Advice for extending lease month-to-month?

I'm no longer under a lease in my apartment and have told the landlord that I will give a two month heads-up if I decide to move. But the reality is that you need to be prepared to move within the month if you're looking at new places. The current market and the fact that there are many vacancies in your building work in your favor if you don't want to lock in to a new lease.

My jerk landlord charged me an extra $500 a month to stay an extra month. I had no choice because I had just had surgery. Hopefully yours in nicer than mine.

By law, if you do not re-sign your lease, you are automatically entered into a month-to-month lease from what I have read. Of course, you will be paying the price you paid under the lease and will have to vacate if the landlord decides to end the arrangement. This was answered several times on the NYTimes Real Estate Q&A.

wad - are they allowed to charge me whatever they want additional to stay one month?

ccccharley - think you were just being extremely nice to you landlord - most people would have just sent in the usual rent check (or used the security deposit) for the extra month, and then moved. Would have probably been more trouble than it's worth for the LL to have gone after you in court.

I'm glad I found this thread. I'm in something of a similar situation, and could use some advice.

I currently rent a tiny studio on the UWS, and have been actively looking to move to a bigger place when my lease expires at the end of July. However, I haven't found the right apartment yet. I would rather take another 1-3 months and spend my time looking for the perfect place, rather than settling for something that is "just okay" but available now. I'm fine with that decision, but the problem is what to do in the interim.

I've been in my apartment for several years, and have always been a great tenant. I also know that I'm paying about $200-$250 more per month than what they'll get for my apartment when I move out. Economically, it seems to make sense that management would allow me to go month-by-month (a few more months of collecting a higher rent, and I'd give him 30 days notice and allow access to show my apartment during that time, so he could find a new tenant and it wouldn't sit empty.) However, I asked about month-by-month last year, and was told no. At that point I was so busy with work and other "life" stuff that I ended up re-signing for a full year, and have regretted it.

I know I could find a short-term sublet, but it would be MUCH easier to just stay here for another month or two. I have not talked to my landlord yet, and would love some advice about the best way to approach this. What should I say to make it clear that month-by-month would work in his favor? Do I have any laws/regulations on my side, or is it basically up to the individual landlord?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I lease out a few condos in Manhattan. If someone was to ask me to stay over the lease end date, I ask for 60 days as of the first of the month. This gives me time to advertise and re-rent the space. I have never had a problem with this arrangement but I do need to be told more than 60 days in advance for this to work. Once within the 60 day period ads have already been placed and I would have to pay a fee if the present tenant wanted to stay over.

Thanks! So you think that I should tell my landlord that I want to stay month-by-month, but will give him 60 days notice instead of 30? I'm really only looking to buy 2-3 more months here, which means that 60 days notice could be...now.

Tapdance42
about 7 hours ago
ignore this person
report abuse I'm glad I found this thread. I'm in something of a similar situation, and could use some advice.

I currently rent a tiny studio on the UWS, and have been actively looking to move to a bigger place when my lease expires at the end of July. However, I haven't found the right apartment yet. I would rather take another 1-3 months and spend my time looking for the perfect place, rather than settling for something that is "just okay" but available now. I'm fine with that decision, but the problem is what to do in the interim.

I've been in my apartment for several years, and have always been a great tenant. I also know that I'm paying about $200-$250 more per month than what they'll get for my apartment when I move out. Economically, it seems to make sense that management would allow me to go month-by-month (a few more months of collecting a higher rent, and I'd give him 30 days notice and allow access to show my apartment during that time, so he could find a new tenant and it wouldn't sit empty.) However, I asked about month-by-month last year, and was told no. At that point I was so busy with work and other "life" stuff that I ended up re-signing for a full year, and have regretted it.

I know I could find a short-term sublet, but it would be MUCH easier to just stay here for another month or two. I have not talked to my landlord yet, and would love some advice about the best way to approach this. What should I say to make it clear that month-by-month would work in his favor? Do I have any laws/regulations on my side, or is it basically up to the individual landlord?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

tapdance, you ahve been posting for weeks now. my advice to you is either increase your budget dramatically, or decrease your expectations. 60 days isn't going to see enough change in the market to make your bullshit budget go any further than it is right now. it might actually be worse.