Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with sublet

What are the rules on apartment subletting in New York?

btkuhn — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:45:17 -0800

What are the rules on apartment subletting in New York? Hi,

I live in Manhattan and work in finance. I'm recently out of college and am subletting a place. As is the case with most people my age, I can't afford a place of my own in Manhattan. I've had several friends (though none at the moment) who lived in a "loft share" - basically a huge loft with 5 or 6 bedrooms, shared among 5 or 6 people. I'm not sure how the lease worked - if they each signed individual leases with the landlord, or if the lease was in one of their names, or what.

This got me thinking. I remember when I first moved to the city and was looking for a place to stay for a few months while I got settled and could find a place to sign a lease. It was a huge pain in the ass because I lived in North Carolina, and my choices were either to pay exorbitant fees for a short-term rental or find a short-term sublet on craigslist, which was taking a big chance because I had no idea if the sublets on craigslist were legit, and I also didn't know what a reasonable price was. Anyways, I am sure there would be significant demand if someone rented out short-term (3-6 months) rooms in Manhattan, where people new to the city could rent while moving to the city and getting settled. I ended up paying $1500/month when I moved to the city, so I think $1200-1500 a month for a room in a loft or a large apartment wouldn't be unreasonable.

So my question is, is it legal to sign a lease for a loft rental, and then sublet individual rooms? Or do you need special permission for this (and if so, can the permission be got, or is it not allowed, period)? If the answer is no, how do you do this then...must you be the owner of the apartment?

Thanks

How can I get my security deposit back?

Anonymous — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 20:12:32 -0800

SecurityDepositFilter: Yet another NYC tenant here desperate to get his security deposit back from greedy landlord. So I sublet a place for two months, and paid a full security deposit (the same amount that the original tenant paid to his landlord). A month after vacating the place, I still haven't been given it back. Reason? The original tenant claims that he has not received his deposit back from the landlord himself -- I had taken over his final two months.

The thing is, I never actually took over his lease; I signed a separate sub-contract just for those two months. I paid my security deposit direct to the tenant, NOT to the landlord, and the understanding (yes, I know, should have gotten it in writing) was that I'd get it back once I left.

In my two months there, I didn't touch a thing -- in fact I hardly used the gas stove. He conceded as much. My question: is what he's doing reasonable? What if the landlord finds something to pick at, and deducts his deposit -- does that mean I'll get a reduced deposit? What if the landlord never pays him? Isn't that his problem? Why should I be insurance?

More importantly, what recourse do I have? Can I take him to small claims court? What chance do I have of winning? I know YANAL, and particularly NML, so this isn't legal advice.

(Anonymous because apparently the little twerp reads metafilter.)

Short-term sublet resources for Chicago?

Idiot Mittens — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:24:06 -0800

Looking for short-term sublet-hunting resources in Chicago. So far I have tried Chicago Improv Network, Craigslist, Chicago Reader Classifieds, and Oodle, with limited success. I'm doing a five-week improv intensive in July/August and I'm coming from Canada. Aiming for something cheap. So far the best I've come up with is $800 for the last part of July and August, but it's an hour subway away. Ideally it would be near Wrigley Field, which is very near where I'll be doing the course. Thanks!

Subletting help

pulled_levers — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:39:28 -0800

I am a fairly inexperienced college student planning to sublet my room (currently renting) for the summer. What's the right way to go about this? (Some lease problems inside) I moved into this place in January and I am still not on the lease. Ever since I moved in, I assumed that my mom (this is my first time renting) signed and paid my security deposit for me. One of my housemates who handles delivering our rent checks to the landlord--most of the housemates have never seen the landlord--just informed me a few weeks ago that I am not on the lease.

I want to sublet this room for the summer. My housemates tells me that the lease lasts till June/July before it has to get renewed. So, I have a few questions:

1. Should I sign onto the lease now even though it'll need to be renewed in July? And how do I renew a lease when I am in a different state?

2. My room is a little less than $400 without utilities. I would be leaving my bed, desk, lamp and a fan. It seems that I should be charging higher than just the cost of the room because I am subletting a furnished room to a stranger. Thoughts? aka what would you charge?

3. What are some things I should be careful of/be sure to include in my ad? I'm going to be using craigslist to post the ad and I know that my rent is one of the cheapest you can get for a single room in this area. This is probably because the room is TINY and the window sucks.

Room Description: It is a small, but fully furnished room in a 6 person house. The house comes with a wide driveway that accommodates 6 cars, a washer/dryer, 2 bathrooms, a TV, large backyard, internet connection, and a large, furnished kitchen. There is a college shuttle stop two minutes walking from the house. Otherwise, the campus is a 15 minute walk away.

Thanks in advance!

Tokyo sublets?

rsk — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 05:46:46 -0800

Looking to sublet my apartment in Tokyo at short notice. Are there any good resources (websites or otherwise) tailored to short term rentals in Tokyo? I'm moving somewhat unexpected and have a month left on my lease in my current Tokyo apartment. I'd like to sublet it if it all possible. I've tried the usual suspects (craigslist, gaijinpot) but I haven't had much luck. Are there any other sites out there I should be trying?

How can I protect my apartment when subletting to strangers?

avex — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:37:23 -0800

I am subletting my NYC apartment for 3 weeks to strangers. How can I protect myself and my apartment? I am going to Europe for 3 weeks, and I have found 2 groups of decent sounding people via craigslist to sublet my apartment while I am away. I intend to ask for half payment now to secure their stay, and the remaining half when they move in. How can I make sure my apartment isn't trashed? What is a reasonable deposit to ask for that will be returned when they move out? Should I get a copy of their drivers license? Should I change the locks after they leave? I am also slightly nervous that I won't get to meet them since they move in after I leave, so I will have friends or the super give them keys. Thanks in advance for helping out this nervous first time sub-letter.

I need a place to stay in Manahattan!

zerobyproxy — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 21:27:44 -0800

If I were to want to get a good, sublet apartment in Manhattan (for just 2 months) starting in January 2009 through the end of February 2009--where should I begin? I have looked at Craigslist and a sublet site that I found in Craigslist. There are slim pickings right now for the two months that I will be in NYC.

I would love to know if you have had success with any service or website. Any tips that you could offer to me?

Ideally, I'd like the following: king sized bed, at least one bedroom (preferably two) and I'd like to be just about anywhere in Manhattan. Ideally, this would not cost more than $2500 per month (I have to dream don't I?).

Anyone who could send me some intel on this would be aces in my book! Thanks for the help.

Do I want to live in Daddy Day Care?

andoatnp — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:56:42 -0800

What sort of agreements should I make or information should I consider before moving into an apartment that would be used as a daycare during the day when my roommate and I aren't around? I have a meeting in two days to potentially sign a lease for me and a friend to move into a 3 bedroom apartment as subletters. The apartment would be rented by young parents with a 1 year old son who live in a different apartment in that apartment building. During the day (from 7:30 to 4:30) they would hire a nanny who would watch that child and 3 other one year-old-children in the apartment in the living room and using one of the bedrooms. Theoretically, this will only be happening on weekdays when me and my roommate will both be out of the apartment at school. We would be able to make use of that third bedroom at night when they aren't around as some extra space.

Has anyone ever done anything like this before? What sort of agreements should we have in writing beforehand to guarantee a smooth year for us? After having four babies in our apartment for the day, when we get home at 5 do you think it would be immediately obvious that our apartment was a day care, or might we not even realize? [Is this an insane idea that we should avoid at all costs, and instead seek housing elsewhere?]

For what it's worth, we are in Israel, but all our previous real estate transactions have been similar to how they would be in America, so any advice that would apply in America would probably be helpful for us. I'm not looking for legal advice so much, as wondering about any agreements we should reach with the parents/subleasers beforehand that we should be sure to include in the lease. This is a slightly complicated situation, so please let me know if anything is unclear and I can clarify.

Any advice or comments about this situation would be a big help before we sign the lease in a couple of days. Thanks!

Apartment rent being consolidated: stay or go?

amicamentis — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:31:51 -0800

My landlady is going to start charging rent by apartment ($2000/month for all) rather than by room ($530/month for me). Is it worth it to stay? Backstory: I moved to NYC a month and a half ago. I found my current apartment in Jamaica, Queens from a guy on Craigslist. He had advertised it as $530/month, and I would only be responsible for my room (aka if another room was vacant or someone else was late, then that wasn’t my problem). I appreciated the lack of lease because I wasn’t sure how long I would stay there. The Craigslist guy (Bryan) lived in an adjacent room. He is in another country for the summer and hard to get a hold of.

The landlady is a Chinese woman whose English is very poor. Her daughter’s English is fine. I had them approach me when I returned home the other day and told me that since they’ve had issues with other roommates not paying rent (Bryan hasn’t paid for August, these two Ukranian boys in the other room had people in the empty room without telling the landlady, forcing her to clean it again) that now she is going to switch how people pay and charge $2000 for the whole apartment each month, rather than require individual payments.

This sucks. The Ukranians are moving out in early September and the other room is currently vacant. Clearly Bryan is not a trustworthy renter and I do not want to be stuck with his financial problems. However, $530/month is very good for this area, and I also have my own bathroom/two closets in my room that I do not want to give up if I move.

I paid the landlady one month’s security deposit when I moved in and she is allowing me to stay at the same price until October 1st.

Question, at last: based on others’ experiences, what should I keep in mind if I stay? Would Craigslist be the best way to find new roommates? Should I have them sign a lease? Advance deposits? I would rather not be responsible for others in this apartment, but if anyone has some good systems for dealing with this I will listen avidly.

Also, I would rather not have answers relating to lawyers or be in any way contentious. I do not want to be on bad terms with the landlady, and I can definitely understand her frustration. However, I just moved in and have been a model tenant. I don’t like being faced with this difficulty.

Know about a short-term rental in San Diego?

Mr. Gunn — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:12:09 -0800

Anyone have a line on a short-term rental in San Diego? Craigslist has disappointed me. Since I'm not in the area to drive around and look for signs, most things I can find are either vacation rentals, shared rooms, or semester rentals for college students. The kind of thing you'd expect to find in the short-term section of craigslist. None are what I'm looking for, which is a furnished house with a backyard, big enough for two people and a dog, in South Park, from now through December.

So, anyone know of something available that vaguely approximates the above?

Subletfilter

gauchodaspampas — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:36:57 -0800

My roommate and I are looking for a 3rd roommate. We will most likely end up getting a roommate who neither of us knew previously. Should my current roommate and I be the only parties who sign the lease, and technically sublet to the third, in case any problems arise, or should all three of us sign the new lease? What are pros and cons of each. Which option do you think is best. I have seen people mention in previous questions regarding problem roommates that one is more empowered to remove a problem roommate if one is the only party on the lease. That way, one does not need to go through the landlord to get the roommate out.

On the other hand, that of course comes with more responsibility. Theoretically, you could then just kick them out, without having to notify landlord, wait, have landlord go through all legal prerequisites for eviction, wait more, etc etc. But then wouldn't we be the ones having to jump through all the legal hoops? Obviously we could pressure them out, but we couldn't outright kick them out, right? And of course we would be more empowered to kick them out, but then we would be the ones on the hook with the landlord for any damages, rent, or whatever reason for kicking them out, and would have to twist the kicked out roommates arm, rather than letting the landlord do that.

Other thoughts? Keep in mind I am not asking how do I kick out an actual dysfunctional roommate. I am asking if current roommate and I should have only ourselves on the lease, and not the third roommate, to protect ourselves from hypothetical future dysfunctional roommates. Thanks for your thoughts.

And finally, I'm not asking for legal advice. All advice will be taken as practical advice, and not legal advice, you're not my lawyer, etc. I live in Minnesota.

Also, I'm most concerned with worst case scenarios, but FYI, the landlord is a good guy, we have good rapport between us, and I'm sure he'd help us out as much as he could with hypothetical problem roommies, but I just want to be in the best position to protect myself.

How to find an August sublet in Seattle?

grouse — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:09:05 -0800

I'm moving to Seattle! How can I find a sublet for August? My job starts in September, but I'm going to move there in August to get settled in and started up. I want to get a sublet before I move from the UK so that I can find a more permanent lease on the ground, looking at the places myself. Also, my new employer refuses to give me a binding contract until I have proof of my PhD which I won't be able to get for another week or so. So I'd rather not commit to a year-long contract until I have the commitment for the job.

I'll be working in the university medical center. I'm interested in living in Wallingford or Fremont, so I wanted to find a sublet there for a month to get used to the area and make apartment hunting easier. But most of the sublets available right now seem to be for July, or July and August, rather than just August. I think there are more sublets available now for the U-District in August, but August sublets in Wallingford might come available later, or as people realize they can't find a renter for July.

Unfortunately I'm going to start traveling on 12 July so I ought to have this nailed down by then. Do you think there is any point in waiting a few days to see if something in my preferred areas comes available, or should I just start looking for something anywhere today?

Should I move out since there is no water?

PinkButterfly — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 09:03:51 -0800

Should I move out since there is no water? Sigh. I'll make this quick.

Subletting a room in a large house in Berkeley for the summer. Top floor has 5 bedrooms, bottom has two apartment units. The landlord lives in one of the rooms on the top floor, as do I and two other people. The two apartments have families in them, including a woman with a disabled daughter.

I just moved in last Wed. (May 28) from SoCal after corresponding with the landlord via email and phone for a few weeks. A Cal student needed someone to sublet the room before she moved in in the fall for school. Spoke with her too, but I couldn't come up and visit before moving in.

On Tuesday, the water was shut off by the city because they said there was an outstanding $1300 water bill. They have not turned it back on yet because...

The day before (Monday) the landlord left for vacation in Europe for two weeks, said he would be unreachable by phone but would check his email frequently. Well...it's 5 days later and he has yet to respond to a single email from anyone who lives here! We called his cell phone only to hear it ringing from his bedroom.

He left the name of a property manager, but when we called her she said she was only standing in as a favor to him and really couldn't do anything. She tried to reach the landlord's business partner, but hasn't been able to. The landlord said he won't be back until June 14.

Can I/should I move out? I tried to get him to sign a lease before I moved in, but he said he wanted to handle it once I got here. My housemates on the top floor moved in early-to mid-May and said he hadn't signed a lease with them either. When I got here on last Wednesday, he was away on business (he said). I didn't meet him until Sunday morning and then he left on Monday.

I sent him a full month's deposit and paid for half of May, even though I was only here from the 28th. I don't want to lose my deposit and don't want him to sue me for the remaining 2.5 months we agreed I was subletting (via email, not official lease).

It's Saturday so it'll be hard to find official help today.

What do you think I should do? Can I move out ? Where can I look for more information?

(I looked up similar questions but they were in other states.)

Is it ethical to make money from subleasing an apartment?

Anonymous — Sat, 24 May 2008 07:14:46 -0800

Is it ethical to make money subleasing an apartment to others while not living there myself? Does the landlord need to know? Specifically, I have a long-term lease on a two-bedroom apartment, and I am pretty sure if I move out into a cheaper apartment that I just found, I can sublease my two-bedroom for more than the monthly amount I am paying to the landlord. In other words, each month until the end of the lease I would be earning money from the sublet.

Is this ethical? I have had people say "that's not fair," but I am having trouble identifying what makes this any different than the "buy low sell high" mentality of stock trading, or, really, from any other kind of real estate transaction.

I sort of think if any landlord were to hear that he could be making more money off his apartment, he would wish he were doing so. So I'm inclined not to tell him how much money the subletters would be paying me.

The lease requires the landlord's "advance agreement" for sublets (it doesn't specify oral or written agreement). I currently sublet one of the rooms of the apartment, which the landlord has approved (orally). So can I simply tell the landlord that I will be doing another sublet, as I have done in the past? In the past, in subletting discussions, there was never any talk about the financial details...the landlord was always getting his rent in full, as agreed in our lease. Am I under any obligation, legal or ethical, to tell him how much money I am subletting for?

What's your opinion on short-term sublets when visiting NYC?

xotis — Mon, 05 May 2008 10:09:07 -0800

What's your opinion on short-term sublets when visiting NYC for a few days, in lieu of a hotel? Is it a safe option? Details: I’m going to be visiting NYC for a weekend at the end of May. I’d like to get a good taste of the city outside of the touristy spots. This is not my first visit to NYC, and I’d like to stay in Brooklyn this time.

I’m considering doing a short-term sublet/rental of an apartment for 3 days/2 nights, rather than staying at a hotel. I’d like to get a better sense of what it’s like to be in NYC than what I feel a hotel can offer. I also like the idea of staying in a place that has a greater sense of being at home, than a hotel offers me when I travel. My budget is around $200 a night if I do a short-term rental.

When I’ve researched the subject, I’ve read some things that have me a bit nervous about a short term sublease/rental.

But, I’ve also read some things that make it sound like a pretty positive experience.

I’ve found a handful of places on craigslist that look awesome, and I have also found a bunch of places on this site that I really dig.

So, to recap – have any of you done a short-term sublet/rental of an apartment for only a handful of days in NYC? What are the reasons to not do this and to stay in a hotel instead (besides the obvious like costs, and conveniences)? What are some good steps to take to avoid getting scammed? I’m just looking to tap into some of your experiences.

Thanks Hive!

PS: I searched the archives, but couldn’t find any posts specific to my question. Your search-fu may be better than mine, so I apologize in advance for wasting your time if this topic has already been covered ad nauseam.

Will I be able to move to Brooklyn in September?

scarylarry — Sun, 04 May 2008 22:47:51 -0800

When should I start looking for a room in a Brooklyn apartment, if I intend to move there in September? And where, besides Craigslist, are the best places to find ads? I am starting grad school in New York in the fall. I'll be moving from Providence, RI. I am planning to live in Providence through the summer in order to spend a few more months close to my girlfriend, who lives here.

I have looked at craigslist posts here and there, but no one is advertising yet for a lease beginning in September. I'd ideally like to rent a single room in an apartment, as I don't have much cash to work with and don't know anybody in the area.

Approximately when will people start advertising places that fit my timeframe? And can anyone recommend some print/web resources other than craigslist? Given my September move-in date and the fact that I'm only looking for a room, I imagine that sublet ads will be as helpful as rental ads....

Oh, also, I am not tied to Brooklyn; I'm just looking to live someplace near school that is relatively cheap and vibrant.

Thanks so much.

Pre-dated checks for a sublet. Sketchy?

thebabelfish — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 09:08:10 -0800

I'm subletting an apartment for the summer (June-August). Is it sketchy to be asked to give the original lessee three checks—two pre-dated for July 1st and August 1st respectively—at the signing? It seems slightly odd, but not necessarily sketchy. The lessee says that she'll cash the checks (after the date they are pre-dated for) in order to pay the renting agency.

Of course, the bank shouldn't cash the checks before the date on each, but do most banks actually check that date?

I'm pretty trusting of the lessee and it seems like a reasonable way to pay her, but I do want to make sure that I'm not falling for a common scam. Thoughts?

10 weeks in London, < $5000. How can I do it?

electric_counterpoint — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 22:42:54 -0800

I'm a Yank who'll be working in London for ten weeks this summer. My budget is really limited, and, with the dollar falling, it shrinks a bit more every day. Right now I could just use some general advice on living cheaply. Quick background: I'm a grad student working for free, living on a grant of $5000, minus airfare. Yikes. I'll be working just north of the City, in Zone 1. This will be from late May to early August.

I've seen a few questions about finding cheap housing, but, on following up on their suggestions, I see that most require at least three months' stay. I'll only be in London for a bit over two and a half, and (though I'd love to) I can't afford to stay any longer. So where should I live, what kinds of flatshare/bedsit/hostel options should I pursue, when should I expect to find places for the end of May on the market, and what generally should I keep in mind to keep my costs down?

Any way around my coop's "no sublet" rule?

SampleSize — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 13:24:01 -0800

I own a coop apartment in New Jersey. They don't allow any subletting at all. Is there any way to get around that? Just doing it and hoping I get away with it isn't an option because I have nosy neighbors who would probably rat me out.

Sublets in London?

vacapinta — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 16:47:07 -0800

LondonFilter: Thinking of subletting a place in London for 3-6 months. How would I go about doing this? Is there a good website for sublets (preferably furnished)? I've searched previous questions about renting in London but those are more focused on long-term rentals.

Followup question: What neighborhood might you recommend for someone who:
1) Wants to be able to easily explore other neighborhoods during his stay.
2) Is not too too expensive
3) Have an occasional need to head out to Reading (thru Paddington Station?)

Thanks!!

Letting a subletter use your internet connection

sparrows — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 00:31:16 -0800

If you let a subletter use the internet connection that's in your name, what are ideas for holding them to a promise that they won't do things that could get you sued by the RIAA (or arrested)? Is there any legally meaningful way to notify an ISP that Person X, not you, will be the connection's sole user for X months? This will be wired DSL (no wifi).

Can I get out of my lease?

AceRock — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 10:21:48 -0800

I am subleasing my apartment in Chicago. But can I get out of my lease? My roomate bailed on me and so I had to sublease our 2 bedroom apartment and find a studio for myself. I found some new tenants on craigslist (or rather they found me) and they are ready to sign a sublease agreement. My landlord will not release me from the lease AND wants me to sign something new that stipulates that I will remain responsible for the rent for the remainder of my lease (5 more months). First, is there any way I get out of this responsibility for the rent if the new tenants don't pay? Second, what is this new thing they want me to sign, and do I have to sign it? It seems sketchy to me.

How much is your w/d worth?

hattifattener — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 13:17:36 -0800

How much is it worth to you to have a washer/dryer in your building? All else being equal, how much cheaper would an apartment have to be to make up for not having laundry facilities in the building? There's not a laundry in the immediate neighborhood, but you do have a car (and there are plenty of laundries in the city).

I'm asking because I find myself in the awkward situation of having sublet half of my space and, halfway through the lease, losing the w/d the sublessors are using. So, assuming I can't fix that, I'm thinking of offering to reduce their rent a bit to compensate. How much is fair?

Am I screwed?

sunshinesky — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 08:04:21 -0800

yet another Roommatefilter: Subletter informed us yesterday that she would not be staying for October. Problem- she had not planned on paying for it. Any legal recourse?

Any way nice way let this bitch know how badly she's screwed us over?

How can we make sure she learns her lesson? This girl is 17 and it's her first place away from her parents. I'm afraid if we let her off too easy and just absorb the financial screwage, she'll think it's ok.

Suggestions?

My landlord doesn't want a married tenant

penguinliz — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 06:59:04 -0800

LandlordFilter: My landlord is refusing to accept my potential new flatmate as a tenant because she is married. What can I do? I currently rent a two-bedroom flat. My current flatmate is moving out, and I have lined up a new flatmate, Z, who is supposed to move in next week. She is married, but her husband will be doing a masters degree in another city and needs somewhere to live for a year. My landlord is refusing to accept Z as a new tenant because he thinks Z's husband is going to be staying at the flat all the time.

This seems unreasonable to both of us. There is already a clause in the tenancy agreement about how long a guest can stay for (no more than three weeks out of a three month period) and he's not going to be here anywhere near that much. I am allowed to sublet the flat, to which the landlord can object on "reasonable grounds", and I presume if I tried to sublet to Z he would refuse for the same reasons he won't allow her as a tenant.

Any advice on whether it's ok for him to a refuse a tenant for these reasons, or ways to persuade him he's being unreasonable? I don't have any direct contact with the landlord, it's all done through a letting agency. I am in the UK.