Much has been made in the national media about a recently passed ban on short-term rentals in New York City. Some of what you have heard is true but most of it is pure garbage that has been completely overblown. What? You didn’t realize the media sensationalized certain stories to fluff their ratings?
First of all, the law doesn’t even take effect until May of 2011 – so relax. There is no need to panic, no need to march down the street waving banners and no need to gather in protest in front of city hall. Secondly, when it does take effect, the majority of people will see nothing change. Nothing.
If you have ever made your apartment available for sublet then you won’t wake up one morning next May to the sound of a Swat team crashing through your windows with tear gas canisters and automatic weapons. Unless of course in addition to subletting you also traffic drugs. In that case we can’t offer you any promises.
Here’s what is important for you to know. The ban, although far reaching, is honestly only meant to combat those tenants who have built temporary walls and unsafe conditions in a bid to lure visitors to the city on the cheap. It’s meant to combat landlords who charge upfront for a rental that doesn’t even exist.
They aren’t interested in those people who sublet their existing apartments to friends or family members. In fact, according to the law’s co-sponsor, enforcement will be based solely on complaints from neighbors so unless your friends, family or random tenant hosts a rave at 3 a.m. then you should be safe.
The law exempts “bed and breakfast” arrangements in which visitors rent a room while the permanent occupants are living in the apartment as well. It also exempts those who reside short-term in an apartment while the permanent resident is away for personal reasons such as a vacation of their own. In other words, Aunt Jenny can still stay over for a few days while you’re gone to take care of Fido without worrying about a facing jail time. Unless of course she deals drugs too.
Perhaps most important is that the law only affects those who charge money for their accommodations which is not only a huge relief to users of CouchSurfing.org but an extremely large loophole that will surely be exploited. Think incidental fees like the airlines use to make up for the price of a ticket.
New York City is not the first place to begin a crackdown on short-term rentals. Paris has done it before and more will try in the future. What’s important to remember is that this law is not meant to go after those who are providing a valuable service. Sure the language could allow them to do just that but at the expense of what else?
Unless you’re a landlord that regularly builds temporary walls, provides unsafe or unsanitary living conditions or charges for non-existent dwellings then you should be fine. So relax. Unless you deal drugs.
Brian Searl is the founder and CEO of InsiderPerks.com. Combining his passion for broadcasting and knowledge of travel, Brian launched Insider Perks in March of 2009 as the first travel website to focus on professionally produced unbiased travel videos. The site features over 2,000 travel videos from over 200 destinations around the world in addition to complete travel guides, news, blogs, social media integration and much more.
Brian still visits most of the locations filmed for Insider Perks to personally oversee the production of each series of videos and also routinely travels outside of work which gives him extensive and unique insight into travel, which he has shared a part of in today’s post.
