Subletting apartments

I need advice from the cumulative experience of all you TCS'ers. The bf and I are moving to Philadelphia Sept 1st, to University City, where the standard policy is to pay 2 month's rent and a security deposit way before you move in (We've already paid NEXT August's rent!).

Needless to say, this is putting a bit of a strain on both our finances since we both currently live alone. And by "a bit" I mean, we are going to starve and be homeless or have to ask our relatives for $.

So I suggested that maybe one of us could sublet, and it has to be him because his landlord doesn't allow cats even ones as awesome as Zissou. And it would be a huge pita to move all my stuff up there, when he owns pretty much nothing but his four guitars.

So...

We've never subletted before, do you have any advice? Things that worked well, horror stories, anything? We're looking to start the sublet June 1stish. This is approved by his landlord, and I can add him here but just have to pay another 25$ a month, so everything will be above-board and on paper.

Since it's only for three months, should I just keep everything in my name (cable, electric, gas, etc), and should I add him to renter's insurance policy or is his stuff already covered by virtue of being in the same apartment? It's already paid through the year.

Also, this apartment is significantly smaller than the one we're moving to. Less than half prolly. The problem is, I'm a bit of a pack rat, so I need like Clean Sweep to come through here and get rid of 50% of my crap so I can fit another person in here.

Main issue being that I'm a sap and for some reason am emotionally attached to stuff I don't even remember ever needing.

So, advice on any and every appreciated!

OK...are you saying you're moving in together for the 3 months as roomies with separate bedrooms? Or is he moving in and you're moving somewhere else?

If he is moving in and you are moving out, then that is subletting.

In that case, the lease remains in your name, everything else gets switched to his. If he is just moving into your apartment for a few months, leave everything in your name. It is too much of a hassle to change it for 2 months.

No. He's subletting his apartment, and moving into mine. No separate bedrooms, though I don't know why that matters .

Ah, I misunderstood! I thought you were talking about subletting TO him in the same apartment. Thats why I brought up bedrooms. (brain hiccupped)

(bedrooms was just to emphasize roomies rather than as a couple)

Originally Posted by Sweets

Ah, I misunderstood! I thought you were talking about subletting TO him in the same apartment. Thats why I brought up bedrooms. (brain hiccupped)

(bedrooms was just to emphasize roomies rather than as a couple)

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Yea, I went back and read my original post and I didn't say it very clearly. I can just add him to my lease, no subletting or anything.

Is subletting allowed in his lease? Every place I've ever lived forbid subletting in the lease.

Originally Posted by littleraven7726

Is subletting allowed in his lease? Every place I've ever lived forbid subletting in the lease.

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Yep. As I said in the original post, it'll all be on paper, and allowed by both landlords.

Originally Posted by Zissou'sMom

Yep. As I said in the original post, it'll all be on paper, and allowed by both landlords.

Click to expand...

I must have missed that.

I never really heard any horror stories about it when I was in college. I've seen some doozies on those judge shows though. I would check into what kind of background checking you can legally do. So you can make sure they can afford to pay you or aren't habitual nonpaying tenants.

Just be careful who you let live there. Sometimes people thrash the Apartments. The Mgr will chage you for the damage.

I think his landlord might do a background check, he has to get them approved as a subletter.

Would it be better to get someone we know, or someone we don't know? You know, how you never let a friend cut your hair...

Its not always good when you know someone. We have problems with people that were good friends but they arent anymore.

Usually when people sublet their apartment they leave behind the damage deposit. Not always, but it's usually an enticement to those interested in the apartment.

All you are doing as subletters is taking over the person's current lease. At the end of the current lease, be it 3 months or 9 months, you get a new lease which is subject to rental increase just as it would have been if the previous people were still renting.

A little known fact is that the person who sublets their apartment can actually still legally be held responsible if the subletters default on their lease, do damage that they can't pay for etc.

If your boy friend goes and sublets an apartment, and you then show up with a cat that is not allowed, and the management finds out, you could be evicted. Better to be up front and honest and ask about additional damage deposits for the cat.

Originally Posted by Sweets

Ah, I misunderstood! I thought you were talking about subletting TO him in the same apartment. Thats why I brought up bedrooms. (brain hiccupped)

(bedrooms was just to emphasize roomies rather than as a couple)

Click to expand...

LOL, and I thought he was wanting to sublet an apartment somewhere out of town, and then she was going to move there! And the reason he was going to be the one doing the subletting is because he doesn't have a cat and would more likely be approved for the apartment than she would because she has a at. LOL