If the past nine months have taught us anything, it’s that we can’t always predict the future, and plans can change in all kinds of ways. We realize that if you’re a student living off-campus, this can often impact your housing plans and needs.
President Schlissel has announced the plans for the university community for Winter 2021. As part of this, consider whether returning to Ann Arbor in Winter 2021 is necessary, before determining your housing needs. We do recognize that this may mean that you have a lease for off-campus housing that you may no longer need. Equally, for some students Ann Arbor may be your permanent home or leaving town may be too challenging at present.
For these groups of students, sub-leasing may be a possible solution. This can help provide a student in need of housing with a shorter-term lease, and can also help with rent costs for the original tenant.
However, if you do decide to explore how to sub-lease, please bear a few important things in mind:
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Talk to your landlord first - landlords may have different rules and requirements about sub-leasing, including fees and charges
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Talk to the other tenants - do they know about the sub-lease, and are they happy to go along with it? Give them an opportunity to voice any questions or concerns first.
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Check your current lease, including any addendums or specific information on sub-leasing
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Get a written agreement that is signed by all parties (landlord, the original tenant, and the sub-lease tenant) - this could mean signing a new lease, or an addendum to the lease, or could be a separate contract that covers the sub-lease. This will clarify and confirm everyone’s rights and responsibilities
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Get confirmation about what happens if the sub-lease doesn’t work - if the sub-lease tenant changes their mind, who is liable for the rent? Clarifying this will avoid problems down the line
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Make sure you have an up-to-date inventory checklist - this may have changed from the checklist that was completed when the original tenant moved in, and you don’t want to be liable for things that aren’t your fault
If you are unsure about how to successfully complete the sub-lease process, please contact Beyond The Diag or Student Legal Services for information and advice.