Sublease agreement template
Rent your place to a subtenant with the terms written down.
A sublease agreement puts a temporary arrangement in writing: you keep your lease, someone else lives in the unit and pays you. The template below covers the terms, but the first thing to check is whether your landlord has consented, because that is where most sublets go wrong.
Opens a fillable version in your browser. Free, no account, nothing uploaded.
Fields in this form
- Original tenant name
- Subtenant name
- Property address
- Sublease start date
- Sublease end date
- Monthly rent
- Deposit
- Terms and conditions
- Tenant signature
- Subtenant signature
About the sublease agreement
A sublease agreement is between a current tenant and a new subtenant who takes over some or all of the rental. It sets out the rent, the term, and the rules the subtenant agrees to.
This fillable template covers the core terms and gives both parties a clean PDF to sign and keep.
When you need it
- You are leaving for a while and want to sublet your place.
- You are renting a spare room to a subtenant.
- You want the sublet terms written down and signed.
Where it stands legally
Ontario: a tenant needs the landlord's consent to sublet, and the landlord cannot arbitrarily or unreasonably withhold that consent (section 97 of the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006). If the landlord refuses without a good reason, the tenant can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board. Some tenants do not have sublet rights, for example superintendents and tenants in subsidized housing.
In a sublet the original tenant stays on the lease and remains responsible to the landlord for rent and damage. The subtenant's agreement is with you, not the landlord. That is the difference from an assignment, where the new person takes over the lease and you step out.
Other provinces and US states: most require landlord consent, and many leases have a clause about it. Some cities with short-term rental rules restrict sublets under 28 or 30 days. Read your own lease first, then the tenancy law where the unit is.
A sublease cannot give the subtenant more than you have. If your lease ends in six months, the sublease cannot run for a year.
General information, not legal advice. Rules differ by province, state and city, and they change. Confirm the current rule where the document will be used.
What each field means and how to fill it
| Field | What it means | How to fill it |
|---|---|---|
| Original tenant name | You, the person on the head lease. | Match the name on your lease. |
| Subtenant name | The person who will live in the unit and pay you. | Full legal name. Consider a copy of ID and a reference. |
| Property address | The unit or room being sublet. | Say whether it is the whole unit or one room, and which shared spaces are included. |
| Sublease start and end dates | The temporary period. | Must end on or before your own lease ends. State the exact dates. |
| Monthly rent | What the subtenant pays you. | Amount, due date and how it is paid. Some tenancy laws limit what a tenant may charge a subtenant; Ontario's Act has rules on this, so confirm with the Landlord and Tenant Board before setting a higher figure. |
| Deposit | Money you hold from the subtenant. | Follow the same rules that apply to landlords where the unit is. In Ontario that means a rent deposit for the last period only. |
| Terms and conditions | House rules and responsibilities. | Utilities, furniture inventory, cleaning, guests, pets, keys, and what happens at move-out. Attach the head lease so the subtenant knows the building rules. |
| Signatures | Both parties agree. | Sign and date, each keeps a copy, and give a copy to the landlord if consent required it. |
How to fill this out
- 1Read your lease for its sublet clause and get the landlord's consent in writing before anything else.
- 2Enter your name, the subtenant's name, and the address with a note on whole unit or room.
- 3Set the dates so the sublease ends before your own lease does.
- 4Enter the rent, due date, deposit and how utilities are split.
- 5List the furniture and condition, and attach the head lease rules.
- 6Both sign, download, and keep copies. Send a copy to the landlord if required.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Subletting without written landlord consent, which can be grounds for ending your tenancy.
- Setting a sublease end date after your own lease ends.
- Charging the subtenant more than your own rent without checking whether the tenancy law where the unit is allows it.
- Assuming the subtenant is responsible to the landlord. You stay liable for the unit.
- No inventory or photos of the furniture and condition at move-in.
- Mixing up a sublet with an assignment. If you want out of the lease entirely, that is an assignment and the paperwork is different.
What makes it hold up, and when you need a lawyer
Usually fine with this template
- A short or medium sublet of a whole unit or a room while you travel, study or work away, with landlord consent in writing.
- Renting a spare room in your unit to one person under clear house rules.
- Extending an existing sublet with the same person for a further period.
Use the official form or get advice
- The landlord has refused consent and you think the refusal is unreasonable. In Ontario that is an application to the Landlord and Tenant Board, not a clause in the sublease.
- You want to leave the lease permanently. That is an assignment.
- Subsidized or supportive housing, superintendent units, or a unit where your own lease bans sublets.
- Short-term rental platforms, where municipal licensing rules may apply.
Worked example (illustrative)
Made-up names and figures to show what a completed sublease agreement looks like. Not a real transaction.
| Sublease, illustrative | |
|---|---|
| Original tenant | Sofia Alvarez |
| Subtenant | Ben Whitfield |
| Property | Whole unit, 305-90 Example Road, furnished |
| Term | January 15 to June 30, 2027 (head lease ends August 31, 2027) |
| Rent | $1,600.00 per month, due on the 15th, by e-transfer; same as the head lease rent |
| Deposit | $1,600.00 rent deposit for the last period |
| Terms | Subtenant pays hydro. Furniture inventory attached. No pets, per head lease. Landlord consent letter dated December 20, 2026 attached. |
Related official forms, tools and guides
- Lease agreement template: the head lease this sits under
- Rent receipt template: give the subtenant receipts
- Eviction notice template
- Real estate PDF tools
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the landlord's permission to sublet?
Almost always, yes. In Ontario the landlord's consent is required, but the landlord cannot refuse arbitrarily or unreasonably, and a tenant can apply to the Landlord and Tenant Board if they do. Read your lease and get consent in writing.
Am I still responsible for the rent?
Yes. In a sublet the original tenant stays on the lease and remains responsible to the landlord. The subtenant is responsible to you.
What is the difference between a sublet and an assignment?
In a sublet you keep the lease and come back later. In an assignment the new tenant takes over the lease and you leave it for good. Both need landlord consent in Ontario.
Can I charge the subtenant more than I pay?
Check first. Some tenancy laws, including Ontario's, restrict what a tenant may charge a subtenant, and your own lease may say something too. Confirm with the tenancy tribunal where the unit is before you set a higher rent.
Can I take a deposit from the subtenant?
Follow the same rules a landlord must follow where the unit is. In Ontario that is a rent deposit for the last period only, and no damage deposit.
Do both parties sign?
Yes. The original tenant and the subtenant both sign, and each keeps a copy. Attach the landlord's written consent.
Sources checked
- Landlord and Tenant Board, A Guide to the Residential Tenancies Act (landlord approval needed, landlord must have a good reason to refuse)
- Landlord and Tenant Board, Form A2 instructions (sublet or assignment) (section 97(2), consent not to be arbitrarily or unreasonably withheld)
- Residential Tenancies Act, 2006
Checked 2026-09-19. This page is general information and not legal, tax or financial advice.