Does your student have an off-campus apartment? Are they leaving Ann Arbor for the summer? Subleasing may be an option to help your student recover some of their living expenses.
Subleasing is an agreement your student can make with another individual to pay rent and live in their space while they are away.
Below are tips you can use to guide your student through the subleasing process.
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Encourage your student to review their lease and confirm with the landlord that they are allowed to sublet. Most landlords have subletting policies that tenants must follow and may require the new subtenants to undergo the same approval process as regular tenants. In most cases, your student will continue to be the primary leaseholder and will be responsible for the full rent and utility costs.
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Finding the right subtenant is important. Your student should consider the thoughts of their roommates if they have any. They can also ask their landlord if they have any resources for finding subtenants. Your student can list their apartment for free on the Off-Campus Housing website.
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Have your student put everything in writing. They can use the sublease agreement and inventory checklist provided on the Off-Campus Housing website to help make the process smoother. This will clarify when subtenants are living in the space, who is responsible for potential damages upon move out, and more. The subtenant should get a copy of the original lease, because they are responsible for upholding it as well.
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Before signing the sublease agreement, your student should ask the subtenant for proof of funds for how rent will be paid (most recent work paystub, screenshots of account balances, or financial aid statements). When asking the subtenant for a security deposit, it cannot exceed 1.5 months rent. Guide your student to store the money safely in an escrow account. Your student should not hand over the keys without having an agreement properly filled out and full security deposit and first month’s rent in hand.
Subletting properly is important. Have your student check out the university’s Off-Campus Housing website to list and search for living spaces based on price, number of rooms, and more. No matter what resources your student utilizes to sublet their space, they should follow the landlord’s subletting policies and feel comfortable with who they are subletting to.
More resources about subletting are available to you on the Off-Campus Housing website, or you can review this article from Student Legal Services.
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