Subletting
When a tenant rents part or all of their unit to someone else for part of the lease term. Most leases require landlord permission first.
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Part 1 of 4
Why a seller cares
A subtenant in the unit at sale is an extra layer for the buyer: the lease may forbid it, and the subtenant has rights of their own in some states. It is a fact to disclose, not to discover at the walk-through.
Part 2 of 4
A simple example
Your tenant sublet the second bedroom without asking. The buyer learns at the walk-through that there are two households in the unit.
| The situation | What it means |
|---|---|
| A permitted sublet, in writing | Disclosed; the buyer knows who is there and on what terms |
| An unpermitted sublet | A lease violation, and a person with rights the buyer inherits |
| No sublet | The ordinary case |
Every person living in the unit is part of what the buyer takes on.
Part 3 of 4
What people get wrong
That a subtenant has no rights because they are not on the lease. In many states they have some, and removing them takes the same process.
Part 4 of 4 · where to read next
Where it appears in the sale
What a definition is, and what it isn't
Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.
Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish
In your Room, this word explains itself where it appears.
Your Room defines subletting in the step you meet it in, beside the document or the date it belongs to. Free to set up, with an agent or on your own.
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