A New York State law that prohibits advance rent payments greater than one month's rent was amended to exclude seasonal rentals, Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. announced on Sept. 21.
The prohibition was included in a bill enacted in 2019 that sought to provide protections for tenants. On the East End and in other vacation destinations in the state, however, it is common practice to require a single upfront payment for the full term of a seasonal rental, Mr. Thiele noted in a statement. The new law, which went into effect immediately, permits such payments for dwellings that have been registered as rentals and which are used for no more than 120 days per year. The tenants of such dwellings must have a primary residence, the address of which must be included in the lease, according to the law.
"Summer rentals are a vital part of the local economy on the East End," Mr. Thiele said. "A change in well-accepted business practices of requiring a single payment for a seasonal rental would adversely affect the real estate market and our economy." The 2019 bill was not intended to cover seasonal rentals, he said, and "there is no documented problem with the practice of a single payment."