Hi all—need a quick gut check. I found a huge room in Astoria on a Facebook housing group for $1,100 including utilities. The woman, Maya, says she’s the leaseholder. A current roommate is moving out at the end of the month. She wants $600 by Zelle to “hold the room” and says after I send it she’ll remove the ad and show me the actual lease. I asked to see the lease first and she said the moving roommate is still on it, so she can’t share until the hold is paid. Is that normal here? I’ve never rented a room in NYC before and I don’t want to lose the spot, but this feels a little rushed.

I’m new to this too, but I almost sent a $400 “holding fee” last month in Crown Heights. The person never even offered a video tour and got annoyed when I asked for a lease. My gut says don’t send unless you’ve seen the room in person and have something in writing. Did Maya at least offer a live tour?

This has more red flags than a DOT pilot with no enforcement. Don’t send Zelle money to someone because she pinky-swears a lease exists. That’s like trusting B63 rear door readers—see the earlier thread 'B63 on 5th Ave: are the rear door readers just for show?' B63 on 5th Ave: are the rear door readers just for show?—you might get lucky, but usually it’s decorative. In this city, no signed lease in your hand means no deposit. Period.

Agree with @CobbleHill_C. The “other roommate is still on the lease” excuse is a classic. If she’s the leaseholder, she can still show you a blank copy or redact the old roommate’s info. A holding deposit before you even see the lease is just an early goodbye to $600.

Wait, so is a holding deposit ever legit? I found a place in Washington Heights where the broker also wants a $500 “good faith deposit” to apply. Is that different because there’s a broker involved? Sorry if this is a dumb question, this is my first apartment hunt.

You’re right to ask, and it’s not a dumb question. There are legitimate application fees and good-faith deposits, but the order matters. In a by-the-book deal, you see the lease, you get a receipt, and the deposit is conditional—written specifically as “refundable if application not approved” or executed only with a countersigned agreement. What you’re describing has none of that.

For a roommate sublet, the absolute minimum is: (1) tour the room in person or live video before paying, (2) see a copy of the master lease, even if redacted, to confirm the person has the right to sublet, (3) get a written sublet or roommate agreement stating monthly rent, utilities, move-in date, deposit amount, and the address, and (4) never send funds by Zelle/Venmo/Cash App unless you’ve met the person and signed that agreement. A leaseholder can absolutely redact a departing roommate’s personal info; “I can’t show you the lease” is not a thing.

Maya may be legitimate but sloppy, or she may be collecting duplicate holds from multiple people. The rushing is the red flag. In my experience, real roommates in NYC are cautious too—they want someone reliable, not a wire transfer before they’ve even had a phone call. Ask for a live tour and a redacted lease. If she refuses both, keep looking.

Thanks @astoria_arch, this is exactly what I needed. I asked Maya for a redacted lease and a live video walkthrough tonight. She left me on read and then said someone else is “about to pay the hold” if I don’t act by 8 p.m. That was the end of it for me. I’m not competing to send money blind. Back to the housing groups.

Does anyone actually use a broker for rooms, though? I keep seeing these Facebook listings and the roommates all want deposits before viewings. Is it less scammy if a licensed broker asks for a fee, or is that just an extra bill on top of the same risk?

Ugh, I may have gotten lucky then. I sent a $400 “application deposit” to a woman I never met in person, and she did actually give me the room. But after reading this I realize I had zero protection. @astoria_arch, can I ask for the deposit back if the lease never gets signed, or is that just gone if I walk away afterward? I don’t even have a receipt.

@recently_relocated, if you have the Zelle transaction and a text thread, ask in writing for the deposit to be returned if it was not applied to rent or if no lease was signed. The practical answer: if they called it an “application fee,” it may be gone. If they called it “holding,” you may have a claim, but small claims court is not worth $400. This is why receipts are everything.

For those still searching: before you send anything, text or email the person: “Can you confirm in writing that this is fully refundable if the lease isn’t signed?” If they won’t, don’t pay. Also check whether the person actually lives there. I’ve dealt with roommate situations where a subtenant “showed” the room for a leaseholder they didn’t know. Real story: a friend paid a “security deposit” through a Facebook listing, showed up to move in, and the actual leaseholder had no idea who she was. The apartment existed, the subtenant didn’t.

Scammers rely on good photos, a below-market price, and a fake deadline. A proper roommate will allow a tour, share a lease, and accept a deposit only with a signed agreement. The only money you should pay before seeing the room is nothing.

Okay so “good faith deposit” from a broker in Washington Heights—does the same rule apply? They sent me a link to a portal and a number to call, but I haven’t seen a lease either. Should I ask for that exact refundable-in-writing line too?

@first_subway_ride yes, same rule. Brokers may be more formal, but no lease means you are handing over fee money for a maybe. Ask for the agency’s refund policy in writing. If they start mansplaining “market pace,” that’s just FOMO with a blazer.

Bottom line: no lease copy, no tour, no written refund terms, no money. @big_city_beth dodged it. @newbie_nate_nyc, a licensed broker can be an extra fee but at least you can verify a license and office. In an informal share, meet the roommates, see the room, get the lease. Anything less and you’re just funding someone’s long weekend.