Renting Apartment in Big Apple is Illegal

Q: We are a family of 4, with older children, who will be visiting New York in August for my birthday. We are looking for good self-catering accommodation near all the action. We have heard that vacation rentals are illegal in NY. What can you recommend? - Claire Marketos

A: It is true that short-term vacation rentals of apartments in New York City are illegal. This law came into effect in May 2011 and bans apartment the rental of apartments for less than 30 days. Of course, in reality, thousands of apartments are still rented out every day and there are plenty of websites advertising apartments by the week. Short-term rentals remain very popular because they represent great value for money. Those who do not take this legislation seriously point out that it is not seriously enforced and is similar to the ruling which bans dancing in most city nightspots. While there is little chance of any legal action, you have less legal recourse if you have problems with your landlord. And there are plenty of scam artists operating in this arena. They take departments on non-existent apartments, or take payments from multiple tenants and then disappear. So, be warned that there are plenty of pitfalls in renting an apartment for a short period. If you take the plunge, you can find some great offers. You should be able to find a nice sel-catering apartment to accommodate your family in Manhatten for around 100 dollars per day. Some of the best sites to try are www.feelnyc.com and www.vacation.new-york-apartment.com, www.airbnb.com and the ever-popular www.craigslist.com. If you would prefer to stay in a hotel, you would be lucky to find a hotel room for two people for under 150 US dollars. Websites to try include www.booking.com, www.expedia.com and www.hotel.com. (29/1/12)