Legality of short-term house rentals

There’a a sponsored post about Onefinestay on today’s Brownstoner and, since comments can’t be posted on that item I have a question to ask here. Are such rentals’legal in NYC if they’re for a period of less than 30 days?   I was under the impression that one could rent rooms on a short-term basis in an owner-occupied house, but that short-term rentals of a house (or apartment) when the owner is away are forbidden. PerhapsI’m wrong? Does anyone know for sure?

BobMarvin

in Real Estate - Rentals 12 years and 9 months ago

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BobMarvin | 12 years and 9 months ago

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OK, I guess we’ll turn down any future offer of sponsorship from Onefinestay IF they’re still in business next year and make an offer. If they argue that they’ve been doing business in the UK for years we can always say “that’s London, THIS is Brooklyn” 🙂

cupolacoffee | 12 years and 9 months ago

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Bob, your first instinct was correct. Transient housing (less than 30 days) requires proper license, certificate of authority, sales tax, compliance with zoning and fire safety, etc., regardless of 1-, 2- or multiple dwelling.

BobMarvin | 12 years and 9 months ago

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So, it IS legal. Maybe I should have been nicer to the Onefinestay representative who phoned me last spring 🙂 Actually, I could never rent out my house. After living there 38 years I have too much crap too make room for guests’ stuff.

Putnamdenizen | 12 years and 9 months ago

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Here’s the law: http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&bn=S06873&term=2009&Summary=Y&Actions=Y&Votes=Y&Memo=Y&Text=Y Refers to “multiple dwelling units” – not simgle family homes.  And you can rent your apartment out for periods of 30 days or more.  The danger of that is that such a period gives the renter the right of legal process if you need to evict them.

cupolacoffee | 12 years and 9 months ago

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“People should be careful not to generalize and understand the facts before posting things like this.” Do you work for a short-stay company, alice?
“Technically restrictions do apply”–you mean, like, the law? One and two-family homes used as short-stay apartments are obviously not being used in a manner consistent with their CofOs. Good luck evicting one of those short-stay guests (especially if they linger more than 30 days), never mind collecting damages from your insurance company.

BobMarvin | 12 years and 9 months ago

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Alice, I don’t see anything about a one and two family home exemption in that NYT article. FWIW we rejected an offer from Onefinestay to sponsor our June house tour, on the assumption that their service wasn’t permitted, so the legal question is of great interest.   FWIW

alice10013 | 12 years and 9 months ago

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yes Boerumreside is absolutely correct. There are no restrictions on renting a single or two family home whatsoever, and for apartments technically restrictions do apply but aren’t being enforced against primary  residents – please see a NYT article about this issue. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/03/realestate/the-short-stay-apartment.html?ref=realestate/ People should be careful not to generalize and understand the facts before posting things like this. I believe Onefinestay also provides insurance for liability.

eman134 | 12 years and 9 months ago

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i wonder what brownstoners liability is for allowing ads for illegal rentals,,,

Erstwhile | 12 years and 9 months ago

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Illegal, and somehow not suprising this gets a giant advert with no comments link. On top of that, what about the potential liability situation? Very bad idea.

cupolacoffee | 12 years and 9 months ago

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No, they’re not legal.
Two articles: http://nymag.com/realestate/realestatecolumn/short-term-rentals-2011-12/
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/28/nyregion/city-closes-illegal-hotels-and-puts-pressure-on-b-and-bs.html
The legislation: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/downloads/pdf/NYS_chapter_225.pdf
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&bn=S06873&term=2009&Summary=Y&Text=Y