Sublet concerns affect students

By BETH BAUMGARDNER
Collegian Staff Writer

It may seem like getting someone to pay some of your summer rent is as simple as plastering fliers around campus, but there are many concerns associated with subletting an apartment.

"There's always someone who is stuck with an apartment and someone who needs one," said Jean Welling, assistant director of Greek and Community Life. "It's kind of a continuous thing."

Students can advertise their intentions at the Office of Off-Campus Living, 101 HUB, but it is up to interested parties to make contact.

"We do not do any matching," Welling said. "That's up to the individual."

Erin Kelley, State College Park Apartments property manager, 349 W. Clinton Ave., said the management helps residents look for people to sublet their apartments.

But, like Welling, Kelley said residents need to take an active role by putting fliers up and placing ads in a newspaper.

"Don't just rely on the apartment management," Kelley said. "It's the residents' responsibility to find someone (to sublet)."

When searching for a temporary renter, residents should be sure the subletters will uphold their responsibilities. The subletters may not have to sign a lease or pay a security deposit.

"(Residents) need to be careful," Kelley said. "Everything does fall back on the original leaseholder."

Residents also must be careful when advertising their sublets. They should not advertise the apartment number, just the building and telephone number, Welling said.

"Don't ever be alone when someone you don't know comes to look at the apartment," Welling said. "Don't ever, ever do that. You decide who you feel safe with."

Amy Shields (sophomore-rehabilitation systems), who is trying to sublet her apartment, takes precautions such as only taking calls and visits from females.

"We want to make sure there's more than one person here when someone comes (to look at the apartment)," she said.

But those subletting their apartment are not the only ones who should be cautious. When looking at an apartment, interested subletters also must be careful.

"We recommend that you go everywhere in at least pairs," said Sgt. John Wilson of the State College Police Department.

If subletters are comfortable with the person offering an apartment, they still must be cautious before entering into an agreement, especially if they will be living with roommates.

"One of the most common problems we see with subletting is when folks sign the lease (to sublet) and don't know the people they are going to live with and end up not being able to stand the people," Wilson said. "A lot of students come in here very naive and unaware what they are getting into."

The only quick fix for subletters who are afraid of or dislike their roommates is to move out of the apartment, which may mean paying rent anyway, he added.

"We get so many calls (from students), 'What can I do? What can I do?' " Wilson said. "And there's nothing we can do once the lease is signed. They're at the mercy of the property owners."

Collegian staff writer Susie Xu contributed to this article.

• Contracts can limit conflicts