Short Term Apartment Rental in NYC
 

We will be in NYC for 3 nights in May, 2012, and have been looking at apartment rentals in Manhattan through airb&b.com and flatsofny.com. Both sites look like they have very good rates and good properties available. But just now I looked at the Fodor's info about short term apartment rentals in NYC and find they are illegal. Is this a new development? Can anybody shed more light on the situation? Any info about either of these sites?

It is not really a new development but some law went into effect last year to make it easier to pursue violators. Something like that. I am sure you can google for more info.

Look for a regular hotel or an apartment hotel such as Affinia, etc. Unless you and whoever you will be going with plan to rent a room in an apartment where the owner is present it is unlikely you will find a legal apartment to rent.

Not only are short-term rentals in NYC illegal, they are known to be fraudulent as well. Many renters have been disappointed. Do NOT pay a penny until you have SEEN the unit with your own eyes.

As already stated, most apartment rentals in NYC for less than 30 days are illegal. Do not attempt to rent one. You will not only risk a chance of a scam, but could be kicked out on the street.

Check out these Apartment/Hotels:They are all perfectly legal:

Beacon
Radio City Apartments
Affinia.com
Best Western Hospitality
San Carlos
Kimberly
Salisbury

If you go this route, just be especially careful. Many people do rent without incident, despite the fact that short-term rentals are illegal. But if something goes wrong, you have absolutely no legal recourse and will have to book an expensive hotel room at the last minute, possibly spending $300 or $400 a night. It's not a risk I would take. And the point about fraudulent rentals is an important one, though I think that affects places listed on Craigslist more than those on AirBnB. There are also some illegal "hotels" that cater to international tourists but offer unsafe lodging.

There are practically no legal short-term rentals in Manhattn (they are legal only if someone is renting a room in their own private house - and there are very few of those - versus apt, co-ops and condos in Manhattan.)

Many of those on Craig's list are scams.

AirBnB is NOT a rental service. All they do is put a renter together with a person with a room to rent - and take a % off the top. They don't run any of these places. For info search below for the huge air bnb thread.

There was a law passed that took effect on May 1, 2011 tightening restrictions on apt. rentals for less than 30 days. To that degree it's "new".
http://travel.usatoday.com/destinati...n-nyc/101054/1
http://www.governing.com/topics/poli...n-rentals.html

If you're looking for budget pricing, Priceline or Hotwire can be great for a short 3 day stay or maybe consider staying a train ride away from Manhattan in Long Island City (if you fly in/out of JFK or LGA) or Jersey City near a PATH train if you're using Newark.

"AirBnB is NOT a rental service. All they do is put a renter together with a person with a room to rent - and take a % off the top."

Actually, they do not take a % off the top. They charge the renter a % of the fee paid to lessor/landlord/owner. The lessor/landlord/owner gets the full rental fee from renter.

A small difference but it does mean the renter pays <i>both </i>the rent to lessor and the fee to airbnb.