On occasion students inquire about the difference between “Lease Transfer” and “Subletting” their apartment. Hopefully this information will shed light on the difference between the two and why only Lease Transfer is permitted at South Campus Commons.

Subletting means that you being allowed by someone to use their apartment that they are renting for a period of time in return for payment. When subletting the lease holder is still financially responsible for the apartment and any damages that might occur even though someone else is living there. Please review the section on “Illegal Subletting” for more information on this process. Subletting is not permitted at South Campus Commons.

Lease Transfer is the official process of transferring financial responsibility for a South Campus Commons lease to another eligible student prior to the lease end date in July.  Any students who study abroad, graduate, withdraw from the University, or need to leave due to financial constraints, must use this process.   Once and apartment lease is transferred, the lease is formally ended for the original resident, which means that they will no longer have access to that space and community services and they are released from the financial obligation.  The re-lessor is then fully financially responsible and receives full rights of access to the space and corresponding services.

This formal process, which is completed through the Leasing Office, is necessary in order to protect the original leaseholder and the incoming resident. Therefore, the process outlined below must be followed for a Lease Transfer to occur.

2024 – 2025 RATES ARE BELOW.

Apartment Type	Twelve Installments	Total Cost
4 Bedroom/ 2 Bathroom	$1,036	$12,432
3 Bedroom/ 2 Bathroom	$1,084	$13,008
2 Bedroom/ 2 Bathroom	$1,186	$14,232
1 Bedroom/ 1 Bathroom	$1,424	$17,088
Studio	$1,408	$16,896

*Twelve installments per person for a standard term of August 18, 2024 to July 28, 2025.

To view floor plans, click here.

*Rates are per person

The following Rent Collection Policy is incorporated by reference and made a part to the Lease between Landlord and Tenant.

1. All Installments of Base Rent are due and payable as set forth by the Lease on or before the first (1st) day of each month by cashier’s check, certified check, personal check, credit card, electronic funds transfer, or money order. Current residents ONLY are eligible to use credit card and electronic funds transfer through the online Resident Portal. Credit card payments are currently accepted with a 2.5% transaction fee. No bills, invoices or statements will be sent.

2. It is the payee’s sole responsibility to ensure that all electronic payments are submitted without error and sufficient funds are available by the 10th of each month by 5:00 p.m. or else a late fee will be assessed to Tenant’s account.

3. Installment payments for South Campus Commons shall be made payable to “South Campus Commons” and mailed to South Campus Commons, 4250 Lehigh Rd., Suite 1101 College Park, MD 20740 in time to be received by the 10th of the month or paid at the Management Office of the same address Monday through Friday during business hours. Rent payment drop boxes are available in SCC Building 1, Building 3 and Building 6 near the Service Desks.

4. Installments must be paid in full. Partial payments, incomplete (lacking amount, signature, Tenant’s first and last name, and Tenant’s unit) checks and postdated checks are not acceptable, and may be mailed back to the address of record for the Tenant. If such payment is submitted, the Tenant is responsible for any resultant late fees, NSF fees, and bank fees that may result. The full name and apartment number of the resident should be in the memo section of the check.

5. There will be a five percent (5%) late fee charged to Tenant’s rental account if any Installments of Base Rent is paid AFTER the tenth (10th) day of the month by 5:00 p.m. Late charges are considered to be and are collectible as additional rent. Late fees will apply despite weekends or holidays during which the management office is closed.

6. If any Installment of Base Rent is not paid in full by the first (1st) day of the month at 5:00 p.m., legal action may be taken to collect same and/or to recover possession of the Premises. The cost for all such actions will be charged to the Tenant’s account. Personal checks will not be accepted for payment once legal action has been filed. In such event, the balance must be paid by cashier’s check, certified check or money order only.

7. Checks will only be submitted to the issuing bank once for payment. If Tenant’s bank returns a check for non-sufficient funds (NSF), Tenant is required to repay the amount of the check and all additional charges immediately upon notification. All returned checks are charged a twenty-five dollar ($25.00) returned check fee, in addition to the five percent (5%) late charge (if repayment is received after the 10th day of the month). After two (2) NSF checks, personal checks may no longer be accepted from Tenant; only cashier’s checks, certified checks or money orders will be accepted.

8. Any rent not paid when due will be reasonable grounds for termination and/or non-renewal of lease.

9. Any balance left unpaid for thirty (30) days following the lease expiration date may be submitted to a collection agency. In such event, a collection expense of thirty (30) percent of the total amount remaining due will be added to the original balance.

Why do we collect Social Security Numbers?

In order to verify the identity of an individual, South Campus Commons must collect Social Security Numbers, which are the only precise identifier of an individual. No other information–full name, address, birthday, etc., is as accurate at identifying an individual as a Social Security number. This precision is vital when reporting derelict accounts to our collections agency, which then uses the Social Security Number to report the non-payment to a credit scoring agency.

Our ability to ensure consistent payment is dependent upon our ability to have credible outside enforcement. In addition to providing financial assurance to our organization, a Social Security Number provides financial security to the residents and their guarantors. Given that South Campus Commons experiences a high rate of resident turnover, we often have many residents with a similar name. Since the Social Security Number is the most unique identifier of an individual, it ensures that the account being sent to collections matches the person who owes the funds.

What documents require a Social Security Number?

• Student’s Social Security Number is required only on the front page of the Lease.
• Guarantor’s Social Security Number is required only on the Continuing Guarantor of Lease form.

Who has access?

Only management and leasing staff have access to Social Security Numbers. All staff members, must pass a background check prior to employment.

Social Security Numbers are never stored electronically. Documents containing Social Security Numbers are stored in locked file cabinets to which only management and leasing staff have access. The filing cabinets are located in the Leasing Office.

After a resident who is clear of any balance has moved out and his/her lease has ended, Social Security Numbers on the Continuing Guarantor of Lease and the resident’s Lease are blacked out. If the resident owes South Campus Commons funds, their file continues to be securely held in the office. Once their balance is paid off, the Social Security Numbers on the Continuing Guarantor of Lease and the resident’s Lease are blacked out. If the balance remains unpaid, the Social Security Numbers on the Continuing Guarantor of Lease and the resident’s Lease are blacked out after the account is sent to our collection agency.

Annually, past resident files are digitally archived by an outside contractor. Once they are saved to a DVD, the hardcopies are destroyed. Archiving is completed for a full lease year. A lease year is only archived once we ensure that all accounts are either settled or in collections and all Social Security Numbers are blacked out.

The Landlord requires, as a condition of this lease, a binding Continuing Parental or Sponsor Guaranty (the “Guaranty”), which Guaranty constitutes inducement for the granting of this Lease by Landlord. Landlord reserves the right to cancel this Lease in the event such Guaranty is not fully completed and submitted to the leasing staff at the time of application. The Tenant understands that the Guaranty must be obtained directly from the parent or sponsor and that landlord reserves all rights both civil and criminal, for any false execution or forgery of the Guaranty. The Tenant and Guarantor acknowledge that this Lease is for an essential necessity of the Tenant, and that The Tenant and Guarantor shall be fully bound by all of the terms and conditions hereof irrespective of The Tenant’s age or legal status. The execution of the Guaranty constitutes an additional insurance to Landlord of the performance of the covenants of this lease and shall not be construed as a release of The Tenant’s responsibilities and obligations hereunder. Tenants may not include themselves or another UMD student as a Guarantor for the lease. Parents are not automatically considered a Guarantor for the lease, and therefor do not share the same right of access to information for said lease if they are not a Guarantor. Only financial information and information concerning damages will be shared with Guarantor without prior tenant approval.