Tips For Safe Subletting

By Gretchen Kernbach on April 24, 2016

Subletting your space seems like a quick fix to a money issue. However, there is a right (safe) way to do it. Students could simply throw their apartment on the market and hope for the best, but that carries more risk than reward.

Image via sparefoot.com

The first thing to consider when subletting your apartment is the thoughts of your landlord. The lease agreement is between you and your landlord, not someone else. According to mainstreet.com, “most leases explicitly prohibit tenants from subletting a space without getting permission from their landlord first.” For the most part, landlords are concerned about liability. A prospective tenant’s credit score can weigh in on your property owner’s decision, as well as whether or not this person has renter’s insurance.

If you go ahead and sublet your apartment without permission from your landlord, things can get messy.

According to ohmyapt.apartmentratings.com, “This can lead to legal action against you, resulting in an eviction and monetary damages. It’s best to get a written statement from your landlord, permitting you to sublet the apartment. If it’s already permitted in your lease agreement, you may only need to notify them and give them the sub-tenant’s name, address and other personal information.”

Expect a 30-day period between your request and an answer. If your application does get vetoed, a written rejection statement will be sent. To be safe, seek out an answer even if a rejection letter was not sent. According to ohmyapt.apartmentratings.com, “Once you do get an answer from the landlord, ask to put it in writing so that both of you are legally protected.”

Your property owner is not the only person you need to check with before subletting. Anyone else living in the space with you needs to agree to subletting as well. Check with your roommates to see if they are okay with the changes. Remember, they will be living with this person, not you.

Now is the time to advertise your space. Websites such as Uloop, Sublet, Craigslist, LoopNet, or Zillow can do the trick. Try posting on a Facebook page for your college as well. Try online listing sites before putting an ad in the newspaper; this will save you money.

According to forbes.com, “For college students, be sure to check and see if your school has an on-campus online classifieds for sublets (especially for summer and terms abroad). Many of the college housing offices can also provide you with legally binding sublet agreements. Stop by the housing office or student affairs department and see what resources are available.”

Once the interest starts coming in, the background checks begin. And yes, you should (need) to do background checks on potential tenants. There are people out there looking to lease an apartment just to steal from them. Or you can just rent to someone who is plain careless and damages property. Property can be your items or the landlord’s; when it is the landlord’s stuff, you are responsible. So how can you avoid an unfortunate subletting situation like so?

Image via kavaliro.com

Conduct criminal background checks and credit checks. In addition, call some of the references he or she listed, including personal and previous landlords. Of course, if anything looks suspicious on the criminal background check it would be safe to just pass on the person. Likewise, anything below a credit score of 620 is a red flag. Check for any outstanding loans as well.

It would be courteous of you to weigh in the opinions of any remaining roommates. If they will be living in the apartment, they should get a sense of who they will be rooming with. That does not mean you let them conduct the search all on their own; you are still liable for this new tenant.

After you have selected an applicant, according to mainstreet.com, “the most important thing to do is make sure the person subletting from you signs an agreement stating that they will pay rent by a certain time each month, will be responsible for any damages, and agree to rules for what they’re permitted to do in the space.”

An agreement like so gives you peace of mind and creates trust between you and your renter. It is also to hold him/her accountable for any damages made to the property. Without a contract, there is the risk of expensive damages and missed payments. Possibilities like these fall back on you.

It never hurts to check in on your tenant every once in awhile. Minor problems can turn into major ones if they are not addressed right away. For example, according to mainstreet.com, “Let’s say your tenant accidentally shoots a hole in the roof when he’s cleaning his shotgun. If that small hole goes unchecked, what might have been a minor patch job can turn into serious water damage after the first big rain storm.”

From landlord agreements to background checks, subletting can be stressful and require a large amount of time. Follow these tips to guarantee a safe subletting experience. No one wants to pay extra money for someone else’s carelessness.

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