Government Resists Calls to Clarify 'Temporary Absences' In New Subletting Law

The Government is pressing ahead with plans to criminalise subletting but only where the tenant no longer lives in the property or has given up possession.  It has shied away from "prescribing more closely" circumstances of temporary non-occupation - e.g. where a tenant moves temporarily to care for a relative or at the other extreme, moves in with a partner. Its subletting plans were outlined in a summary of responses from the consultation, which closed in April.  The CLG said it wanted to avoid creating new criminal offences when existing criminal sanctions may already be available.  Download a copy of the consultation response from the CLG website.