Trust & Safety
SubletU is not a background-check service, an identity-verification platform, or an insurance product. It's a small, manually operated marketplace where a real person — the founder — reads every host submission and every guest request before a match happens. That's a meaningful step up from matching over screenshots in a group chat, but it's not the same thing as formal verification, and we want to be precise about the difference.
SubletU is an independent platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Villanova University or any university. "School" fields on our forms are for matching context only.
What manual review includes
- Checking whether a host submission or guest request appears complete and internally consistent (e.g. price and neighborhood are plausible, dates make sense).
- Contacting the host or guest directly with follow-up questions.
- Requesting a school email address as an added trust signal, when helpful.
- Requesting a video walkthrough of the apartment or additional supporting information, at our discretion.
- Screening out submissions that look like spam, scams, or obviously misleading listings.
What manual review does not mean
- SubletU has not verified the lease, sublease agreement, or any building's subletting rules for any individual listing.
- SubletU does not guarantee that a host actually owns, rents, or controls the apartment they've listed.
- SubletU does not guarantee the legality of any specific sublet arrangement.
- SubletU does not guarantee the condition of any apartment, or that either party will follow through on payment or move-in.
- SubletU does not run criminal background checks, credit checks, or identity verification on hosts or guests.
- SubletU does not hold funds in escrow, provide insurance, or guarantee a refund — no payments are processed through SubletU today.
Tips for guests
- Video call or meet the host before sending any money.
- Ask to see a copy of the host's lease or written subletting permission if you have any doubts.
- Be cautious of pressure to pay quickly, prices far below market, or a host who avoids calls or video.
- Get move-in/move-out dates, price, and what's included in writing (even a simple email) before paying anything.
Tips for hosts
- Only sublet if your lease and building genuinely permit it — see the disclaimer you agree to on the listing form.
- Ask guests for their school and internship/program details before committing.
- Trust your instincts — you're not obligated to accept any request SubletU sends your way.
A note on sublet legality in NYC
Whether a specific apartment can legally be sublet depends on the lease, the building, and sometimes co-op/condo board rules — SubletU has no way to check this on a per-listing basis. Hosts confirm they have the right to sublet before a listing is submitted, but that confirmation comes from the host, not from SubletU. If you're a host with any doubt about your building's rules, confirm with your landlord, management company, or board before listing.
Report a concern
If something about a listing or a conversation feels off, email us at hello@getsubletu.com — we read every message ourselves and will look into it.
See also our Terms and Privacy Policy.