It is your right and responsibility as the landlord to know about everything that happens to your rental property, especially when a new tenant moves into the building. Ideally, you get to decide who rents your property. However, your tenants can assume this authority through subleasing. This can be good or bad for you and your rental business, depending on how you handle it.
How Subleasing Works
Subleasing essentially transfers a lease from the original tenant to another tenant. Clients usually sublease when they have to leave temporarily and are looking to offset the rent until they come back. Many tenants also sublease when moving away permanently before their lease expires with the same goal of saving money.
Assuming that you don’t have a say in the sublease, the tenant will handle everything with the subtenant and make arrangements for important things such as maintenance and paying rent. However, it is advisable to control the subleasing process and hold both parties responsible for fulfilling the contract’s terms and conditions.
The Pros & Cons of Subleasing
Subleasing has good and bad implications for all parties involved, especially you, considering your stake in the property. Here is an overview of the advantages and disadvantages to you.
Pros
Here is an overview of the pros of subleasing, assuming that you are in control of the process:
- Qualified Tenants
The landlord’s biggest concern about subleasing is that the tenant will give the property to a problematic subtenant. However, you can ensure that the subtenant meets your standards by taking part in the vetting process.
Ideally, the subtenant should undergo the same screening process as other tenants. It is also advisable to delegate the tenant screening process to a screening agency to ensure that you don’t miss any red flags about the subtenant.
- Steady Rental Income
In most cases, the tenant would have to cancel the lease agreement if they had to move, and subleasing wasn’t an option. This would leave the unit empty, resulting in lost income until another tenant comes along. You would also incur expensive tenant turnover costs when looking for another tenant.
However, agreeing to sublease will ensure continuity in the rental income from that unit. It will also save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in tenant turnover costs.
- Positive Long-Term Relationships
Some tenants sublease with the intention of coming back. Good tenants are difficult to find, and subleasing to a qualified subtenant for several months would be a small price to pay (if it is a price at all) to retain a good tenant.
Cons
As explained earlier, every landlord’s biggest concern about subleasing is that the subtenant will be problematic. Unfortunately, the tenant handling the subleasing process may not know how to screen subtenants according to your standards. A problematic tenant poses other threats, including property damage and lease violations. This is why it is important to either restrict subleasing in totality or get involved in the process.
What to Do about an Unauthorized Sublease
It is always advisable to cover everything in the rental contract, including whether or not tenants can sublease their units. You also have the right to cancel a tenant’s lease if they sublease their unit without your authorization. Ultimately, it is advisable to consult your lawyer and act within the law when handling such a case to avoid violating the tenants’ rights.
Conclusion
You never have to worry about subleasing if the subtenant meets your standards and passes the tenant screening test. LandlordStation can help you conduct thorough checks on your tenants and subtenants. Get in touch today to learn more about our tenant screening solutions.
