Can someone other than the home owner be the landlord?

[Ricks D.]

So... I posted here about a year ago, but I don't expect anyone to remember that. I have been a live in landlord, renting two rooms in my house, for over a year.

My mother owns the house, technically, so she decided that she should hold the leases because she is the home owner. Is there a way that I could be "lessor" despite that my name isn't on the house? Would that hold any legal implications? Would it be easier or harder to deal with problem tenants if I were the lessor in the picture?

I have no official rental contract between me and my mother. Would I need one to lease out rooms? If someone took us to court, could they get lenience if it was done improperly?

Last year, I had a problem tenant and while I wanted to go iron fist and get rid of them, my mother... is my mother. I usually don't have problems. They understand that I'm in charge and they listen to me... but once they have a problem with ME... they defer to my mother... and she allows this to happen. I have realized that the only way for this rental process to go smoothly is for me to be the "lessor" so that they need to go through me and they cannot go over my head.

So, despite that I am not the home owner and am not even documented to be renting this house, can I do that? I believe that's called subletting? Would my area (which allows rentals only with a permit) allow this? I have no idea where to even start looking for all of these answers. I will appreciate whatever help anyone can offer and if you do not know the answers but know who I can call or where I can find the answers (for free) I would appreciate that, too.