A real New York sublease agreement, e-signed in minutes.
Subletting near NYU or Columbia University? Skip the fill-in-the-blank PDF. Avouch builds the agreement, gets it e-signed by both sides, collects the rent automatically, and documents move-in condition with timestamped photos, in about 5 minutes.
No account needed for the person you invite.
How it works
The address, the dates, and the rent. Avouch turns your answers into the sublease agreement.
You sign first. Then the other person signs.
They open it, read it, and sign. Sent it to more than one person? The first to sign gets the place and the other links stop working.
In 24 states, rent is taken from their bank and sent to yours every month, automatically. Move-in photos are saved with the agreement.
Can a landlord refuse subletting in New York?
In buildings with four or more units, New York law gives tenants a right to sublet with the landlord's consent, and that consent cannot be unreasonably withheld.
New York Real Property Law § 226-b
- Under § 226-b you request permission in writing by certified mail (return receipt requested) with the sublease terms and the subtenant's details. The landlord has 30 days to respond, and no response counts as consent.
- If consent is unreasonably withheld you may sublet per your request; if the landlord acted in bad faith you may recover costs and attorney's fees.
- Buildings with fewer than four units are not covered by § 226-b, so there the lease governs and consent can be refused more freely.
Common questions
Can a landlord refuse subletting in New York?
In buildings with four or more units, New York law gives tenants a right to sublet with the landlord's consent, and that consent cannot be unreasonably withheld.
Is an e-signed sublease agreement legally binding in New York?
Electronic signatures are legally recognized across the U.S. under the federal ESIGN Act and corresponding state electronic-transaction laws. Avouch signatures capture consent, signing intent, and attribution, and every executed agreement comes with a signing certificate.
Do I need my landlord's permission to sublet?
Usually, yes. But New York is one of the stronger states for tenants here. New York tenants in buildings with four or more units have a statutory right to request a sublet under Real Property Law § 226-b: the landlord cannot unreasonably refuse, silence for 30 days counts as consent, and no lease clause can waive the right. Read your lease and get consent in writing either way. A sublease agreement documents the deal between you and your subletter; it does not override your lease, and this is general information, not legal advice.
What should the agreement include?
At minimum: both parties' names, the address, exact start and end dates, the rent amount and due dates, and both signatures. The guided setup walks you through each of these, and timestamped move-in photos document the condition of the place.
How much does it cost?
One payment of $5 for the contract, paid by the lister once someone takes the place. Where automatic monthly payments run, as they do in New York, each side also pays a flat $2.50 per monthly payment, only on months money actually moves. No subscription, no percentage of rent, nothing up front.
Sublease agreements in other states
Keep reading
Avouch provides self-help documentation tools and is not a law firm; this page is general information about subletting in New York, not legal advice, and laws change. Most leases require the landlord's written consent to sublet, so check yours first.