Planning to Sublease Your Room?

Over the summer, a term abroad, or other scenarios UO students will sometimes sublet their rooms to others. Here are some important things to consider:

1. What is your landlord’s policy for subleasing? Check what the terms are regarding this in your lease. Also ask your landlord in writing.

2. If you are subletting, who will you be subletting to? Is this person responsible and will he/she pay the rent? Will this person get along with your other roommates? Why do they want to sublet? Getting prior rental history and talking to an individual’s prior landlords can be helpful to learn about whether they have paid rent on time in the past.

    a. Make sure to get adequate information before agreeing to sublet.

3. Get things in writing. After you have found someone to sublet (or are subletting from someone else), get the agreement in writing. This helps to avoid conflict later-on and clarifies expectations. Here is a sample sublet contract template that may be useful: http://www.ilrg.com/forms/sublease/us/or

4. What do you plan to do with your possessions? If you do not plan to take them with you over the summer, will you store them elsewhere or leave them in your home? If you plan to leave your home furnished while you are gone, you risk possibly having your possessions damaged by a subletter. So you may want to consider:

    a. Providing detailed information about the terms regarding your furniture and other possessions in     your sublease agreement.

    b. Storing valuables over the summer, leaving them with a trustworthy friend, or taking them with      you.

    c. Asking for additional rent money for a furnished room (rather than an unfurnished one).

    d. Acquiring renter’s insurance (which is fairly inexpensive).

    e. Requesting a security deposit for possible damages.