How to Sublet Your Apartment

New York Apartment

The practice of subletting allows you to move out of a rented property before the end of the lease by finding a tenant to take your place, thus continuing the payment of rent until the lease ends. You must, however, find a trustworthy, reliable tenant able to pay the rent on time and to maintain the property per the landlord's expectations. When subletting an apartment, you must follow federal fair housing guidelines which prohibit discrimination against any prospective tenant on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual preference or age.

Things You'll Need

• Internet
• Digital photos of apartment
• Letter to Landlord
• Lease agreement
• Credit check or reference

Instructions

1. Prepare to sublet your apartment. Notify your landlord about your need to relocate. Get permission to list your apartment as a sublet if required. Take pictures of your apartment to include in online advertisements.

2. List your apartment for rent in the sublet section of newspaper and online classified ads. Write a description of the apartment, which should include, but is not limited to, location, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, elevator building or walk-up, wood floors, pet allowance and parking. Indicate whether utilities are separate or included.

3. Clean your apartment before showing. Organize the closets so that prospective tenants can gauge how much space the apartment offers. Set showing appointments at your convenience on a first-come, first-served basis or hold an open house on the weekend.

4. Protect yourself against loss or damage to the apartment. When you find a tenant, require him to pay a security deposit, which can be refunded at the end of the lease, as well as the first and last month's rent. Pull the prospective tenant's credit, verify employment by calling his current employer and contact the previous landlord. Prepare a lease for the tenant to sign. You can purchase a lease agreement form at an office supply store or search online for a free copy. Give the building superintendent, doorman or management staff the new tenant's name before you move out of the property.

5. Inspect the apartment at the end of the lease term to ensure that no damage has been done, or ask a trusted friend or relative in the area to inspect it for you. Return the security deposit balance to your tenant once you have determined how much must be deducted to repair any damages if necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Be sure to click on the links around this page for more information.

• If this article has been helpful to you, feel free to link it to your blog or email it to friends.

• Have a friend over while strangers are looking at your apartment. Don't do it alone.

• If there are any "red flags" or odd feelings about the prospective tenant, move on to the next one.

• You CANNOT discriminate against any prospective tenant on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual preference, or age. The sites linked below will help inform you of this. If you have any questions, be sure to discuss it with your landlord.

References

• "First Apartment Smarts"; Ann Byers;
• Department of Housing and Urban Development: Fair Housing