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How Much Can You Charge for a Sublet in NYC?

Most people price a sublet at or a little under their own rent. The goal is not profit. It is to stop paying for a room you are not using.

Sublet Buddy Guides2 min read

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In This Guide 7 sections
  1. The Rule If You Are Rent-Stabilized
  2. If Your Apartment Is Market-Rate
  3. Think in Totals, Not Hopes
  4. What Pushes a Price Up or Down
  5. What It Costs to List Here
  6. This Is Not Income Advice
  7. Questions

The Rule If You Are Rent-Stabilized

If your apartment is rent-stabilized, you generally may not charge a subtenant more than your legal rent, plus a surcharge of up to 10% if you sublet it furnished. Overcharging can cost you the apartment and expose you to penalties. If you are not sure whether your unit is stabilized, your lease rider or a rent history from the state housing agency will tell you.

If Your Apartment Is Market-Rate

There is no statewide cap, but your lease may set one, and your landlord’s approval may come with conditions. Treat your own rent as the reference point.

Think in Totals, Not Hopes

The useful question is what the empty months cost you. $1,850 a month for three months is $5,550. If you list at $1,700 and it rents for all three, you cover $5,100 of that. If you hold out for $2,100 and it sits empty for the first month, you cover $4,200. A slightly lower price that fills every week usually beats a higher one that does not.

What Pushes a Price Up or Down

Furnished, a private room versus a shared one, laundry, air conditioning in summer, and how close you are to a subway line all matter. So do dates: a listing that matches a full summer or semester is easier to fill than an odd five weeks.

What It Costs to List Here

Listers pay a Concierge Fee of 10% of each rent payment, or 8.5% with a creator code, taken from the payout. Renters pay no fee to Sublet Buddy. So at $1,700 a month you receive $1,530 a month at 10%.

This Is Not Income Advice

Rent you collect from a subtenant can have tax consequences, and nobody can promise your place will rent. Use the numbers above to decide, not to count on.

Questions

Can I charge more than my rent for a sublet?

If your apartment is rent-stabilized, generally no, apart from up to 10% for a furnished sublet. For market-rate apartments, check your lease and your landlord’s approval.

Can I make money subletting my room?

Think of it as covering rent you would otherwise pay for an empty room, not as profit. Most people list at or below their own rent.

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