Subletting/Subleasing

Ah, subletting. The bane of many a landlord and tenant’s blood pressure. There are a wide variety of reasons that you may need to sublet -- from studying abroad, to going home for the summer, to moving out because of roommate troubles. However, subletting is one of those things that can easily go awry.

Example: Unbeknown to one company I know of, one of their tenants had been subletting a single room in a very expensive seven-bedroom apartment to a woman with a couple children. Unfortunately for the tenant, when the tenants’ lease expired and time came for everyone to move out, the woman decided she didn’t want to. After a stern talking to from the property manager, the woman grabbed her things and left... A few hours later, the maintenance staff inspecting the unit called to let the company know that the woman had returned, broken the garage door, and was sitting inside. Fortunately, after much cajoling, they finally convinced her it was time to go. If they hadn’t been able to, however, the tenant that sublet to them would likely have been responsible for the rent for the entire apartment ($7,000 a month) until the company could get the woman out and the new lease the place. So, with that said, here are a couple basic guidelines when subletting:

1. Communicate with your Landlord/Management Company - Make sure they know and approve of the subletter you choose. Otherwise, you could find yourself in a whole mess of trouble. They may have official documents you need to fill out. They also may be able to run a credit check on your subleaser to make sure he/she has the resources to actually pay you.
   
2. Use Common Sense - Meet your potential subleaser, interview them, make sure they get along with your roommates. This person will have full access to your home for an extended period of time. Make sure they’re not crazy.