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How to Sublet Your Apartment for the Summer in NYC

Three months away at $1,850 a month is $5,550 in rent on a room nobody is sleeping in. Here is how to put someone in it for the summer, properly.

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Central Park in autumn. Photo: Sublet Buddy.

In This Guide 7 sections
  1. Start with the Number
  2. Ask Your Landlord First, in Writing
  3. Pick Exact Dates
  4. Price It Against Your Own Rent
  5. Make the Listing Easy To Say Yes To
  6. Remember You Are Still the Tenant
  7. Questions

Start with the Number

Take your monthly rent and multiply by the months you will be gone. $1,850 a month for June, July and August is $5,550. $2,400 is $7,200. That is the money on the table. A summer sublet will not always recover all of it, and nobody can promise you a renter, but an unlisted room recovers none.

Ask Your Landlord First, in Writing

In New York, tenants in buildings with four or more units have a right to ask to sublet under Real Property Law 226-b. The formal request goes by certified mail, return receipt requested, and includes the dates, the reason, the subtenant’s name and address, and a copy of the proposed sublease. The landlord can ask for more information within 10 days and has 30 days to answer. Many landlords will answer an email much faster, but the certified letter is what the statute counts. Start a month or more before you leave.

Pick Exact Dates

List the day you leave and the day you are back, and say whether you can flex by a week. Interns usually need early June to mid-August. The minimum stay on Sublet Buddy is 30 nights.

Price It Against Your Own Rent

Most summer subletters price at or a little under what they pay. If your apartment is rent-stabilized you generally may not charge more than your legal rent, plus up to 10% if it is furnished. A realistic price fills the dates; an optimistic one leaves the room empty, which is the outcome you are trying to avoid.

Make the Listing Easy To Say Yes To

Clear photos in daylight, an honest list of what stays in the room, and whether roommates will be there. On Sublet Buddy you can type rough notes and AI Buddy drafts the listing; you check every word before it is sent.

Remember You Are Still the Tenant

Your lease stays in your name. You remain responsible for the rent and the apartment while your subtenant is there, so choose someone you have talked to, keep everything in writing, and take dated photos before you go.

Questions

Can I sublet my apartment for just the summer?

Often yes, with your landlord’s written approval. In buildings with four or more units, New York law gives tenants a right to ask and says consent may not be unreasonably withheld. Check your lease.

How much can I get for a summer sublet?

It depends on your place and price. The honest ceiling is your rent times the months you are away; most people list at or slightly below what they pay.

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<a href="https://www.subletbuddy.com/guides/sublet-my-apartment-for-the-summer">How to Sublet Your Apartment for the Summer in NYC</a> (Sublet Buddy Guides)

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by state, city, building and lease. Check your lease, get your landlord’s written approval before you sublet, and ask a local attorney about your situation.

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