Roommate Substitution / Addition / Removal

Residents intending to substitute themselves 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.

Roommate Substitution / Removal:

  1. Filling out a Substitution Petition or Lease Removal (PDF)  – Only the resident that is moving or being substituted should fill out this form.  Do not have any new substitute roommate or staying roommates sign this form.
  2. The petition form can be dropped off at our office in person or scanned/emailed to Leasing( * at *) northberkeleyproperties.com
  3. If there is a replacement, have the new roommate fill out an application form online:
    Substitute Roommate Application and pay a one-time $40.00 processing fee to the office (this fee is now collected AFTER the DocuSign is completed via the online AppFolio portal)
  4. Additional instructions and an Addendum to create the substitution will be provided by the office.
  5. Once the DocuSign is completed the roommate substitution is now official!  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)

Please note that any substitute roommates must fill out an application form and include a $40 processing fee.  The roommate substitution process is not considered complete until a valid DocuSign or Addendum agreement is completed and all processing fees paid.

Roommate Addition

If you are adding an additional occupant for your apartment please email: Leasing( * at *) 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 $40.00 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.

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.