Proposed Rental Code Changes

Southampton Town Public Safety and Emergency Management Administrator Steven Troyd has proposed numerous changes to the town code regulating property rentals. They include:

Rental Code Changes

• Eliminate requirement to update tenants’ identities
• Eliminate requirement for a carter contract
• Eliminate the period of proposed occupancy
• Eliminate the four-car parking limit for rentals between 1 and 6 AM
• Require a statement of bedroom location and size, rather than floor plan
• Fees would charged on a biennial basis
• No limit to the number of allowable basement bedrooms
• Edit the penalty section and rental permit requirements to accurately reflect the responsibilities of owners, tenants, and rental agents
• Change the definition of family in a rental agreement to be one, two, three, or four persons occupying a dwelling, or five or more persons occupying a dwelling unit and living together as a traditional family or the functional equivalent of a traditional family. Changes made will correspond with the zoning code definition
• Expand the definition of a rental property to include apartments in
  commercial properties, condos, and co-ops

Proposed Seasonal Rental Code Changes

• A permit, separate and apart from the rental permit, would be required for a property being used for a period of no less than seven days during the season rental period between May 1 and September 30
• Require a “rental agreement” for seasons rental permits
• Fees would charged on a biennial basis
• Swimming pools and/or hot tubs would have to be maintained by a professional service technician at all times
• Seasonal rental permits would require the name and contact information of a person who would respond within one hour to correct any code violations
• Contact information would be disseminated upon being granted a seasonal rental permit to every abutting neighbor by certified mail
• Enforcement authority could revoke a seasonal rental permit when a code violation continues for 24 hours or more after a notice is provided
• No guests of tenants occupying a dwelling with a seasonal rental permit may be present between 1 and 6 AM