Roommate Substitution / Addition / Removal / Sublet

Residents intending to substitute themselves, sublet, or add additional roommates on the lease agreement should update the office.  It is recommended that residents begin this process early to give the office time to provide instructions and prepare the needed lease documents.

Roommate changes / removal do not require the standard 90-days notice and some have been done in less than 30-days notice.  However, earlier notice is preferred to so the office can prepare the needed forms needed to change an occupancy.

What is the difference between substitution and subletting?

These two are very different and not the same.  A substitution is a situation where an occupant leaves / vacates the apartment and has no intention on ever returning to the aparmtent at any point in the future.  A sublet is a situation where an occupant remains on the lease but may depart the apartment for a temporary period of time but intends on returning to the apartment.

Roommate Substitution / Removal / Sublet:

  1. Substitution:  Complete a Substitution Petition or Lease Removal (PDF)  – Only the resident that is moving or being substituted permanently (not intending on moving back in) should fill out this form.  Do not have any new substitute roommate or staying roommates sign this form.

    Sublet:  Complete a Sublet Petition (PDF) – this is for a temporary situtation where a current resident / roommate intends on replacing themselves for a set amount of dates.
  2. The petition form can be dropped off at our office in person or scanned/emailed to Leasing*@*northberkeleyproperties.com

  3. Substitution: For a permanent replacement occupant on the lease, have the new occupant fill out an application form online:
    Substitute Roommate Application and pay a $45.00 processing fee (online)

    Sublet:  For a temporary person on the lease, have the sublet complete a Sublet Application and pay a $50.00 processing fee (online)

  4. Additional instructions and a DocuSign Addendum to create the substitution will be provided by the office.
  5. Once the DocuSign is completed the occupancy changes will be all set / officialized.  Roommates moving out should make sure to end any scheduled automatic payments for rent in their portal and forward their mail with USPS (USPS Mail Forwarding)

Non-US Citizens / International Students without a Social Security # Applications: Please note that you are a non-US citizen on the application.  You can upload any I-20 / Visa documentation if you have this issued to you or the application if you are still in processing status.  To bypass the SSN step please just type 111-11-1111 to move onto the next step.

Roommate Addition

If you are adding an additional occupant for your apartment please email: Leasing*@*northberkeleyproperties.com to make sure this is allowed.

Once approval is received the new roommate / occupant should complete an Addition Application online at: Roommate Addition and pay a one-time $45.00 processing fee to the office via check or cash.

Additional instructions and an Addendum to add the roommate will be provided by the office.

Security Deposit

North Berkeley Properties does not refund partial security deposits for roommate substitutions.  The security deposit is for the entire unit and the joint lease agreement.  As long as one or more original residents are staying in the unit the lease will remain in effect and the deposit continues to be held by the office.  The deposit is only refunded by the office when the entire apartment moves out together at the same agreed upon date.

The moving roommate(s) and the new, incoming roommate(s) should agree upon the unit condition and the amount of security deposit to be exchanged as a private transaction.

In the event that the entire apartment and all occupants vacate the apartment together at a future date the security deposit check will contain the names of all current occupants (including any substitute roommates currently living in the apartment).  Any former occupants that have vacated or been removed previously will not be included on the security deposit check as they have signed an Addendum removing them from the unit and rights to the deposit.

We also do not collect an additional deposit for a sublet arrangement.  Occupants on the lease may wish to sign a private agreement or have a private arrangement where an additional cleaning / damages deposit is held for this purpose.

Key Exchange

The roommate vacating the unit should arrange a time to provide their keys to the new substitute roommate.  If this is not possible arrangements should be made with other roommates in the unit or a local contact.

The office recommends that the moving roommate(s) ensure that they receive their portion of the security deposit before or during the key exchange.