How to get a guarantor for a New York apartment

A guarantor co-signs your lease and promises to pay if you don't. Landlords ask for one when your income is under the 40× rule, you are new to the country, you are a student, or your income is irregular.

Who qualifies

Most landlords want a guarantor who earns 80× the monthly rent, has good credit, and lives in New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut. The tri-state rule is softening; many buildings now accept guarantors anywhere in the US. International guarantors are usually a no.

What they have to provide

The same pile you do: ID, two recent pay stubs or a tax return, and bank statements. Which is why people avoid asking their parents twice.

If you can't find one

Institutional guarantors exist for exactly this. Insurent, TheGuarantors, and Leap are the common ones. They charge a one-time fee, usually 70 to 110 percent of one month's rent, and the landlord has to accept them, which most large buildings do and some small landlords do not.

On Nessoo

Invite a guarantor from your account. They verify their identity and income once, the same way you did, and their income counts toward the requirement on every unit you request. They never send a document to a landlord, and the landlord never sees their name until you accept a connection.