Registry to Be Explained

The requirements of East Hampton Town’s recently enacted rental registry law, and what landlords must do to comply with the new regulations, will be reviewed at two information sessions later this month.

Members of the public can attend one of three sessions to be held on Jan. 27 at Town Hall, at 1, 3, and 5 p.m. Two sessions for real estate professionals will be held at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Jan. 20, also at Town Hall.

Under the new law, all those who rent properties are required to submit information to the town and obtain a rental registration number, which must be included, under penalty, in all for-rent advertisements.

Property owners must provide information such as size, number of bedrooms, certificate of occupancy, tenancy and lease terms, and a notarized “rental property inspection checklist,” and pay a $100 fee for a two-year registration. They are required to update the information as tenants or other conditions change. 

Registry applications will be available online, through the town’s website, beginning on Friday, Jan. 15. While the forms can be downloaded, they must be filed, and fees paid, in person or by mail with the Building Department, which will oversee the registry and process the applications beginning on Feb. 1. Enforcement of the new registration requirement will begin in May, town officials have said.

In addition to attending the information sessions later this month, those with question can contact the East Hampton Town Building Department or email queries to an email address to be set up soon and publicized on the town website.