Can a tenant sublet a Bulgarian apartment?

Unless otherwise agreed, Article 234 of the Obligations and Contracts Act allows a tenant to sublet parts of the rented property without the landlord’s consent. This is not general permission to sublet the entire apartment or operate tourist accommodation.

Check the agreement’s scope

The lease may prohibit subletting or require prior written consent. The actual arrangement matters: a guest, a household member and someone paying for independent use are not necessarily equivalent. A document’s label does not replace analysis of what has actually been granted.

The original tenant remains liable

Even where subletting is permitted, the original tenant remains obliged to the landlord. Article 233 also addresses damage caused by subtenants under the statutory conditions. A subtenant cannot obtain greater rights of use than the tenant granting them. A longer sublease does not guarantee continued occupation after the underlying entitlement ends.

Documenting consent

Identify the relevant part, permitted use, occupants, duration, bills and access. If the intention is to replace the original tenant entirely, a different arrangement with the landlord is needed. Short stays require separate checks of tourism rules; permission to sublet does not replace them.