What should I do if my roommate wants to move out - but I want to stay?
It's not uncommon for a tenant to approach us to let us know a roommate would like to move out, or that a new roommate would like to move into the property. This is something we can sometimes easily accommodate given the proper circumstances.
The 1st step is for you to let us know. We will review the situation and advise you of the next steps.
Changing tenants
If your intention is to exchange one roommate, for a new, incoming roomate, we will typically wait until you have secured your new roommate; before we act.
- We will typically confirm that each tenant named on the current lease is in agreement to the proposed tenant switch.
- The incoming tenant will need to submit an application, and pay that fee. That tenant will need to meet our criteria, just as any tenant does. This is an excellent way for you to screen your new roommate as well. However, due to Fairness in Credit Reporting Laws, we can not disclose the information we see, with you, or anyone else. Not even the property owner. Same as when you applied.
- We will typically have all tenants that are to continue residing in the rental property, sign a new lease.
- And we will then typically have the leaving tenant, and the current tenants, sign that they agree to the arrangement.
We typically will have the tenants agree to handle any security deposit, and last month rent amounts, between themselves. The way this might look, is that the incoming tenant, might give the leaving tenant his shares, and the leaving tenant will agree in writing to us, that he gives up the amounts we are holding, to the new tenant. If the tenant that is leaving is responsible for any potential future lost security deposit amounts, this would be the time for the tenants to work that out between themselves. It is recommended to use this Rental Tenant FAQ as a resource.
Leaving tenant, without replacing them
Occasionally we will have a tenant request to leave mid-lease, or at lease end, and the other tenant(s) will request to keep the rental property without a new tenant to replace them.
In this occurrence our consideration is that for a tenant to be named as financially responsible on a lease, for one of our rental properties, they need to meet our rental criteria. Sometimes a tenant meets the criteria for the property, on their own, and sometimes it is the combination of all the tenants on the lease of the property, that meet that criteria.
If the tenants are at the end of the lease, and the tenant can alone meet our rental criteria, we often will offer that tenant the lease. If the tenants are mid-lease, and one tenant is requesting to break that lease, we often won't formally allow that as we still need both names to be held as financially responsible, as agreed. This is to protect the property owner.
However, tenants often do move out, and the staying tenants pay the rents in full. The tenant that leaves just stays as being also formally responsible; but they are otherwise unaffected.
However, to renew a lease, there will need to be tenants that fully meet our rental criteria - be that solo or with a new roommate.
Adding a new roommate
This is also a request we get from time to time. Per your lease, only those named on the lease are allowed to reside there. But sometimes our tenants will get married, or have a parent come live with them or other any other life change that comes their way. If this might occur, the 1st step is to reach out to us and let us know the details.
If the rental property currently meets Philadelphia housing code in regards to its amount of its allowed occupancy, we often allow this. Philadelphia has restrictions on how many people many reside in a property, including how many many reside in a bedroom, based upon its size.
If the property meets Philadelphia code, we may agree; but we might request an application be submitted (fees apply).
We may require either an addendum to the lease be signed or a new lease. We also may require the new tenant to either be named as financially responsible or merely named as an allowed resident.
Again, the first step is to contact us. Let us know what you would like to do and we will try to find a way to accommodate.
