last

Enter the date you want the sublet to start *

Enter the date you want the sublet to end (see instructions below) *

Choosing the end date for the sublet

You must choose an end date that's before the end of your rental agreement. This means:

If your rental agreement is for a fixed term, like a year, the sublet must end before your rental agreement ends.
If you rent month-to-month, the sublet must be shorter than a month.
If you rent by the week, the sublet must be shorter than a week.

For example, if your rental agreement is for one year and it ends on May 31, the sublet must end on May 30 or earlier.

Once your initial rental agreement ends, you automatically continue to rent by the month. If this applies to you, your sublet must be shorter than a month.

Date you’ll send the letter *

Enter the date when you want your landlord to reply (see instructions below) *

Date when you want a reply

Give your landlord a reasonable amount of time to reply. Most landlords will want to check references and do a credit check for the subtenant. A few days are probably not enough.

The law does not set a time limit for the landlord to reply. If they take too long, you might be able to apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) and argue that not replying is the same as refusing without a good reason.

But you might want to send the landlord a reminder before you take that step.

Get your letter

To review the information you entered, click "Previous" at the bottom of the page.

Before clicking "Submit" to get your email, read what's below.

You must sign the letter before sending it to your landlord.

To send by email:

select "Forward" on the email you receive
review the content and make any changes
add your signature if it's not already there
add your landlord's email address and press "Send"

Send the letter by email only if your landlord has told you in writing that it’s okay to send things this way.

To send by mail or give to your landlord in person:

copy the text of the email you receive into another program, like MS Word
review the content and make any changes
add your signature if it's not already there

Make sure to keep a copy for yourself.