NYC OSE — Local Law 18 Short-Term Rentals
Your tenant's Airbnb triggered a city short-term rental case
A tenant's short-term rental can pull you into an Office of Special Enforcement case under Local Law 18 — first your listings get delisted, then a summons and penalty follow. The city holds the owner responsible, not the tenant. We help NYC owners respond and protect the property.
First, the plain version
What OSE enforcement actually is
Before the legal steps, here is the situation in plain terms — what the Office of Special Enforcement is, why the owner is on the hook, and where it leads.
What OSE is
The Office of Special Enforcement is the NYC task force that polices illegal short-term rentals — a unit rented for under 30 days when it should not be.
Why you are involved
Even if your tenant created the listing, OSE and the city hold the owner responsible for what happens in the building.
Where it leads
Platform delisting under Local Law 18, then OATH summonses and penalties decided at the city’s hearings tribunal.
In short: the city’s short-term-rental task force is now looking at your building. It is contestable — and your deadlines and your response are what decide how it ends.
Local Law 18 is New York City’s Short-Term Rental Registration Law. You can read the City’s own overview on the Office of Special Enforcement’s Registration Law page (opens nyc.gov in a new tab).
One owner’s story, from delisting to a plan
A NYC building owner whose tenant’s short-term rental pulled him into the city’s enforcement — the listings going dark, the notice, and the call that mapped a way out. It may sound a lot like your week.
How it usually goes
It starts quietly, then the city is at your door
This is the sequence a short-term rental complaint sets off. The sooner you act, the more options stay open.
- The listings vanish
The booking platform delists the unit because it was never registered with OSE — the first sign the city is looking.
- A notice arrives
An OSE notice or an OATH summons shows up with a violation and a penalty already attached.
- It points at the owner
Even though a tenant did the listing, short-term rental liability runs to the building owner.
- You get ahead of it
One call — we confirm what you received, map the exposure, and build the response before the deadline.
What working with us looks like
A clear path from delisting to decision
From the first consultation, you will understand the OSE process, the deadlines, and the response that protects your property.
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4What OSE enforcement looks like
The same case can reach you in several ways
Short-term rental enforcement rarely arrives as one tidy letter. Knowing the forms it takes is how you stop reacting and start responding.
Platform delisting
Under Local Law 18, platforms may only book registered listings — so unregistered units get pulled.
OATH summonses & penalties
Short-term rental cases are typically enforced through OATH, with real penalties attached.
Inspections & records requests
OSE can inspect and request booking records, leases, and registration to document the use.
Registration denied or flagged
A registration that is rejected or flagged can leave a unit unable to be lawfully listed.
The owner held responsible
A tenant’s side hustle becomes the owner’s problem — the city looks to the building owner.
The deadline is firm — but a response protects the property.
An OSE notice or an OATH summons carries a fixed response date. Letting it pass can lead to a violation sustained at the maximum and a mark on your property record. A timely, documented response is what keeps your options open.
If something has already arrived, the single most important factor is how much time is left to respond. That makes it worth getting your situation reviewed now, not later.
Here is how we work it
From delisting to decision, with a plan at every step
Knowing the four steps ahead of time is the difference between panic and a plan.
Confirm what you received
OSE notice, OATH summons, or a platform delisting — we identify exactly what is in front of you and what it triggers.
First
Map the exposure
We read the registration status, the Multiple Dwelling Law issue, and your lease to see where you actually stand.
Early
Build the response
We assemble the listing facts, the proof you acted to stop it, and the cure path the city will credit.
Before the deadline
Appear & resolve
We appear at OATH, present the case, and pursue dismissal, cure credit, or a penalty reduction.
Hearing day
Want the detail? Read about our building code violation defense.
Why building owners call us
Short-term rental cases are our day job
OATH hearings are our day job
We appear before OATH for property owners across the five boroughs every week.
Built around your deadline
OSE deadlines are firm. We work backward from the date, not toward it.
Owner-side, not host-side
You did not run the listing. We frame the case around the owner who got left holding the bag.
Straight answers
Questions building owners ask us first
You did not list it. You should not face the city alone.
A free 15-minute case review tells you exactly where you stand — the deadline, your options, and what to send us. Picking up the phone is the easiest part.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The information on this page is general and not legal advice; contacting Nacmias Law Firm does not create an attorney-client relationship.