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We was trying to find apartment in Manhattan for rent and so far wasn't successful using brokers who showed as apartments, we managed to see at least 20 apartments so far, applied for 3. 2 times credit score and income, 40 times income was approved. The problem was that all different brokers was involved and didn't really accommodate us, in spite of them charging 15 percent of year lease fee, it was taking them forever to give keys after lease signing. Basically they charging around 6000 dollars fee for just showing apartment once and be there for lease signing. Looks like thousands of manhattan brokers just looking for a quick cash for doing almost nothing. Tomorrow is a lease signing procedure, we suppose to give certified checks for 1st and last month plus 6000 in brokers fee, when i asked a broker if we are going to receive keys for the apartment after signing lease and receiving money , i received and answer that it might not be a day when we receive them, even though they are asking for cashier checks which is equal for cash. I am very nervous, if its scam brokers or it is just new york. We don't live in a city, so everytime we should be there before we will get an apartment, we need to take a day off work and travel for 3 hours. Is anybody having similar experience with them, is it possible that this brokers are scum?
Thank you for everybody who can give advice.
Thank you very much for your advice. Would it stop them if they are legal and not doing anything wrong? Isnt it the low that they should provide keys at the same time with signing lease? Because they are saying now that key will be provided after 3 days which is 15th, because we was looking for an apartment to move in no later then 15th, but its 3 days after signing the lease.
Thank you very much for your advice. Would it stop them if they are legal and not doing anything wrong? Isnt it the low that they should provide keys at the same time with signing lease? Because they are saying now that key will be provided after 3 days which is 15th, because we was looking for an apartment to move in no later then 15th, but its 3 days after signing the lease.
If there are people living there through the 14th, then they can't really give you the keys to the place on the 11th, can they?
I have no idea if it's a scam or not, but this detail seems like common sense. If you were the tenants moving out on the 14th, would you be ok with other people having keys to your apartment and access to all your stuff for the last 3 days you're living there?
Nope! But when we saw the apartments on last friday, it was completely empty, no people is living there. This is why it doesn't make sense to me why we can't receive key at signing the lease.
Thanks
I've always received keys upon the day I was moving in.
I understand that is a lot of money to hand over, so you want to make sure everything is on the up and up.
Have you done research of the broker, and what company they are with?
Well, just chiming in here, as a broker working in NYC... certified checks at lease signing is absolutely standard practice. I don't know of one single landlord in the city that accepts personal checks at lease signing; after residency has started, personal checks are okay but every owner wants to make sure they're not the ones getting scammed, hence the requirement of certified funds.
As to keys, legally, you can't receive keys until the previous tenants have returned them to the owner, signifying they've given up their possession of the apartment. Even then, legally, the previous tenants have the legal right to return to their unit if it's still leased to them, so most landlords are reluctant to give keys before a lease starts, so they don't get sued by a previous tenant for trying to double-dip. Even if the apartment was empty, if the previous tenant hasn't returned keys, they still have legal possession of the unit.
However, if your lease starts on the 15th, you should expect to receive keys on the 15th. When would be your actual lease start date (NOT necessarily the same date as when you sign your lease) and is there work being done to the apartment that would necessitate keys being given 3 days later? There are some landlords that do give keys days after lease signing as standard practice; Sackman Enterprises on the Upper West Side comes to mind as someone who does this routinely. They'll have a lease start on the 1st but not allow occupancy until days later so they have enough opportunity to clean and paint the apartment.
Either way, the giving of the keys has nothing to do with the broker but is an issue between you and the landlord.
I've always received keys upon the day I was moving in.
I understand that is a lot of money to hand over, so you want to make sure everything is on the up and up.
Have you done research of the broker, and what company they are with?
I really didnt research on the broker, i didnt know her full name but i found her on Elliman, well known firm.
Thank you
Well, just chiming in here, as a broker working in NYC... certified checks at lease signing is absolutely standard practice. I don't know of one single landlord in the city that accepts personal checks at lease signing; after residency has started, personal checks are okay but every owner wants to make sure they're not the ones getting scammed, hence the requirement of certified funds.
As to keys, legally, you can't receive keys until the previous tenants have returned them to the owner, signifying they've given up their possession of the apartment. Even then, legally, the previous tenants have the legal right to return to their unit if it's still leased to them, so most landlords are reluctant to give keys before a lease starts, so they don't get sued by a previous tenant for trying to double-dip. Even if the apartment was empty, if the previous tenant hasn't returned keys, they still have legal possession of the unit.
However, if your lease starts on the 15th, you should expect to receive keys on the 15th. When would be your actual lease start date (NOT necessarily the same date as when you sign your lease) and is there work being done to the apartment that would necessitate keys being given 3 days later? There are some landlords that do give keys days after lease signing as standard practice; Sackman Enterprises on the Upper West Side comes to mind as someone who does this routinely. They'll have a lease start on the 1st but not allow occupancy until days later so they have enough opportunity to clean and paint the apartment.
Either way, the giving of the keys has nothing to do with the broker but is an issue between you and the landlord.
Thank you so much for this detailed information, i appreciate this. i didn't ask of corse if that is landlord's decision when to give keys. When i we was viewing the apartment it was already painted for renters and of corse empty. So i thought the day you sign the lease and if it is a lease starting day too, i should receive keys at the same time.
Thank you for your advice.
Thank you so much for this detailed information, i appreciate this. i didn't ask of corse if that is landlord's decision when to give keys. When i we was viewing the apartment it was already painted for renters and of corse empty. So i thought the day you sign the lease and if it is a lease starting day too, i should receive keys at the same time.
Thank you for your advice.
you stated you found your apartment through Elliman; they are not generally a rental firm. Is this a co-op or condo sublet? If so, that may explain the delay in providing you with keys
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