According to Michigan Tenant/Landlord Laws, a tenant’s ability to sublease their rental depends on the provisions that their landlord allows. If a landlord says in the rental agreement that subletting is not allowed, then subletting is not allowed. However, if the lease says nothing about it, then the tenant must obtain written permission from the landlord or property manager.
A sublease is an agreement between the original tenant (sublessor or sublandlord) under a lease agreement for a rental unit and a new individual (sublessee or subtenant) who does not have a direct connection with the original lease agreement; the sublease agreement is tied to and incorporates the original (master) lease. In Michigan, if the original lease does not contain language giving permission for the tenant to enter into a sublease, the original tenant (sublessor) must obtain written permission from the landlord to do so. The original tenant (sublessor) is still bound by all the requirements/obligations under the original (master) lease agreement.
A Michigan sublease agreement should include the following sections: