Subletting your property

If you have a mortgage you may need to inform your bank or building society. You should check the terms of your mortgage.

If you sublet your property, you may not be covered for accidental damage under the building insurance policy. You must tell us that you are subletting your property so that we can check that any insurance claim you make is covered.

Note that letting your property via short term holiday let platforms such as Airbnb does not count as legitimate subletting allowed under the terms of the lease, as such it is not allowed. You must ensure your tenants do not sublet your property on these platforms.

If you or anybody you know is a victim of domestic violence there is no need to suffer alone. Domestic abuse includes any incident or pattern of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are, or have been partners or family members, regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass, but is not limited to, the following types o abuse – psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional.

You can call housing management in confidence on 0207 364 5015 and we will put you through to the housing officer or a member of their team. They will arrange to meet with you face to face and talk to you about what we can do to help. If we cannot help you directly, we can refer you to organisations that can, with your consent. Please find below useful contacts:

• National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 200 0247
• GALOP – National LGBT & Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0800 999 5428
• Karma Nirvana – for victims of honour – based abuse and forced marriage: 0800 599 9247
• Men’s Advice Line: support for male victims: 0808 801 0327
• Respect Phoneline: support for perpetrators (male & female): 0808 802 4040
• Tower Hamlets Solace Women’s Aid: 0203 795 5064

Batteries can get hot during their use and should be cooled before attempting to recharge.

Residents must ensure electric bikes and scooters are stored in a safe location, such as in a shed or a garage, and if they must be stored inside the property, make sure there is smoke detection fitted and the means of escape is not obstructed. We suggest not to charge them when asleep and that they don’t block any fire exit routes or communal walkways while charging. For more guidance on how to safely charge e-bikes or e-scooters, please visit the London Fire Brigade website.

To meet fire safety requirements and to increase fire safety, leaseholders must maintain minimum safety criteria for internal and external doors. Leaseholders are required to have minimum FD30S for external doors and FD30 for internal doors. Leaseholders should also have evidence of their Fire door specification that shows that it meets current fire safety regulations.

If you are subletting your property as a house in multiple occupation (HMO), aside from your external doors, you must have self-closing fire doors installed in each bedroom. These internal fire doors must always be kept clear. The internal fire doors should all be officially fire-rated and comply with at least the minimum fire resistance criteria of 30 minutes containment. Every room should be fitted with fire doors with self-closing mechanisms or door closers. Also, FD30 fire doors should be installed on every doorway leading on to an identified escape route.

A deed of covenant (for subletting) is a supplemental legal document agreed between you (the leaseholder) and your tenants(s) when subletting your property. A deed of covenant ensures that your tenants agree to conditions and rules that mirror those contained in your lease document, as agreed with your landlord (LBTH). You as the leaseholder are responsible for the behaviours of your tenant(s). A deed of covenant must be completed for all tenancies that are for a term of 12 months or more. This also applies if an existing tenant has remained in the property for period of 12 months or more between agreements. Please be aware that e-signatures will not be sufficient for the deed of covenant, as it must be signed physically and independently witnessed. A managing agent may independently witness the agreement, but will not be accepted in place of Tenant signatures. A deed of covenant is compulsory, where you are parting with possession of the property. Please note that your managing agent or any other company must be made aware that by signing the deed of covenant they are agreeing to the terms in your lease. This includes taking on responsibility for registering all subsequent sublets with the Council, as and when they occur.

The key information necessary to fill in the deed of covenant can found in your lease agreement document. Your Solicitor will have a copy of the, or you can request a copy to download from the Land Registry website. Should you have any questions, please contact us by phone on 0207 364 5015.