Moving into a sublet in NYC: a checklist
Before you move into a sublet, have the signed agreement, the receipts for the deposit and the first month, the lister's phone number and the landlord's or super's contact. On the day, photograph every room and any damage, test the locks, heat, hot water, stove and internet, count the keys, and send the photos to the lister that night. In the first week, set up mail forwarding to the apartment, learn the building's trash, laundry and quiet-hours rules, and note the move-out date and the fourteen-day deposit deadline in your calendar.
Reviewed October 28, 2026 by the SubletNY team against the sources listed at the end.
The week before
- Signed agreement with the original lease attached, and the landlord's consent or the certified-mail receipt.
- Receipts for the deposit and first month; the method and date of the next rent payment agreed.
- Contacts: the lister, the super or management company, and the lister's address while away.
- Confirm what is included (internet account, utilities) and what you need to bring (linens, towels, kitchen basics).
- Storage for anything that will not fit; a sublet is furnished, so your furniture should not be coming.
Move-in day
- Photograph every room, inside the fridge and oven, the bathroom, and any mark or damage, with the date visible.
- Test the door locks, windows, heat or air conditioning, hot water, stove, smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors, and the internet.
- Count keys and fobs; ask which doors they open and whether the building has a doorman or buzzer list to update.
- Send the photos and any problems to the lister the same evening so the record exists before the first night.
The first week
- Mail: forward or redirect; ask the lister how their mail should be handled.
- Building rules: trash and recycling days, laundry hours, package room, quiet hours, moving-in hours for anything large.
- Emergency numbers: the super for leaks and heat, 311 for building issues, and the lister for anything about the apartment.
- Calendar: the move-out date, the notice period if month-to-month, and fourteen days after move-out for the deposit.
Leaving it right
Clean to the standard in the agreement, replace anything you broke, take your move-out photos, hand over every key, and give a forwarding address in writing for the deposit. This guide is general information from public sources, not legal advice; for a dispute, speak to a tenant lawyer or a tenant association.