Can my landlord say no to me assigning?

Question

Accepted Answer

If a tenancy agreement *doesn’t* say you can’t assign or sublet, you have to get permission but the landlord can’t ‘unreasonably withhold’ their consent, or attach any unreasonable conditions to their consent. They have to respond to your request in a reasonable time and if they refuse consent, they have to tell you why in writing.
It’s *reasonable* for a landlord to refuse if they have good reasons to think the replacement tenants you find are unsuitable. E.g. people who may not be financially secure (e.g. on a work visa or a benefit); who have no references; who may not get along with the landlord’s other tenants in the building; people with pets.
It is *unreasonable* for a landlord to refuse consent for discriminatory reasons (e.g. ‘no males’). It doesn’t matter if you originally agreed to this when you signed the tenancy agreement.  A condition that requires you pay a fee is unlawful and unreasonable (except for the landlord’s reasonable costs - eg advertising fees).
It’s *reasonable* for a landlord to withhold consent if the remaining tenant(s) in a joint tenancy flat have good reasons to think the replacement tenant won’t be suitable. These can’t be discriminatory.
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