Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Is sub-letting a good idea?

Options
  • 02-04-2019 8:40pm
    #1
    errlloyd
    Registered Users Posts: 12,611 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi all. I am a bit of a strange predicament. My housemate is the landlord's daughter and she's moving out - we're family friends, but despite that I pay my rent through an agent. (They had a problem with a previous family friend Tennant and thought this more professional set up was wise).

    So I have a lease on one room in the two bed apartment and I pay rent to the agent. When I moved in the Agent told me that if my housemate moved out I would get the choice of finding a housemate and getting them to sign a lease for the other room, switching room, or taking a lease on the whole place myself and subletting. The other room is slightly bigger, but importantly has the parking space in the lease while my current room doesn't.

    So here is my question. Say my rent is 1,000 - and the other room is 1,200. If I subletted would the agent expect me to pay 2,200 even though I was taking on the extra risk of having empty days etc, or would the agent negotiate a slightly lower rate for the whole apartment given I was doing the legwork of finding a Tennant, guaranteeing the rent etc? If not is there any other reason people can think of to take the sub-letting option. It seems to give me extra risks, but does it give me extra rights?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    alias no.9
    Registered Users Posts: 6,310 ✭✭✭alias no.9


    Ask the agent, nobody else can answer for definite.

    If the apartment is in an RPZ, one of the perverse consequences of the legislation is that any discount on the rent that the landlord might be prepared to give you on the basis of your track record would get carried through to future tenants. From that point of view, it's unlikely that the rent will be any less than it is right now if it's in an RPZ, which based on the rent, it probably is.


  • Options
    #3
    the_syco
    Registered Users Posts: 37,299 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    errlloyd wrote: »
    When I moved in the Agent told me that if my housemate moved out I would get the choice of finding a housemate
    If you find the housemate, you vet them, and there's a better chance that you get someone that you'll feel comfortable with. Doing the legwork for this bit helps ensure you don't move out a month after the agent gets you a new tenant that you don't get on with.
    errlloyd wrote: »
    switching room
    errlloyd wrote: »
    The other room is slightly bigger, but importantly has the parking space in the lease while my current room doesn't.
    If you don't use the parking space, maybe rent it? You may get €200 a month for it, meaning you pay the same amount of rent for a bigger room.
    errlloyd wrote: »
    getting them to sign a lease for the other room
    They'll have the same rights as you.
    errlloyd wrote: »
    or taking a lease on the whole place myself and subletting.
    I think, for the first 6 months, you'll essentially be their landlord. So if you don't like them, you can give them the boot. After 6 months, if the tenant knows their rights, they can apply to become a tenant. If they don't know their rights, you may be able to boot them if they don't apply to become a tenant, and you don't like them.

    Also, if only you are on the lease and your have no car, you could take the bigger room, and perhaps sublet the smaller room with the parking space for €1200.


  • Options
    #4
    errlloyd
    Registered Users Posts: 12,611 ✭✭✭✭errlloyd


    Thank you both for your answers. Really has helped me understand the options.


  • Options
    #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 24,714 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Living with the LLs daughter makes the op a licensee and the house would not be considered a rental for RPZ rules so the house would not be tied 4% rent increase for its first rent setting without the LLs daughter living there.


  • Options
    #6
    ted1
    Registered Users Posts: 23,523 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    I doubt the daughter is paying 1200 for the room. So the landlord is getting 1000 and possible 300.

    Your 1,000 may well be counted in rent a room relief. And not taxable.

    If the landlord was to get 2,200 a month he’d pocket 1,100 after tax and actually be down money.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    errlloyd
    Registered Users Posts: 12,611 ✭✭✭✭errlloyd


    ted1 wrote: »
    I doubt the daughter is paying 1200 for the room. So the landlord is getting 1000 and possible 300.

    Your 1,000 may well be counted in rent a room relief. And not taxable.

    If the landlord was to get 2,200 a month he’d pocket 1,100 after tax and actually be down money.

    Hmm, so do you think it's worth me calling the landlord and saying "here look, if she continues living here on paper I'll pay you some extra rent and live alone". Or would that be very illegal?


Advertisement