Tenant wants a roommate...

My wife and I are new landlords after buying a two-family house last year. We have a great tenant who came with the house, and with whom we have a good relationship.

He recently told us that he’s thinking about getting a roommate. We are wondering whether to ask him to add the roommate to the lease.

While we know its his legal right to get a roommate without our approval, it seems like there are certain benefits to being on the lease both from our perspective and the tenants, and possible downsides for everyone, too.

Does anybody have experience with this situation, and advice on the best way to go? We know it’s not up to us, but as I said, we have a good relationship with out tenant and could advocate for one approach or the other.

Guest User | 8 years and 1 month ago

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slopefarm | 8 years and 1 month ago

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It seems to me if you rent to a single person, you assume the possibility that the person may couple up at some point. Same as you take the risk if a couple rents that they may split up. With a tenant couple, I like to have them both on the lease jointly and severally so that if one moves out they are still both fully responsible for the rent for the duration of the lease. With an individual, I might not want to add the new person to the lease mid-term if I have not vetted that person. I would want to minimize the chance of creating a tenancy in that second person before I have had the chance to vet. If they are still together at renewal time, I can revisit with them how to do the next lease, assuming I am happy with the situation.

I say all that with the caveat that I do not know the law in this area.

resident2 | 8 years and 1 month ago

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If you are not rent stabilized; yes, you can agree to additional occupants for an increase (added rent charge) Although that will not fly for the one un-named additional occupant that every tenant is allowed.
But I would not want that provision in any of my leases because if they pay the additional $50.00 whatever for every additional occupant that does not cover you for basic overcrowding conditions and who is actually living in your building. And who is going to police how many people come & go?
Keep it simple: know who you are renting to and who will be living your property from day one. If things change, deal with it on an individual basis. But do not give an open blanket contingency of allowing more people in.

namahs | 8 years and 1 month ago

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is it legal to put in lease that if there are more occupants, you can increase the rent? or it wont hold in court?

Arkady | 8 years and 1 month ago

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We specifically ask that only one tenant take responsibility for the lease.

daveinbedstuy | 8 years and 1 month ago

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What resident2 said. You have no ability to vet the tenant and know whether he/she would be a positive or a negative for the lease.

resident2 | 8 years and 1 month ago

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Any tenant is allowed an additional person to occupy/live in the apartment without the landlords consent that is not named on the lease.
If your current tenant can comfortably afford the apartment by themselves and as you say has been and hopefully will continue to be a good tenant, why do you want to muddy the waters and add an unknown (to you) person that will give them rights to the lease and the apartment?
It does not “protect” you to have this extra person added to the lease, in fact from my many years of experience it can harm you.
The apartment is your current tenants apartment; what happens if the new roommate relationship does not work out? Who’s apartment is it?
I would leave the lease as it is, you continue your relationship with your tenant and let him have a roommate that they are responsible for and can ask to leave if need be.
If things do not work out in their relationship, who’s apartment is it? Who do you end up with?