{"appState":{"pageLoadApiCallsStatus":true},"articleState":{"article":{"headers":{"creationTime":"2016-03-26T11:23:37+00:00","modifiedTime":"2023-10-27T20:48:02+00:00","timestamp":"2023-10-27T21:01:15+00:00"},"data":{"breadcrumbs":[{"name":"Business, Careers, & Money","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34224"},"slug":"business-careers-money","categoryId":34224},{"name":"Careers","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34256"},"slug":"careers","categoryId":34256},{"name":"Real Estate Careers","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34268"},"slug":"real-estate-careers","categoryId":34268},{"name":"General Real Estate Careers","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34270"},"slug":"general-real-estate-careers","categoryId":34270}],"title":"Dealing with Cotenants, Sublets, and Assignments","strippedTitle":"dealing with cotenants, sublets, and assignments","slug":"dealing-with-cotenants-sublets-and-assignments","canonicalUrl":"","seo":{"metaDescription":"As a landlord, you should know what to do when your tenants want to take on a roommate, sublet their unit, or assign their contract to someone else.","noIndex":0,"noFollow":0},"content":"Residents often need or want to take on a new roommate, sublet the rental unit, or assign their rental contract to someone else. To deal with these types of situations, consider this advice when you’re a landlord:\r\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Require that all prospective roommates be screened and added to the rental contract.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Prohibit residents from subletting their rental units. When a resident sublets, the new resident has no legal obligations to you under the contract.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Prohibit residents from assigning their rental contracts without your written consent and only on condition that the assignee be screened and approved by you.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p class=\"Remember\">Except for children and other dependents, everyone living in one of your rental units should be screened and approved and required to sign the rental contract.</p>","description":"Residents often need or want to take on a new roommate, sublet the rental unit, or assign their rental contract to someone else. To deal with these types of situations, consider this advice when you’re a landlord:\r\n<ul class=\"level-one\">\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Require that all prospective roommates be screened and added to the rental contract.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Prohibit residents from subletting their rental units. When a resident sublets, the new resident has no legal obligations to you under the contract.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n \t<li>\r\n<p class=\"first-para\">Prohibit residents from assigning their rental contracts without your written consent and only on condition that the assignee be screened and approved by you.</p>\r\n</li>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p class=\"Remember\">Except for children and other dependents, everyone living in one of your rental units should be screened and approved and required to sign the rental contract.</p>","blurb":"","authors":[{"authorId":9293,"name":"Robert S. Griswold","slug":"robert-s-griswold","description":" <p><b>Bruce Brammall</b> is a licensed financial adviser and mortgage broker, personal finance journalist, best-selling author and successful property investor. <b>Eric Tyson</b> and <b>Robert S. Griswold</b> are independently successful investors.</p>","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9293"}},{"authorId":9418,"name":"Laurence Harmon","slug":"laurence-harmon","description":" <p><b>Laurence C. Harmon, JD,</b> is the CEO of HARMON<i>LAW</i> LLC, specializing in apartment-related legal and property management consulting.</p> <p><b>Robert S. Griswold, MBA, MSBA,</b> is a successful real estate investor and property manager with a large portfolio of residential and commercial rental properties.</p>","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9418"}}],"primaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":34270,"title":"General Real Estate Careers","slug":"general-real-estate-careers","_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/categories/34270"}},"secondaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"tertiaryCategoryTaxonomy":{"categoryId":0,"title":null,"slug":null,"_links":null},"trendingArticles":null,"inThisArticle":[],"relatedArticles":{"fromBook":[{"articleId":207681,"title":"Landlord's Legal Kit For Dummies Cheat Sheet","slug":"landlords-legal-kit-for-dummies-cheat-sheet","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","real-estate-careers","general-real-estate-careers"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/207681"}},{"articleId":152485,"title":"10 Laws All Landlords Need to Know","slug":"10-laws-all-landlords-need-to-know","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","real-estate-careers","general-real-estate-careers"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/152485"}},{"articleId":152475,"title":"Establishing Security Deposit Policies and Procedures","slug":"establishing-security-deposit-policies-and-procedures","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","real-estate-careers","general-real-estate-careers"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/152475"}},{"articleId":152474,"title":"Meeting Your Landlord Legal Obligations","slug":"meeting-your-landlord-legal-obligations","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","real-estate-careers","general-real-estate-careers"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/152474"}},{"articleId":152473,"title":"Screening Applicants","slug":"screening-applicants","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","real-estate-careers","general-real-estate-careers"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/152473"}}],"fromCategory":[{"articleId":241649,"title":"Establish Awesome Service as a Real Estate Agent","slug":"establish-awesome-service-real-estate-agent","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","real-estate-careers","general-real-estate-careers"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/241649"}},{"articleId":241645,"title":"Focus Your Real Estate Marketing Dollars Online","slug":"focus-real-estate-marketing-dollars-online","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","real-estate-careers","general-real-estate-careers"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/241645"}},{"articleId":241641,"title":"Prepping a Home's Interior for Selling","slug":"prepping-homes-interior-selling","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","real-estate-careers","general-real-estate-careers"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/241641"}},{"articleId":241637,"title":"Qualifying Your Listing Prospects","slug":"qualifying-listing-prospects","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","real-estate-careers","general-real-estate-careers"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/241637"}},{"articleId":241633,"title":"Tips for Setting Up for a Real Estate Open House","slug":"tips-setting-real-estate-open-house","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","real-estate-careers","general-real-estate-careers"],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/articles/241633"}}]},"hasRelatedBookFromSearch":false,"relatedBook":{"bookId":282344,"slug":"landlords-legal-kit-for-dummies","isbn":"9781119896340","categoryList":["business-careers-money","careers","real-estate-careers","general-real-estate-careers"],"amazon":{"default":"https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1119896347/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","ca":"https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1119896347/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","indigo_ca":"http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-9208661-13710633?url=https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/1119896347-item.html&cjsku=978111945484","gb":"https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1119896347/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20","de":"https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/1119896347/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wiley01-20"},"image":{"src":"https://www.dummies.com/wp-content/uploads/landlords-legal-kit-for-dummies-2nd-edition-cover-9781119896340-203x255.jpg","width":203,"height":255},"title":"Landlord's Legal Kit For Dummies","testBankPinActivationLink":"","bookOutOfPrint":true,"authorsInfo":"<p><b>Bruce Brammall</b> is a licensed financial adviser and mortgage broker, personal finance journalist, best-selling author and successful property investor. <b>Eric Tyson</b> and <b><b data-author-id=\"9293\">Robert S. Griswold</b></b> are independently successful investors.</p> <p><b>Laurence C. Harmon, JD,</b> is the CEO of HARMON<i>LAW</i> LLC, specializing in apartment-related legal and property management consulting.</p> <p><b>Robert S. Griswold, MBA, MSBA,</b> is a successful real estate investor and property manager with a large portfolio of residential and commercial rental properties.</p> <p><b><b data-author-id=\"35181\">Laurence C. Harmon</b>, JD,</b> is the CEO of HARMON<i>LAW</i> LLC, specializing in apartment-related legal and property management consulting.</p> <p><b>Robert S. Griswold, MBA, MSBA,</b> is a successful real estate investor and property manager with a large portfolio of residential and commercial rental properties.</p>","authors":[{"authorId":9293,"name":"Robert S. Griswold","slug":"robert-s-griswold","description":" <p><b>Bruce Brammall</b> is a licensed financial adviser and mortgage broker, personal finance journalist, best-selling author and successful property investor. <b>Eric Tyson</b> and <b>Robert S. Griswold</b> are independently successful investors.</p>","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9293"}},{"authorId":9418,"name":"Laurence Harmon","slug":"laurence-harmon","description":" <p><b>Laurence C. Harmon, JD,</b> is the CEO of HARMON<i>LAW</i> LLC, specializing in apartment-related legal and property management consulting.</p> <p><b>Robert S. Griswold, MBA, MSBA,</b> is a successful real estate investor and property manager with a large portfolio of residential and commercial rental properties.</p>","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9418"}},{"authorId":35181,"name":"Laurence C. Harmon","slug":"laurence-c-harmon","description":" <p><b>Laurence C. Harmon, JD,</b> is the CEO of HARMON<i>LAW</i> LLC, specializing in apartment-related legal and property management consulting.</p> <p><b>Robert S. Griswold, MBA, MSBA,</b> is a successful real estate investor and property manager with a large portfolio of residential and commercial rental properties.</p>","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/35181"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_adhesion_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{"key":"cat","values":["business-careers-money","careers","real-estate-careers","general-real-estate-careers"]},{"key":"isbn","values":["9781119896340"]}]\" id=\"du-slot-653c251bcd6a8\"></div></div>","rightAd":"<div class=\"du-ad-region row\" id=\"article_page_right_ad\"><div class=\"du-ad-unit col-md-12\" data-slot-id=\"article_page_right_ad\" data-refreshed=\"false\" \r\n data-target = \"[{"key":"cat","values":["business-careers-money","careers","real-estate-careers","general-real-estate-careers"]},{"key":"isbn","values":["9781119896340"]}]\" id=\"du-slot-653c251bcdd6d\"></div></div>"},"articleType":{"articleType":"Articles","articleList":null,"content":null,"videoInfo":{"videoId":null,"name":null,"accountId":null,"playerId":null,"thumbnailUrl":null,"description":null,"uploadDate":null}},"sponsorship":{"sponsorshipPage":false,"backgroundImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"brandingLine":"","brandingLink":"","brandingLogo":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0},"sponsorAd":"","sponsorEbookTitle":"","sponsorEbookLink":"","sponsorEbookImage":{"src":null,"width":0,"height":0}},"primaryLearningPath":"Advance","lifeExpectancy":"Five years","lifeExpectancySetFrom":"2023-10-27T00:00:00+00:00","dummiesForKids":"no","sponsoredContent":"no","adInfo":"","adPairKey":[]},"status":"publish","visibility":"public","articleId":152478},"articleLoadedStatus":"success"},"listState":{"list":{},"objectTitle":"","status":"initial","pageType":null,"objectId":null,"page":1,"sortField":"time","sortOrder":1,"categoriesIds":[],"articleTypes":[],"filterData":{},"filterDataLoadedStatus":"initial","pageSize":10},"adsState":{"pageScripts":{"headers":{"timestamp":"2024-03-04T05:50:01+00:00"},"adsId":0,"data":{"scripts":[{"pages":["all"],"location":"header","script":"\r\n<script src=\"https://cdn.optimizely.com/js/10563184655.js\"></script>","enabled":false},{"pages":["all"],"location":"header","script":"\r\n<script>var _comscore = _comscore || [];_comscore.push({ c1: \"2\", c2: \"15097263\" });(function() {var s = document.createElement(\"script\"), el = document.getElementsByTagName(\"script\")[0]; s.async = true;s.src = (document.location.protocol == \"https:\" ? \"https://sb\" : \"http://b\") + \".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js\";el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el);})();</script><noscript><img src=\"https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/p?c1=2&c2=15097263&cv=2.0&cj=1\" /></noscript>\r\n","enabled":true},{"pages":["all"],"location":"footer","script":"\r\n<script type='text/javascript'>\r\n(function(){var g=function(e,h,f,g){\r\nthis.get=function(a){for(var a=a+\"=\",c=document.cookie.split(\";\"),b=0,e=c.length;b<e;b++){for(var d=c[b];\" \"==d.charAt(0);)d=d.substring(1,d.length);if(0==d.indexOf(a))return d.substring(a.length,d.length)}return null};\r\nthis.set=function(a,c){var b=\"\",b=new Date;b.setTime(b.getTime()+6048E5);b=\"; expires=\"+b.toGMTString();document.cookie=a+\"=\"+c+b+\"; path=/; \"};\r\nthis.check=function(){var a=this.get(f);if(a)a=a.split(\":\");else if(100!=e)\"v\"==h&&(e=Math.random()>=e/100?0:100),a=[h,e,0],this.set(f,a.join(\":\"));else return!0;var c=a[1];if(100==c)return!0;switch(a[0]){case \"v\":return!1;case \"r\":return c=a[2]%Math.floor(100/c),a[2]++,this.set(f,a.join(\":\")),!c}return!0};\r\nthis.go=function(){if(this.check()){var a=document.createElement(\"script\");a.type=\"text/javascript\";a.src=g;document.body&&document.body.appendChild(a)}};\r\nthis.start=function(){var t=this;\"complete\"!==document.readyState?window.addEventListener?window.addEventListener(\"load\",function(){t.go()},!1):window.attachEvent&&window.attachEvent(\"onload\",function(){t.go()}):t.go()};};\r\ntry{(new g(100,\"r\",\"QSI_S_ZN_5o5yqpvMVjgDOuN\",\"https://zn5o5yqpvmvjgdoun-wiley.siteintercept.qualtrics.com/SIE/?Q_ZID=ZN_5o5yqpvMVjgDOuN\")).start()}catch(i){}})();\r\n</script><div id='ZN_5o5yqpvMVjgDOuN'></div>\r\n","enabled":false},{"pages":["all"],"location":"header","script":"\r\n<script>\r\n (function(h,o,t,j,a,r){\r\n h.hj=h.hj||function(){(h.hj.q=h.hj.q||[]).push(arguments)};\r\n h._hjSettings={hjid:257151,hjsv:6};\r\n a=o.getElementsByTagName('head')[0];\r\n r=o.createElement('script');r.async=1;\r\n r.src=t+h._hjSettings.hjid+j+h._hjSettings.hjsv;\r\n a.appendChild(r);\r\n })(window,document,'https://static.hotjar.com/c/hotjar-','.js?sv=');\r\n</script>","enabled":false},{"pages":["article"],"location":"header","script":" <script src=\"//get.s-onetag.com/bffe21a1-6bb8-4928-9449-7beadb468dae/tag.min.js\" async defer></script>","enabled":true},{"pages":["homepage"],"location":"header","script":"<meta name=\"facebook-domain-verification\" content=\"irk8y0irxf718trg3uwwuexg6xpva0\" />","enabled":true},{"pages":["homepage","article","category","search"],"location":"footer","script":"\r\n<noscript>\r\n<img height=\"1\" width=\"1\" src=\"https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=256338321977984&ev=PageView&noscript=1\"/>\r\n</noscript>\r\n","enabled":true}]}},"pageScriptsLoadedStatus":"success"},"navigationState":{"navigationCollections":[{"collectionId":287568,"title":"BYOB (Be Your Own Boss)","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-entry-level-entrepreneur-287568"},{"collectionId":293237,"title":"Be a Rad Dad","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/be-the-best-dad-293237"},{"collectionId":295890,"title":"Career Shifting","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/career-shifting-295890"},{"collectionId":294090,"title":"Contemplating the Cosmos","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/theres-something-about-space-294090"},{"collectionId":287563,"title":"For Those Seeking Peace of Mind","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-those-seeking-peace-of-mind-287563"},{"collectionId":287570,"title":"For the Aspiring Aficionado","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-bougielicious-287570"},{"collectionId":291903,"title":"For the Budding Cannabis Enthusiast","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-budding-cannabis-enthusiast-291903"},{"collectionId":299891,"title":"For the College Bound","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-college-bound-299891"},{"collectionId":291934,"title":"For the Exam-Season Crammer","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/for-the-exam-season-crammer-291934"},{"collectionId":301547,"title":"For the Game Day Prepper","hasSubCategories":false,"url":"/collection/big-game-day-prep-made-easy-301547"}],"navigationCollectionsLoadedStatus":"success","navigationCategories":{"books":{"0":{"data":[{"categoryId":33512,"title":"Technology","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/technology-33512"},{"categoryId":33662,"title":"Academics & The Arts","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/academics-the-arts-33662"},{"categoryId":33809,"title":"Home, Auto, & Hobbies","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/home-auto-hobbies-33809"},{"categoryId":34038,"title":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/body-mind-spirit-34038"},{"categoryId":34224,"title":"Business, Careers, & Money","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/books/business-careers-money-34224"}],"breadcrumbs":[],"categoryTitle":"Level 0 Category","mainCategoryUrl":"/category/books/level-0-category-0"}},"articles":{"0":{"data":[{"categoryId":33512,"title":"Technology","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/technology-33512"},{"categoryId":33662,"title":"Academics & The Arts","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/academics-the-arts-33662"},{"categoryId":33809,"title":"Home, Auto, & Hobbies","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/home-auto-hobbies-33809"},{"categoryId":34038,"title":"Body, Mind, & Spirit","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/body-mind-spirit-34038"},{"categoryId":34224,"title":"Business, Careers, & Money","hasSubCategories":true,"url":"/category/articles/business-careers-money-34224"}],"breadcrumbs":[],"categoryTitle":"Level 0 Category","mainCategoryUrl":"/category/articles/level-0-category-0"}}},"navigationCategoriesLoadedStatus":"success"},"searchState":{"searchList":[],"searchStatus":"initial","relatedArticlesList":[],"relatedArticlesStatus":"initial"},"routeState":{"name":"Article4","path":"/article/business-careers-money/careers/real-estate-careers/general-real-estate-careers/dealing-with-cotenants-sublets-and-assignments-152478/","hash":"","query":{},"params":{"category1":"business-careers-money","category2":"careers","category3":"real-estate-careers","category4":"general-real-estate-careers","article":"dealing-with-cotenants-sublets-and-assignments-152478"},"fullPath":"/article/business-careers-money/careers/real-estate-careers/general-real-estate-careers/dealing-with-cotenants-sublets-and-assignments-152478/","meta":{"routeType":"article","breadcrumbInfo":{"suffix":"Articles","baseRoute":"/category/articles"},"prerenderWithAsyncData":true},"from":{"name":null,"path":"/","hash":"","query":{},"params":{},"fullPath":"/","meta":{}}},"dropsState":{"submitEmailResponse":false,"status":"initial"},"profileState":{"auth":{},"userOptions":{},"status":"success"}}

Dealing with Cotenants, Sublets, and Assignments

By: Robert S. Griswold and Laurence Harmon and

Updated: 10-27-2023

From The Book: Landlord's Legal Kit For Dummies

Landlord's Legal Kit For Dummies

Explore Book Buy On Amazon

Residents often need or want to take on a new roommate, sublet the rental unit, or assign their rental contract to someone else. To deal with these types of situations, consider this advice when you’re a landlord:

Require that all prospective roommates be screened and added to the rental contract.
Prohibit residents from subletting their rental units. When a resident sublets, the new resident has no legal obligations to you under the contract.
Prohibit residents from assigning their rental contracts without your written consent and only on condition that the assignee be screened and approved by you.

Except for children and other dependents, everyone living in one of your rental units should be screened and approved and required to sign the rental contract.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

Landlord's Legal Kit For Dummies ,

About the book authors:

Bruce Brammall is a licensed financial adviser and mortgage broker, personal finance journalist, best-selling author and successful property investor. Eric Tyson and Robert S. Griswold are independently successful investors.

Laurence C. Harmon, JD, is the CEO of HARMONLAW LLC, specializing in apartment-related legal and property management consulting.

Robert S. Griswold, MBA, MSBA, is a successful real estate investor and property manager with a large portfolio of residential and commercial rental properties.

Laurence C. Harmon, JD, is the CEO of HARMONLAW LLC, specializing in apartment-related legal and property management consulting.

Robert S. Griswold, MBA, MSBA, is a successful real estate investor and property manager with a large portfolio of residential and commercial rental properties.

This article can be found in the category:

General Real Estate Careers ,

Article Categories

Book Categories

Collections