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Tenants: Get permission before renting out rental properties

On Behalf of | Jul 27, 2016 | Landlord/tenant Matters |

All year long, people from around the world come to North Carolina. With all the tourists and travelers, it is no surprise that many residents open their homes up to be rented through companies like Airbnb.

Renting out your property can be a great way to earn some money, but it can create more problems than it solves if you are not careful. For instance, if you are a renter, you will want to be sure that you have permission to rent out your property from your landlord. If you don’t, you could wind up in a heated legal dispute.

In many cases, you can simply refer to your rental agreement to see if you are allowed to rent out your apartment or home. Some agreements may explicitly deny it; others may permit it, provided you comply with certain restrictions.

If you are unclear or unsatisfied with what your rental agreement says about renting through services like Airbnb, it is generally best to speak directly to your landlord before making any decisions. Open communication between landlords and tenants can often prevent many disputes before they arise.

With some discussion, you could negotiate with your landlord an appropriate solution that allows you both to benefit from — or, at least not suffer penalties from — short-term rentals. Examples of the compromises that could be offered can be found in this article from Airbnb.

You should also be prepared for the news that you are not allowed to rent out your rented property. This is a business transaction, which means that the property owner needs to properly insured should something get broken or should someone get hurt on the premises. If your landlord cannot or does not want to take on this responsibility, your request can be denied.

It should also be noted that in some areas, local laws prohibit short-term rentals so the decision could be out of your landlord’s hands. 

Renting out your property if you are a renter isn’t impossible, but it is much more difficult than if you were the owner of your property. Because so many people have something at stake in these scenarios, it is critical that tenants and landlords alike know their rights and options when it comes to short-term rentals.

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