Subletting Your Ottawa Apartment Rental
What do you do if you’ve been offered a great job outside of Ottawa, but you are only three months into the 12-month lease on your Ottawa apartment rental? Or what if you’re a university or college student heading home for the summer, but still required to pay rent over the summer months?
In these and other situations, subletting is a great option. When you sublet your Ottawa apartment rental, you can offset the cost of rent without breaking your lease.
Not sure where to start when it comes to subletting? This article can help. Follow our three simple steps to safely and successfully sublet your Ottawa apartment rental in no time.
Subletting is a legal relationship between the landlord of your Ottawa apartment, you, and your subletter. It is a relationship that requires a lot of responsibility, but is also one that can help cover the cost of your rental apartment in Ottawa while you’re out of town.
When bringing up your situation with your landlord, be sure to make note of the exact dates for which you plan to sublet your apartment and to provide a forwarding address for the months that you will not be living in Ottawa. Once everything is in order, be sure to get your landlord’s approval in writing before moving to the next step.
Tip: Some property management companies might charge an administration fee for the additional paperwork required to process the sublet agreement. Finding this out in advance will protect you from unexpected costs down the road.
For this reason, it pays to be careful when searching for a subletter. Ask friends and co-workers, advertise on bulletin boards and on free online classifieds like Craigslist and Kijiji. But don't simply hand over the keys to your Ottawa apartment to the first person who asks for them.
When evaluating prospective subletters, it pays to be meticulous. Remember that first impressions are useful, but it is important to go deeper. Conduct a personal interview with the potential subletter and be sure to check out their references before making any arrangements to sublet your rental apartment in Ottawa.
Tip: If you are unsuccessful in your search for the perfect subletter, don't let desperation drive you into choosing an undesirable tenant. It is always better to pay rent for two places than it is to sublet your apartment to a badly behaved tenant.
Before exchanging keys, you and your subletter will need to agree (in writing) on a few things, including how much the rent your sublessee will pay, the duration of the sublease, whether they will pay you or your Ottawa landlord directly, and how the cost of utilities will be covered.
The terms of the sublet agreement for your Ottawa apartment rental should be set in writing. This document should cover all of the terms and conditions of the sublet, such as security deposit information, the condition of the apartment before the subletter moves in, the rules regarding the use of your furniture and appliances by the subletter, and whether the subletter will be taking on any additional responsibilities.
After both of you sign the agreement (and the landlord approves it), you're good to go! Enjoy your travels, and rest assured knowing that your Ottawa apartment rental will be in good hands.
Tip: If your agreement falls through, or your subletter does not live up to their end of the bargain, you are still responsible for your Ottawa apartment rental. Even if you are no longer living in the apartment, you’re still responsible for paying the rent for the duration of the lease.
Looking for a great Ottawa apartment rental? District Realty is your first choice for Ottawa apartments for rent.
In these and other situations, subletting is a great option. When you sublet your Ottawa apartment rental, you can offset the cost of rent without breaking your lease.
Not sure where to start when it comes to subletting? This article can help. Follow our three simple steps to safely and successfully sublet your Ottawa apartment rental in no time.
What is Subletting?
Subletting (also called subleasing) your Ottawa apartment is the act of leasing an apartment or room that is already being leased to you. Essentially, you become the landlord to a new tenant moving into your unit as well as being responsible to your own landlord.Subletting is a legal relationship between the landlord of your Ottawa apartment, you, and your subletter. It is a relationship that requires a lot of responsibility, but is also one that can help cover the cost of your rental apartment in Ottawa while you’re out of town.
Step 1: Check with Your Landlord
The first step to subletting your rental apartment in Ottawa is to make sure that your unit or room is eligible to be sublet. Most Ottawa apartment leases allow subletting, but specify that sublet arrangements are permissible only with your landlord’s approval.When bringing up your situation with your landlord, be sure to make note of the exact dates for which you plan to sublet your apartment and to provide a forwarding address for the months that you will not be living in Ottawa. Once everything is in order, be sure to get your landlord’s approval in writing before moving to the next step.
Tip: Some property management companies might charge an administration fee for the additional paperwork required to process the sublet agreement. Finding this out in advance will protect you from unexpected costs down the road.
Step 2: Find the Right Tenant
Finding the right subletter in Ottawa is very important. After all, your name will still be on the apartment lease and you'll be responsible for any harm done to the apartment by the subletter. If, for example, your subletter fails to pay the rent or somehow damages the apartment, it'll be your rental reputation (and potentially even your wallet) that takes the hit.For this reason, it pays to be careful when searching for a subletter. Ask friends and co-workers, advertise on bulletin boards and on free online classifieds like Craigslist and Kijiji. But don't simply hand over the keys to your Ottawa apartment to the first person who asks for them.
When evaluating prospective subletters, it pays to be meticulous. Remember that first impressions are useful, but it is important to go deeper. Conduct a personal interview with the potential subletter and be sure to check out their references before making any arrangements to sublet your rental apartment in Ottawa.
Tip: If you are unsuccessful in your search for the perfect subletter, don't let desperation drive you into choosing an undesirable tenant. It is always better to pay rent for two places than it is to sublet your apartment to a badly behaved tenant.
Step 3: Negotiate the Agreement
Once you’ve found the perfect person to sublet your Ottawa apartment, it’s time to negotiate the terms of the apartment subleasing agreement with your new tenant.Before exchanging keys, you and your subletter will need to agree (in writing) on a few things, including how much the rent your sublessee will pay, the duration of the sublease, whether they will pay you or your Ottawa landlord directly, and how the cost of utilities will be covered.
The terms of the sublet agreement for your Ottawa apartment rental should be set in writing. This document should cover all of the terms and conditions of the sublet, such as security deposit information, the condition of the apartment before the subletter moves in, the rules regarding the use of your furniture and appliances by the subletter, and whether the subletter will be taking on any additional responsibilities.
After both of you sign the agreement (and the landlord approves it), you're good to go! Enjoy your travels, and rest assured knowing that your Ottawa apartment rental will be in good hands.
Tip: If your agreement falls through, or your subletter does not live up to their end of the bargain, you are still responsible for your Ottawa apartment rental. Even if you are no longer living in the apartment, you’re still responsible for paying the rent for the duration of the lease.
Looking for a great Ottawa apartment rental? District Realty is your first choice for Ottawa apartments for rent.