Guides to subletting in New York City
Plain-English guides to subletting in NYC, written and reviewed by SubletNY against the law and the city's own sources: legality and the 30-day rule, landlord consent, agreements and deposits, scams, prices, and how to find or list a sublet.
Finding and renting a sublet
For renters and listers
Is subletting legal in NYC?
Yes, with conditions: New York tenants in buildings of four or more units have a statutory right to sublet with the landlord's consent, which cannot be unreasonably withheld. What the law says, what it does not cover, and the 30-day rule.
For renters and listers
The 30-day rule for sublets and short-term rentals in NYC
Why 30 days is the line between a sublet and a short-term rental in New York City, what Local Law 18 requires of hosts, and what it means for renters looking for a few weeks.
For renters and listers
Sublet agreement in NYC: what to put in writing
The clauses a New York sublease should contain for a stay of a month to a year: parties, dates, rent, deposit, what is included, repairs, the original lease, early exit and keys. Written for both the leaseholder and the subtenant.
For renters
How to avoid sublet scams in NYC
The six signs of a New York sublet scam, the checks that defeat them (prove the lister holds the lease, see the place, never wire a deposit), and what to do if you have already paid.
For renters and listers
How much does a sublet cost in NYC?
What decides the price of a furnished sublet in New York (room or whole apartment, neighbourhood, length, season, what is included), where to see live medians with sample sizes, and how to judge whether an asking price is fair.
For renters and listers
Deposits and payments for a sublet in NYC
How much deposit a New York sublet can take (one month), when it must come back (fourteen days), how to pay rent safely, what a receipt should say, and how to handle the last month.
For renters
How to find a sublet fast in NYC
A one-week plan for finding a furnished sublet in New York: set exact dates and a budget, pick two or three neighbourhoods on your subway line, set up a search alert, message well, view fast and sign safely.
For renters
Moving into a sublet in NYC: a checklist
What to do in the week before, the day of, and the first week of a New York sublet: documents, payment, keys, photos, utilities, mail, building rules and what to leave in writing for move-out.
Subletting your own apartment
For renters and listers
Is subletting legal in NYC?
Yes, with conditions: New York tenants in buildings of four or more units have a statutory right to sublet with the landlord's consent, which cannot be unreasonably withheld. What the law says, what it does not cover, and the 30-day rule.
For renters and listers
The 30-day rule for sublets and short-term rentals in NYC
Why 30 days is the line between a sublet and a short-term rental in New York City, what Local Law 18 requires of hosts, and what it means for renters looking for a few weeks.
For listers
How to sublet your apartment in NYC
A step-by-step guide for New York leaseholders: check your lease type, request landlord consent the way § 226-b requires, set a price from live data, write the listing, screen renters and put the sublet in writing.
For listers
Landlord consent to sublet in NYC: what the letter must say
The exact items New York Real Property Law § 226-b requires in a sublet consent request, how to send it, the ten-day and thirty-day clocks, and what to do if the landlord refuses.
For renters and listers
Sublet agreement in NYC: what to put in writing
The clauses a New York sublease should contain for a stay of a month to a year: parties, dates, rent, deposit, what is included, repairs, the original lease, early exit and keys. Written for both the leaseholder and the subtenant.
For listers
Subletting a rent-stabilized apartment in NYC
The extra rules for rent-stabilized tenants who sublet in New York: primary residence, two years in four, the legal rent plus a 10 percent furnished surcharge, landlord consent, and what puts the lease at risk.
For renters and listers
How much does a sublet cost in NYC?
What decides the price of a furnished sublet in New York (room or whole apartment, neighbourhood, length, season, what is included), where to see live medians with sample sizes, and how to judge whether an asking price is fair.
For renters and listers
Deposits and payments for a sublet in NYC
How much deposit a New York sublet can take (one month), when it must come back (fourteen days), how to pay rent safely, what a receipt should say, and how to handle the last month.
For listers
What to include in a sublet listing
The details that make a New York sublet listing get messages: exact dates, a clear price with what is included, photos of every room, the building and the subway, house rules, and who you are.