I would not recommend a female room with a strange man under any circumstances, find something else. If its too good to be true, something is wrong

I'm more worried he's going to lure you to the apartment...take your money and sexual assault you. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is. You've got to be street smart.

No agreement on paper? Not real.

I've heard of little old ladies only renting a room to women because they feel safer that way. If some guy is doing it, that seems like a red flag to me.

I also think so... Should I take someone with me? Or owner can do these things next time when we'll be alone?

So if I'll rent room he needs to give agreement on paper? No agreement no payment, right?

Use some survival instinct.

It means find another place that is legitimate 🤦

I honestly wouldn't bother even going. If you do go bring someone that can help defend and pepper spray. Can you tell us what neighborhood the room is in.

If you’re concerned about safety, bring a friend with you when you go see the apartment.

There are plenty of websites with standard rental lease pdf templates that you can use to have an agreement in writing.

You can use https://www.nyc.gov/site/finance/taxes/acris.page and other tools to look up the deed and see who the owner is. It’s possible though the owner is listed as an llc corporation. Some people do this to have better protection legally and for tax purposes.

It's in Astoria

i was looking for a room to rent and realized it was a scam when i didn't meet anyone there and pretty much toured the room with the guy on the phone. they were offering me a place on something like 53rd and 2nd for $600/month. Apartments in that building rent for $4000. the story was that the space used to be the supers space and it's empty because the super moved to his own spot somewhere else. the person i spoke to claimed to be the owner of the building, and they said they were willing to give me a "deal", so they sent me a rental "application" via email that looked fake, so i noped my way out of there. if its in a building you can generally find and call the property management company and ask if the room is actually available for rent. thats what i did, i googled the addressed, found the number for the company that owned the building and asked "wtf, you know theres someone showing apartments for this apartment" and they let me know that it was a scam that they were aware of and the spot was not actually for rent. if the price is too good to be true, run away, that is almost always a scam. i found the first room i rented on craigslist for $600, but this was like 10 years ago. i would suspect this room would be at least $1000 now. i was skeptical at first, but i got the key to the building the day i handed over my security deposit. the guy verified that the key worked to the apartment and the building and i gave him my money. it was kinda stressful as you hear about scams, but i was able to get my entire security deposit back. i did speak to tenets of the building and they let me know it was legit though, before i went forward with it.

The no lease makes it an automatic NO.

It’s illegal to state they want a certain sex..why female…run away now

Agree, drop this. It's also not a magical deal for Astoria. Try listingproject.com, roomi, Facebook groups for NYC housing.

Look it up on AirBnb etc., too- scam happening in Canada

https://storeys.com/rental-scams-on-the-rise-across-canada/

Why is he only renting to a female? He probably wants sex or some type of sexual favors. Are you Ukranian by chance? Some of these men are preying on Ukranians who moved here because of the war.

That's a no go. Please don't proceed.

You know rent is too high when someone is possibly risking sexual assault and living with a possible sexual predator/peeping Tom becuase the price is cheap. I'm a single female myself, and live alone in my apartment but I would definitely seek female roommates if I was looking to move out. Good luck in whatever you choose, and the hope the cheap rent is worth any trauma that may result from this.

PS: maybe ask how his girlfriend may feel about it, and if he says something creepy like "I haven't dated in years," that may be another red flag.

Most of the ads on Craigslist are fake. Be careful! Probably a scam.

Trust your feelings. If you think it's a scam, don't waste your time.

Really nice advice! Thank you so much for sharing!

I am a woman and rented from a man on Craigslist in Bushwick for 800. If you look at the room first to see it is legit and there are others living there it shouldn’t be an issue . I got a cheap SRO out of it .

You do get many low income people have to take these rooms. I did the same and haven’t had an issue . You see the place first and it is likely others live there too . It will be hard to find a room with only one roomate for under 1000

Thank you! No, I'm from Lebanon

But who has a choice ? I am poor and had to take when I can get . I rented on Craigslist too and sure my building is illegal . I would have to jump form the 4th floor if there was a fire but it is better than being homeless. If you don’t make 40 times the rent you have little choice . The sketchy part of this is he is only asking for female roommates.

There was no paper work.

Please try r/AskNYC or the Monthly Discussion Thread.

Many low income people sublet . Who makes 40 times the rent these days ? Poor people don’t have a choice because these are the only places we get approved for.

That's why my comment begins with "you know rent is too high..." A fire doesn't happen to you every day, dealing with possible sexual assault, abuse, being spied on in the shower, etc, can be a daily thing if you don't know the guy you are living with. I'm just saying female roommates would be a safer option if she can afford it, but if she can't wait, and has to live here, then I hope the cheap price is worth the possible trauma that may come living with this man.

I have been actually assaulted many times and agree . I think the red flag in this one is he only wants female roomates . That is why she should look at it with another person and see . He may not be the only one there.

I have lived with men I don’t know but usually with other roommates . Some being female . The female only part is what sounds the worst .

Well, a fire is more likely when you have no kitchen so everyone is the SRO uses hot plates and space heaters . Just because he is a man doesn’t automatically mean it will happen . It could but that is why women shouldn’t rent from people that say female only. Most of the websites don’t give you the option of gender of roommates so it is hard to to live with men .

You can and should still write up a sublease agreement. Anything with at least the monthly rent and both people's signatures. Way too easy to screw each other over without it.

Well, I thought it was just a man that was there since it sounds like in the post, the ad doesn't mention anyone else, and I feel like that would be included in the ad since this man would be inviting a female into both of their living spaces.

I'm so sorry that you were assaulted, I was just trying to prevent it. And yeah, thats why I said "possibly" he could be a predator, I didn't flat out call him one. Yeah, I guess fires could be more likely too. You're absolutely right

Sublets still can and should have leases. I sublet the first 2 years in NYC and had subleases.