Tenant wants to have roommate and collect rent

Tenant wants to have roommate and collect rent

Flipper/Rehabber · Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2016 · 502 posts · 167 votes

Hi, 

A financially qualified tenant is quite interested in my rental. He admits he’s in transition. But he wants “company” and said he will get a roommate. So I asked him if the roommate will pay rent and he said “To me.”  (Meaning him, he’s gonna keep the roommate’s rent.)

That sounds like there would now be TWO landlords right? Would the roomie be on the lease or what? I’m confused. Never encountered this. Have always avoided roommate tenants.

This applicant also offered to pay 6 months of the lease up front. He was a very highly paid engineer (pharma) who's now changing careers. He has savings. It will have to be verified. Moving from California to CO.
 I have had a couple long phone talks with him, we can easily communicate at this stage, but this roommate idea is a turnoff for me. If anything, I should be collecting the roommate’s rent. It’s additional wear and tear, parking, housekeeping issues etc. 

He also wants to park a 24-foot rec. trailer on the property. That means room for 1 car in the driveway. I’ll have to check with the city regs on this. I see a lot of them around its probably allowed.

At least he has no animals. 

He’s owned a home for years and is used to doing whatever the h*** he feels like doing. I’m wondering how much respect he will have for the lease.

Would you rent to this applicant? I have others.

Oh—he and his wife agreed to live separately for a year (his version) and they have 2 school age kids. Shes staying in CA not selling marital home.

Thanks much for your take on this.

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Rental Property Investor · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
4y

Nope.  Anyone in my property will be verified through me and on the lease.  I don't have as much of a problem with them collecting rent and paying me, my issue lies in the fact there is someone living in my property that I have not vetted and is not under obligation to pay me directly.  I specifically state in my lease no subletting.  Tenant screening is as much of an art as it is a science and I don't trust a tenant to do that for me.  

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  • Rental Property Investor · Member since 2020 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y

    Nope.  Anyone in my property will be verified through me and on the lease.  I don't have as much of a problem with them collecting rent and paying me, my issue lies in the fact there is someone living in my property that I have not vetted and is not under obligation to pay me directly.  I specifically state in my lease no subletting.  Tenant screening is as much of an art as it is a science and I don't trust a tenant to do that for me.  

  • Investor · Maryland, DC · Member since 2018 · 9 posts · 2 votes
    4y

    I agree with Adam. No subletting. Any tenant has to sign the lease I approve and abide by my house rules.

  • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    4y
    Quote from @Jane S.:

    I agree with the others. This is your property. Anyone living there will be on an agreement with you. No subleasing/subletting. You screen them, you approve them, they sign the lease.

    And when you have roommates, they are under "joint and several liability" which is a legal term that should be in your lease and clearly understood by you and the tenants. Anyone on the lease is 100% responsible for the terms. If Tenant A pays his half of the rent, that doesn't count. You need 100% of the rent paid or all the Tenants are subject to eviction.

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  • Flipper/Rehabber · Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2016 · 502 posts · 167 votes
    4y

    Thanks all! I told him he should use his savings to buy a house so he can do whatever the heck he wants.

    I asked him to get an attorney’s opinion on him collecting and keeping the roommates rent and he didnt respond so he disqualified himself.

  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    4y

    No. It sounds like he's trying to do AirBNB or something where he can rent out the property.

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