The explosion of short term rentals in the Hamptons has been driven by a number of factors, including popularity of Internet rental sites, increasing prices, and even two-career couples. Vacationers simply can't get away for a month at a time and prefer to stay for a week or two. Unfortunately, for the most part, rentals of less than 30 days are illegal, depending on the area; in East Hampton, a property may be rented for less than two weeks twice every six months. And in unincorporated parts of Southampton, you need a permit. Code enforcement is lax on most rentals.
So what should be done? Pretty much everyone wants the town to crack down on share houses. But what about other rentals? Should East Hampton and Southampton reduce required rental times to reflect changing markets? Why have laws on the books you can't enforce? Do short term rentals cheapen the market as a whole? Let us know what you think in the comments.
· Southampton rental code [Official]
· East Hampton rental code [Official]
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