Subleasing your home

It is not unusual for a person to rent out their house or apartment. The reasons vary. A common reason is that the owner of an apartment block chooses to rent out two or more to finance living in one themselves. In this case you can say it is not profitable. It is not unusual that a person is renting out to make a living. No matter what the case is it is crucial to know what is right and wrong in such situations. What rights do you have as a landlord, and what are the obligations? And as a tenant?

The contract

The most important thing in the matter is the written contract between the tenant and the landlord. In the contract all costs are specified and who is paying what as well as when. It also informs on what applies when it comes to giving notice when you want to move or when the landlord seeds to evict you. The contract also regulates what comes and goes with the apartment, like furniture or other things and also what damages there are on, for instance, walls when you move in so that you won’t be liable for someone else’s damages.

The landlord´s responsibilities

There are some legal aspects to take into consideration. These applies outside the contract. This is a bit different depending on where you are in the world. To be clear on what applies for you and your situation you need to read or contact someone in the community or country to get the facts. In general, you can say that there should be good will between the parties in cases of renting apartments or houses. By this it means nothing should be forced and no suspicion before signing the contract. This is for both parties to monitor. In almost all cases the landlord is the one to pay all extra fees and surrounding costs like repairs, snow clearance and make sure that the surroundings areas are liveable. The landlord is also responsible for keeping joint spaces in a safe and fair condition. This can be stairs, laundry room and outside the front door. It is important for the landlord to follow the rules and regulations that apply when hiring craftsmen for maintenance and repairs. Of course, the landlord is also bound to prevent damages by keeping up the maintenance, this is of course also something of interest to keep the standard in the building.

The landlord´s rights

When it comes to maintenance, for example, the tenant has a responsibility to give the landlord access to the apartment or house. This must be with consent from the tenant and at a set time if nothing else is set in the contract. In some countries there is a 24 hour-rule that means that the tenant is obliged to give the landlord access within 24 hours from when the landlord gives notice. In some cases, the landlord is in the right to evict, even outside the contract. This can be if, for example, the contract says that there is a time for notice for six months but the tenant doesn´t pay the rent, then the landlord can in many cases evict the tenant prior to this date. Eviction can also be the fact if the tenant shows a risky or dangerous behaviour, something that can affect others living in the house or area. An example can be that carelessness with gas or manufacturing of illegal substances. In all cases it is crucial to know the laws in the country where you are living.