The Potential Risks Of Subletting & How To Avoid Them

By Elana Goodwin on February 29, 2016

If you’re going to be away during the summer or for a semester, a summer sublet can be a great way to save yourself some money — but there are factors you should consider when looking for someone to sublet your place.

Subletting comes with risks, but many of them are avoidable if you go about subletting your home the right way. Here’s a guide outlining some of the potential risks of subletting and how you can avoid them to safely rent out your room or apartment.

Photo Credit: brickunderground.com

1. Sublet through your landlord to avoid liability. Some lease agreements don’t allow subletting so the first thing you’ll want to do when you’re considering subletting your place is check your lease terms. If you are allowed to sublet, your best option for doing so is going through and working with your landlord’s office.

This way, your subletter legally takes over or is added onto your lease and your landlord is aware of them. If you go around your landlord and sublet, you’ll be liable for any damages they cause and if they don’t pay you their rent, you’ll have to cover them out of pocket. It’s less risky to have them take over bills, rent payments, and be on record as the occupant of your home for the duration of the sublet period.

2. Beware stranger danger. When you first start looking for someone to sublet your room or apartment, try finding a family member or friend who is interested in subletting. This way, you know your place is safe, as are any belongings you leave in your room while you’re away, and you trust they’re not going to completely wreck the place. You can also reach out to friends and have them spread the word and ask their friends if they’re looking to sublet.

If you still don’t have any luck, try posting in campus Facebook groups or on Uloop to find a fellow student who wants to sublet, and then as a last resort, turn to places like Craigslist. Even if your subletter is taking over your lease or signing onto your rental agreement with your landlord, you should still ask them some questions about their lifestyle, income, etc., so you feel comfortable having them stay in your place.

3. Stay in touch and present with your subletter. Being in contact with your subletter during the sublet period is a great way to keep tabs on them and your home. Texting your subletter every now and then to check in, ask if they’re having any issues, inquire about the apartment, etc., will remind them that the place they’re living in is your home and that you care about it — and will obviously be unhappy should it be in poor condition when you return.

If you have a friend who’s sticking around campus for the summer or a roommate who will be living with your subletter, consider asking them to check in and see how your room or place is doing. It’s also a good idea to stay on top of the bills and utilities even while you’re away to make sure your subletter is staying current and paying them on-time.

4. Don’t leave behind anything important. Before you move out for the summer or semester and turn over your home to your subletter, make sure to pack up and remove your valuables and the things that are important to you. If you plan to leave things other than furniture behind, make sure they’re boxed up, sealed, clearly labeled, and out of the way, and don’t leave behind any paperwork that has sensitive and personal information.

Anything that can be damaged, broken, or scratched, and that you’d be upset to see in less-than-perfect condition should be put away, taken with you, or put in a storage unit.

5. Sign your own sublease agreement. Even if you’re doing the sublease apartment process through your landlord and your subletter has signed a rental agreement with them, you may want to have your subletter sign a personal sublease contract with you. Write out the expectations of the subletter, the move in and move out dates, any information about the apartment that may be needed, whether a security deposit is being paid and when/how it will be returned to the subletter, etc. This will give you some peace of mind and is a document both you and your subletter can keep handy so there’s no confusion over the terms of the sublease.

While subletting can be a great way for you to not lose money while you’re not living in your room or apartment, it does come with risks — so make sure you weigh them carefully and go about subletting safely and smartly.

Follow Uloop

Apply to Write for Uloop News

Join the Uloop News Team

Discuss This Article

Back to Top

Log In

Contact Us

Upload An Image

Please select an image to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format
OR
Provide URL where image can be downloaded
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format

By clicking this button,
you agree to the terms of use

By clicking "Create Alert" I agree to the Uloop Terms of Use.

Image not available.

Add a Photo

Please select a photo to upload
Note: must be in .png, .gif or .jpg format