Sublicensing: License Holder Process and Responsibilities

Stanford Student Housing’s role is to facilitate the sublicensing process as a neutral third party and to process and record the sublicense agreement so that the sublicensee is on record in the event of a lock-out, needed repairs, or an emergency. The student license holder and the incoming sublicensee have certain tasks to perform in order to make the process proceed smoothly and to minimize problems.

Before Advertising Your Room or Apartment

• Check your eligibility to offer your room or apartment. Do not advertise or enter into an agreement with someone if you are not eligible to do so. You could incur unauthorized occupancy charges and risk losing your housing privileges.
• Review the sublicensing policies.
• Verify your contract end date in Axess, as your sublicense period cannot extend past your move-out date. If you plan to end the sublicense period after September 1, verify that you are eligible to renew your housing contract in the same location.
• If renovation of your building will be in progress while you will be away, determine whether or not your sublicensee would be affected. Under the Applying for Housing section of this web site there are pages detailing renovation plans in graduate housing.

Finding Someone to Sublicense Your Room/Apartment

• Review eligibility of sublicensees in order to ensure that you only make arrangements with an eligible Stanford affiliate.
• Post your sublicense vacancy in Stanford’s Student Housing sublicense database and (if desired) other housing advertising resources.  If advertising anywhere other than the sublicense database, be sure to include the required verbiage.  After you submit your listing to the sublicense database, a staff member will review it and post it if you are found to be eligible to sublicense.  Once it is posted you will receive a notification email.
• Read and print a copy of the Sublicense Agreement form.
• If you live in shared housing, have roommate(s) sign the sublicense agreement form to acknowledge that they have been notified of your intention to sublicense.
• If you plan to specify additional terms regarding a security deposit, use of personal belongings in the apartment, rental or loan of bikes or cars, etc., print and complete a sublicense agreement addendum form.

Before Finalizing Your Arrangements

• When considering a potential sublicensee, contact shsublease@lists.stanford.edu if you are unsure of the person’s eligibility.
• Once a sublicensee has been selected, obtain written proof of his or her Stanford affiliation. You will submit this documentation with the Sublicense Agreement form and any addendums.
• Make sure that the sublicensee reads the Residence Agreement.
• Make sure that you and the sublicensee are clear on which items in the apartment are available for their use and which are not.
• Make sure that your potential sublicense arrangement matches the rated occupancy of your specific assignment, the category (single, couple, or family) of your room, and the gender of your assignment if in shared housing.

Finalizing Arrangements

• With the sublicensee, complete the sublicense agreement form and any relevant addendums.  Be sure that everything is legible and that your roommate(s) have signed, if applicable.
• A minimum of two weeks before the start date of the sublicense agreement, submit the sublicense agreement form, proof of the sublicensee’s Stanford affiliation, and any addendums.  Any sublicense arrangement that has not been approved by Student Housing is considered to be unauthorized, and any license holders found to have participated in an unauthorized sublicense arrangement will be charged a $450 unauthorized sublicense administrative fee plus $225 per night in unauthorized occupancy administrative fees until the unauthorized sublicensee has vacated and turned in the keys to the Housing Service Center.
• Receive confirmation email indicating approval or denial of the sublicensing agreement.  A copy of the email will be sent to the sublicensee.
• Remove all postings from on-line systems, bulletin boards, newspapers, etc.
• Notify your roommate(s), if applicable.
• Make specific arrangements with the sublicensee with regard to how, when, and where payments will be made.
• Make specific arrangements with the sublicensee with regard to the number of keys that you will provide, and make arrangements for transfer of keys.
• Make specific arrangements with the sublicensee with regard to when you will inspect the room/apartment for damage and what will be done about any cleaning needed or items missing or damaged.
• If applicable, contact your Housing Service Center to arrange card access for the sublicensee.

Before Departing

• Clear space for the sublicensee’s clothing and belongings.
• Thoroughly clean your room/apartment, and remove all perishable items.
• If you live in an Escondido Village or Escondido South low-rise, complete a Sublicensed Room form and post it on the outside of your bedroom door.  This will assist any Housing Operations personnel and the sublicensee in identifying which room is yours.
• Decide whether to place a vacation hold on your mail or have it forwarded.

While You Are Away

• Be sure to pay your University bill and keep your housing eligibility current while away.
• Forward to the sublicensee any relevant notices from the Housing Service Center or the Housing Building Manager.

Financial Considerations for Sublicensing

Limits on Amount License Holder Can Charge

The amount of rent charged may not exceed the amount the student license holder pays for the same period. Charging a higher rate is a violation of Stanford policy. No additional charges may be made for use of utilities.

Housing Charges Due to Student Housing

The student license holder is still under contract with the University for the space in Student Housing, and the license holder of the apartment continues to be responsible for paying University housing charges during the term. If the housing charges for an apartment are not paid on time, a hold will be placed on the license holder's enrollment.

Lock-Out Fees

If a sublicensee is locked out and a fee is incurred for being let back into the apartment, the charge will go on to the student license holder’s University bill and the sublicensee will be responsible for reimbursing the student license holder.

Communication Fees

All housing-related charges are paid by the student license holder through the University bill. The sublicensee and the license holder can make arrangements for the reimbursement of the communications charge if the sublicensee will be using the University phone line and Internet services.

Cleaning and Damages

The student license holder is responsible for providing to the sublicensee an apartment that is clean and in good order. If there are any maintenance needs, a fix-it ticket should be submitted by the student license holder with enough lead time for the repair to be completed before the sublicensee arrives. If cleaning or repairs must be done during the course of the sublicense period, any billable charges will be put onto the student license holder’s University bill. If the sublicensee was responsible for any cleaning or damage charges, he/she must reimburse the student license holder. For this reason, the license holder and the sublicensee should record the condition of the apartment at the beginning and the end of the sublicense period.

Security Deposits

A student license holder may wish to ask for a security deposit from the sublicensee to cover any damages or charges that might be incurred by the sublicensee. A separate, written agreement that states the specific terms under which the deposit will be returned should be completed and signed by both parties. 

Graduate Housing Rates

Graduate Housing Rates

Unauthorized Occupancy and Unauthorized Sublicense Fee

Any student license holder found to have an unauthorized sublicense arrangement will be charged an unauthorized sublicense fee of $450 and an unauthorized occupancy administrative fee of $225 for each day or portion of a day that the unauthorized sublicensee was in the apartment or was in an arrangement giving him or her access to stay in the apartment.