How to Properly Sublet Your Apartment or Home

There is nothing more inconvenient than needing to move in the middle of a lease. It’s no secret that breaking a lease is not easy and that most tenants will do all that they can to avoid paying any additional fees. One of the ways to avoid paying to break a lease is to sublease your room, apartment, or home. Subletting is the act of leasing out a room or home to someone else that has already been leased to you. Thinking about possibly subletting your home or apartment? Learn the do’s and don’ts of subletting from our Portland movers. We can teach you how to properly sublet your apartment or home.

Do’s and Don’ts of Subletting

Before planning to sublease your space, our Portland local movers recommend that you learn all the do’s and don’ts of subletting so that you can be sure to properly sublet your apartment or home. It’s also important to know that choosing the right person to sublease your home is just as important as making sure that you’re following the right procedures. Check out this list of do’s and don’ts we have put together to help!

Do Make Sure that You Know the Terms of Your Lease Agreement
Not all apartments allow for subletting in their lease agreements. It’s important to review your lease and make sure that you’re not breaking the contract by attempting to sublease your room or unit. If you’re unsure of whether subleasing is okay for your property, contact the property manager or landlord to make the information in your lease clear. You will also want to make sure that you understand the risks you take when subleasing and what you’re responsible for.

Do Ask Someone You Trust to Sublease Your Room or Home
When planning to properly sublet your apartment or home, make sure to ask someone you trust to take over your part of the lease. Our Portland residential movers recommend asking around your circle of friends to see if anyone would be interested in subleasing before posting an advertisement online. This will also help with establishing credibility with your landlord if they’re on the fence about letting you sublease.

Do Know What Kind of Person You’d Like to Sublease to
If you’re choosing not to sublet to a close friend, then it’s a good idea to know what kind of person you wouldn’t mind in your space. Make a list of qualifiers a subletter must have in order to make the cut. Thinking carefully about the kind of person who is going to be taking over your lease is one way to properly sublet your apartment or home.

Do Make Sure to Conduct a Background Check on Your Subletter
Following the theme of making sure your subletter is properly vetted before handing them the keys, you will want to conduct a background check on your new tenant as well. Background checks are relatively inexpensive to conduct and will show you a person’s past criminal activity and evictions. You will also want to run a credit check on your new tenant, just like an apartment would for a first-time renter. It’s also a wise idea to still remove any valuable items you may have in your home before subletting.

Don’t Choose Your Subletter Alone if You Have Roommates
If you’re currently living with people but are planning on just subleasing your portion of an apartment, then your roommates should be included in all parts of the subleasing process. Since you won’t be living there anymore, your roommates must also approve of the new tenant so that everything runs smoothly, and everyone feels comfortable.

Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute to Find Someone to Sublease Your Room
An important thing to remember in order to properly sublet your apartment or home is to make sure you give yourself enough time to find the proper tenant. Don’t wait until the last minute to try finding someone to fill your space. If you’re having a hard time finding someone you know to sublet to, there are a lot of apps available to connect you with other people looking for a place to rent.

Don’t Forget About Making a Contract and Securing a Deposit
Just like any other landlord, you will want to create a contract for your landlord and subletter to agree to and sign before moving in. If you find that you’re having a hard time creating your contract, you can ask your landlord to assist you or find a template online.

When you’re getting ready for a move, contact All My Sons Moving & Storage and let us help you move and store your valuable items. Our professional movers understand the importance of you wanting to properly sublet your apartment or home and will be sure to treat your belongings as if they were our own.