How to Sublet Your Apartment This Summer

If your summer plans include a lot of traveling or extended periods away from home, you could be flushing valuable rent money down the drain. Instead of paying rent while your apartment sits empty, you may have the option to sublet your place. Take a look at your lease, or check with your landlord to ensure you have the green light to do so. If yes, you can give someone a temporary home and won’t have to fork over cash for a place you aren’t using.

List your property 

So, how do you find someone to crash at your place while you’re away? Just like you would if you were moving out and trying to find a subletter for the remainder of your lease, or perhaps a new renter, post your room or apartment on apartment search sites like Zumper! It also doesn’t hurt to spread the word to coworkers, friends, and family. 

Describe your place

If your apartment or home will be fully furnished and have everything from linens to cookware, let potential subletters know what they can expect. People looking for a short or temporary stay will be attracted to fully equipped homes that require little to no effort on their part to furnish it. On the contrary, if you are flexible with furniture or have a place to store your belongings, you can give them the option and flexibility of both. 

Prorate the rent

Prorating rent for temporary stays is a common practice and means you only charge the subletter for the number of days they occupy your unit, based on your total monthly rent. Every situation is different, so you can make the call on how much you want to charge, how you’ll collect rent, and when you expect payment. Similarly, you can bake the cost of certain utilities into the total rent, or opt to cover them yourself during their stay. 

Involve your roommates

If you have roommates, make sure they are on board with you subletting your room, and have them meet and vet their temporary roommate if possible. 

After you’ve found a subletter you’re happy with, put your sublet agreement in writing that clearly states the length of their stay, the total rent, any house rules, or other expenses they are responsible for so everyone is on the same page. Good luck!

Ready to sublet your apartment? List it now on Zumper!