Subletting an apartment

[WDWJDS]

Does anyone have any experience with their college student subletting their apartment over the summer?

The space is 1BD/BR in a 4BD/BR off campus apartment. Once potential renters are chosen, what do you do? Background check, references, does it need to be run thru the apartment complex or do people do just a gentleman’s agreement of some sort? I am completely clueless.

I’m really nervous about renting my child’s room to a stranger and could use any information that you can give. Thanks in advance!

 

[CrankyDad]

Well why are you nervous? Your “child” is an adult.. That said you want to sublet you have to run that through the landlord. Depends on area and if that is legal. If not, don’t bother, not worth it for the summer months and the trouble it will cause

If so, go ahead. Again though you “child” will have to handle it, not you.. So be sure they are doing it not you

 

[low-key]

get a lease agreement from some apartment or someone who rents out, look it over, so you get the ins and outs, and change a few things on it and make it your own

 

[WDWJDS]

Thanks CrankyDad. My adult “child” contacted me for advice so that’s why I’m reaching out for information. And I’m nervous because we have never done this before and I am aware that allowing a stranger to live in an apartment that has my name on the lease could end up badly (apartment trashed, squatter, etc). I suppose there’s a reason that leasing companies do a thorough background and credit check on potential renters.

 

[sonnyjane]

Some leases explicitly say you can’t sublet. Mine in college did. Did we violate those rules? I plead the 5th... but if our landlord had popped in for an inspection we would have been in trouble. My sister was evicted from her apartment for subletting.

 

[mousehockey37]

Definitely check into the legality of it.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

Agree you need to make sure it's legal with the landlord. Should be clearly spelled out in the lease.

Also since this is 4bed4bath it would be nice to see how other roommates feel about a stranger in common shared spaces.

Good luck

 

[Distinkt]

Don't worry about helping your child. I raised 3, now professional, and pretty competent children to adulthood and even in college I think kids are wet behind the ears! That being said, check the lease as others have said to see if sublease is allowed. If it is, you might have your child check his school and see if they have any resources for tenants. The school that two of my kids went to had a sort of tenants union (for lack of a better term) that used a lot of volunteers as well as staff to provide the information on leases and review them for legality. Some of the volunteers were law students and they had samples of simply leases and were versed in the laws governing rental apartments. It was wonderful.

That being said, if each student had their own lease, the new sublet might also have to sign a lease to replace your child.

Have you thought about a deposit? You might not want a large one for only a few months, but at least it might give your child the feeling that they had some recourse if the apartment was damaged. Hopefully with a little luck you will find someone who is responsible and respectful.

 

[tvguy]

Some leases explicitly say you can’t sublet. Mine in college did. Did we violate those rules? I plead the 5th... but if our landlord had popped in for an inspection we would have been in trouble. My sister was evicted from her apartment for subletting.

That would be my concern because most landlords want all residents on their lease. My son had an apartment off campus that was in a complex geared to college students. Leases were 9 months for the schools year, and 3 months for summer so they took the whole sublet issues out of the tenants hands.

 

[DLgal]

Why doesn't your child just stay over the summer and get a job or take a summer session to get some classes out of the way? I never came home after the first summer because starting sophomore year everyone was required to rent housing (only freshman could live in dorms). My husband was able to graduate a semester early by doing summer sessions every year.

 

[WDWJDS]

Why doesn't your child just stay over the summer and get a job or take a summer session to get some classes out of the way? I never came home after the first summer because starting sophomore year everyone was required to rent housing (only freshman could live in dorms). My husband was able to graduate a semester early by doing summer sessions every year.

My child is graduating in May and starting a career in another city and the lease isn’t up until the end of July.

 

[Southernmiss]

My child is graduating in May and starting a career in another city and the lease isn’t up until the end of July.

Ds was able to get out of his lease early when he had the same situation last year.

The apartment complex started a full contract with the new guy when ds moved out.

Have the roommates helped find a friend who could be a good new roommate?

 

[John VN]

Maybe there could be a required course such as "Subleasing 101" reviewing the ins and out, do's and don'ts and have watching TV Court Shows such as "Judge Judy and People's Court" as a part of the tutorial on things that CAN GO WRONG.

 

[monsterkitty]

Personally, I would either just break the lease and pay the fine, or just pay the last two months rent. Way easier and better than stressing over two months of rent.

 

[Christine]

My son did sublet his bedroom last year for only 6 weeks (for the summer session). Like you, we have an annual lease that goes through July. However, our lease is rather "informal" and the person my son rented to was a friend; so she was basically staying in his room while he wasn't there. This may have not worked out in a different place (such as where you have parking permits).

We have the same issue this year. Son graduates in May, lease isn't up until July but I've faced that I have to just pay the costs. The nice thing is that it gives me time to get him all moved out.

 

[barkley]

Does anyone have any experience with their college student subletting their apartment over the summer?

The space is 1BD/BR in a 4BD/BR off campus apartment. Once potential renters are chosen, what do you do? Background check, references, does it need to be run thru the apartment complex or do people do just a gentleman’s agreement of some sort? I am completely clueless.

I’m really nervous about renting my child’s room to a stranger and could use any information that you can give. Thanks in advance!

I’m nervous because we have never done this before and I am aware that allowing a stranger to live in an apartment that has my name on the lease could end up badly (apartment trashed, squatter, etc). I suppose there’s a reason that leasing companies do a thorough background and credit check on potential renters

if it were me (and i'm also the cosigner on dd's college rental) I wouldn't think of subletting b/c the hassles outweigh the benefits (that's IF the landlord would even allow it, none of the college rentals around us permit it). my concern aside from damages are dealing with an eviction if it came to that-in some places it's VERY costly and takes FOREVER, during which YOU would be liable to the landlord for the rent.

is this one of those places like we have near our university where all 4 bedrooms are separately leased and unless the landlord is asked ahead of move in to group certain people together it's just whomever you end up with as 'roommates'? if so I would go ahead and give notice NOW that you won't be renewing the lease AND tell the landlord that portion of the apartment will actually be vacated on a specific date. that way the landlord may be able to rent it earlier and you won't have to pay the rent.

most if not all of the college rentals around us rent from july-july but some have waiting lists (dd's complex makes continuing renters commit by march 1st for the following year b/c of the demand for units) and people will snap up a space and pay rent a couple of months before they will start living there just to hold it. the landlord/leasing office could be spoken to in order to make the best decision.

in any case-if there's going to be an earlier move out date for your adult child than the other roommates then make sure an inspection of the unit is done upon 'your' move out. that way you're not on the hook for any damages that occur over those last 2 months of the lease.

 

[DLgal]

Personally, I would either just break the lease and pay the fine, or just pay the last two months rent. Way easier and better than stressing over two months of rent.

That's what I would do too.

 

[firefly_ris]

Definitely read over the lease carefully. My DH and I were landlords for several years and we never allowed subletting because we didn't want that loss of control - we did background checks on all tenants.

I'm more in the camp of... eat the 2 months in exchange for less stress about what could go wrong with a subletter.

 

[okeydokey]

All the apartment complex’s at my child University sublet through the complex. The new renter will complete a form And your child will pay the fee to have it filed. That way, legally you are off the hook for responsibility.

 

[cvjw]

We subletted my son’s apartment in Athens, ga last summer. The only reason I was agreeable to it was because the subleaser had to sign their own lease with the complex. I never would have subletted if the damages could have been my family’s responsibility to pay.

Check with the apartment complex and see if they will have the subleaser sign a lease for the summer and release your son from his lease.