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Many students put time and effort into finding the perfect apartment near their college campus and don’t like giving them up when they go home for the summer, but what else can they do?
One option is subletting to another tenant. Here are a few things to consider when looking at subletting:
- Get permission from the landlords. Not all landlords allow subleasing, so make certain that you are meeting the legal requirements.
- Advertise online. Ideally when a potential tenant types in something like ”Atlanta apartments for rent” your listing should come up.
- Run a credit or background check on your potential tenant. Ask questions about the person’s previous rentals and past employment. Make sure you get permission from the person before you initiate background screening.
- Prepare a sublease contract. You can use a lawyer to help draw up the contract or find a subletting contract on the Internet. The contract should make the tenant responsible for payments and damages, as well as stipulating a deposit.
In order to assess the condition of the apartment, it is a good idea to walk through the apartment with the tenant. Make an inventory list that you both sign. Each of you should keep a copy of this list.
A sublease agreement may save some cash, however, it will not asolve you of responsibility. The original contract will remain in effect, and you are the person who will carry the responsibility should anything go wrong during the sublease.
Finally, make sure you have enough time for the tenant to move out before you’ll need to settle back in for the next semester.
