Lease Agreement

A lease agreement is a legally binding contract between a landlord and tenant establishing the terms of a rental arrangement. Standard NYC leases are 1-2 years. Key provisions include monthly rent, security deposit (typically one month), utilities included/excluded, subletting policy, renewal terms, and pet policy. In NYC, landlords typically require proof of income (40x monthly rent annually), credit check, employment verification, and references. Foreign renters without US credit history may need to pay additional months upfront (2-6 months) or provide a guarantor earning 80x the monthly rent.