April Newsletter

Upcoming Events

The Office of Neighborhoods is hosting a neighborhood cleanup on April 30th. You can join the Neighborhood Ambassador’s cleanup crew as we pick up trash around campus and along Arthur and Beckwith. Meet us at the Bear Statue on the oval to pick up supplies at 12pm. Time commitment is just 12–2!

The Missoula Tenants Union is meeting May 3rd from 6–7:30pm at the Missoula Public Library. Montana Legal Services will be presenting on renters’ rights. Goals of the tenants union include: lowering rent, increasing housing availability, advocating for a universal housing application process, regulating short-term rentals, and securing protection when it comes to houses being sold to investors. The Missoula Tenants Union is looking for organizers, artists, legal expertise, and most of all, neighbors to get involved! For more information follow the Missoula tenants union on instagram or visit their website.

The Neighborhood Ambassadors are hosting a block party on May 7th from 12pm-3pm. Join us at the Maurice and Central Traffic Circle for games and snacks. We will be sprucing up traffic circles in the area by gardening, adding chalk art, and renovating some flower boxes. Hope to see you there!

Guide to Subletting Your Apartment

Sometimes you need to move out of your apartment before the lease is over; maybe you have a summer internship, just graduated and plan to relocate, or just want to get out of town for a while. Subletting your apartment may be an easy way to meet the requirements of your lease and save money.

Subleasing (or Subletting) is when a tenant rents their room or apartment out to someone else for a period of the lease. While the lease is still under your name, the new tenant is responsible for paying rent and taking care of your space. Here is our guide to subletting your apartment.

1. The first thing you need to do is look over your lease agreement. Usually, there’s a clause about subletting your apartment. It is important to check your lease before subletting to make sure you aren’t violating the terms of your lease, which could result in eviction!
2. Talk to your landlord or property manager- Whether you’re subletting your entire apartment or just one room, you need to get your landlord’s approval if someone new is going to be occupying space in your unit. A tenant may not sublet the property unless the landlord agrees. (Montana Code Annotated 70–24–305).
3. Find a subletter- There are many websites you can use to find someone looking for a short term rental. Try Facebook or websites made for subletting such as SpareRoom or LeaseBreak. Ask your friends, family and co-workers if they know anyone who is looking for a short-term lease.
4. Communicate with your roommates- Let your roommates know that you plan to sublease your apartment. Let them know your situation and include them when searching for a subletter
5. Get your subletting agreement in writing. ASUM Legal Services is a great resource to utilize when writing this agreement! Include these things in your agreement:

• Start and end dates of sublet
• Name of subtenant
• Current home and employment address of proposed subtenant
• Reason for subletting
• Where you will be living when your subtenant is in your room or apartment
• Written consent of any roommates or co-signers you may have
• Amount of rent to be paid, when it will be paid, and to whom
• Amount of security deposit, when it will be paid, when it will be returned, and under what circumstances funds will be deducted to pay for damage
• Any parts of your lease agreement that the subletter will be responsible for executing (mowing the lawn, for example)
• A copy of your lease (Trulia Renter Guides, Subletting: what it is and how to do it).

1. Security Deposits- In some cases a subletter may be responsible for an extra security deposit. Check with your landlord or property management company to see if they require a security deposit. If a security deposit isn’t required, add in your subletting agreement how you choose to split the cost of damages.
2. Take pictures and make lists- Before you vacate your apartment take notes of what you are taking and what you may choose to leave behind. Take photos of your apartment to have proof of any damages that may occur after you sublet. For extra credit, take a walk-through video!
3. Check your rental insurance policy- Will your rental insurance cover the belongings still in your apartment while you’re living somewhere else? It might, but be sure to examine your policy closely to be sure.
4. Have plan for if the subletter move out- because you are ultimately the responsible party, it’s smart to have a plan for what to do if anything goes awry. Save up as much money as possible so you’ll be able to pay a month or so of rent if your subletter is late or fails to pay. And designate someone as your check-in person in case your subletter stops communicating with you. This can be a roommate, friend, or landlord.
5. Ask ASUM Legal Services for help- When you are writing a sublease agreement or communicating your situation to a landlord or property management company for help ASUM Legal Services is a great resource! You can schedule an appointment here.

Neighborhood Ambassadors Resource of the Month: Home ReSource

Home ReSource is a nonprofit community sustainability center in Missoula, Montana with a building materials reuse store & job training, education, and zero waste programs. Not only does Home ReSource help address sustainability in an integrated way, but they also have some great resources for renters! Their reused building materials store sells affordable materials you can use for your next DIY project or home renovation and helps keep these unwanted items out of the landfill.

Home ReSource also offers Fixit clinics, an event where community members can bring their worn, broken, or malfunctioning items in and learn how to repair them. Thank you Home ReSource for helping the Neighborhood Ambassadors secure supplies for our traffic circle project! Check out the Home ReSource website for the next Fixit Clinic date and find out what materials you can donate or purchase at the reuse store.