Web Wreaks Havoc on Hamptons' Vacation Rentals

According to an article in The New York Times a proliferation of online vacation rental properties in East Hampton is putting a dent into the earnings of local brokerage firms who were previously the only conduit to summer rentals. Online vacation rental sites such as Airbnb, HomeAway, VRBO and even Craigslist are offering affordable stays in East Hampton for people who are priced out of seasonal or monthly rentals through brokers.

There is one caveat to this bonanza of available listings: many of them are illegal. The Town of East Hampton prohibits rentals of less than two weeks more than twice every six months. The author of the Times story reveals another pitfall: seasonal renters are sometimes looking to make back some of their costs by renting out their rentals for short stays—unbeknownst to their rightful owners of course.

Town of East Hampton Supervisor Larry Cantwell is interviewed. He ran on a platform that supported more rigorous code enforcement to protect property values and cut down on nuisance complaints from things like loud parties in share houses and more than four cars in residential driveways. The town has now hired Southampton’s former director of public safety, Dave Betts, to help quell the tide of illegal rentals and their attendant complaints on the town’s website. 

Read the entire article online at The New York Times.