How To Convince Your Landlord That Subletting Is A Good Idea

By Julia Dunn on November 12, 2015

Subletting can be a tricky business — you have to find a reliable subtenant, keep track of their rent payments, and make sure they aren’t totally destroying your landlord’s property.

For these reasons mainly, some landlords may be hesitant to let you sublet their house or apartment because of the potential risks associated with such an endeavor.

Image Via Pixabay.com

As the primary tenant, you may want to sublet so that you have another person helping you pay rent if you suffer from financial hardships. Subletting can work for some tenants/landlords, but others may have reservations about letting you accept a subtenant into their/your home.

Here are some ways to convince your landlord that subletting is a good thing.

1. Get your logistics together.

If your landlord is stressed at the idea of you subletting their property, prove to them you’re fit for the job of becoming a mini-landlord. Take the time to check your original lease beforehand to ensure you are allowed to sublet your apartment/property (some lease agreements prohibit subletting).

To manage a subtenant, you (the tenant) must be fairly fluent with landlord policies/relevant laws and equipped to navigate potential conflict scenarios that may arise with a subtenant.

2. Don’t give your landlord much extra work (if any at all).

A large concern for landlords whose tenants are interested in subletting is that they will be roped into doing a lot of extra work to manage the subtenant. They don’t want to take on any extra stress or complications. To make the subletting process easy on your landlord, prove to them that you know how to manage the subtenant and that you yourself are a responsible tenant who will take the time to ensure rent is paid on time and in full.

3. Let your landlord know you’re going to thoroughly screen applicants.

Landlords don’t want just anyone living in their property — and as a tenant, you don’t want to live with just anyone. Before signing any paperwork, make sure you do thorough applicant screenings for everyone interested in being your subtenant. The more thorough you are with screening candidates, the easier a time you will have living with your subtenant (it’ll likely be easier to trust them, as well).

When screening potential subtenants, pay attention to their renting history (hopefully they can provide you with one), as well as their credit history and any references they may have from past landlords (if applicable). In addition, ask enough questions to find out if the person seems trustworthy, authentic, and reliable.

If you have any intuitive hesitations about a person during a subleasing interview, chances are your gut feeling is correct and the person is probably not a good match for the position. There is a lot riding on this decision to let someone new into your home, so take this weight into consideration.

Note that even if you already have a personal relationship with the subleasing applicant, they may not necessarily be a good subtenant just because they’re your friend.

4. Communicate with your landlord about how things are going with the subtenant.

As much as landlords don’t want any extra stress from a subleasing situation, they shouldn’t be left in the dark about how things are going between you and your subtenant. Keeping your landlord informed about any issues that come up will ease their mind about the entire sublease agreement and demonstrate that you value active communication.

Never hide anything from your landlord (for example, if your subtenant broke a window in your apartment, stay honest and let your landlord know; however, don’t expect your landlord to pay to fix the window. You are financially responsible for any damages your subtenant causes to the property, because relatively speaking, you are their landlord and you are the lease-signer).

For instance, if you find a broken appliance in your apartment and confront your subtenant, they may claim that it was already broken to begin with. To ensure disputes do not arise between you and your subtenant about broken items, make sure you conduct a walk-through of the property with your subtenant right from the start so you can make an inventory of appliances or other apartment fixtures that are already broken/faulty.

Again, communicate with your landlord about anything that comes up between you and your subtenant, and let them know how you are handling the situation. Asking your subtenant for a security deposit can also be helpful in protecting yourself from damage charges, if you are away from the property at a given time.

If you know your policies through and through, subleasing won’t necessarily be a nightmare. The worries associated with subleasing can be lessened via careful selection of your subtenant and methodically following proper conflict-solving protocols. By establishing that you know what you’re doing as a tenant (and that you’re more than familiar with subleasing risks), you convey to your landlord that you can manage a subtenant responsibly.

Of course, do not pressure your landlord too much to let you sublet if it’s clear that they are firmly against the idea — ultimately, you live in their space, and your landlord owns that space.

Good luck!

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