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What is NYC RCNY § 5-290?

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(a) Reservations. A motor vehicle rental business which reserves vehicles for consumers must make available either the vehicles reserved, or one which seats at least as many passengers as the one reserved and is suitable for the consumer's purposes, within one-half hour of the reserved time, either at the reserved loca

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Effective: 12/26/2021

§ 5-290 Car Rental.

RCNY § 5-290

(a)Reservations. A motor vehicle rental business which reserves vehicles for consumers must make available either the vehicles reserved, or one which seats at least as many passengers as the one reserved and is suitable for the consumer's purposes, within one-half hour of the reserved time, either at the reserved location or at another location to which the consumer is transported without charge. This subdivision (a) does not apply if the consumer is told when the reservation is made that the reservation is not guaranteed. The business must fulfill all other terms of the reservation.

(b)Deceptive advertising. A motor vehicle rental business which rents to consumers may not advertise or represent that reservations can be made, unless it maintains procedures to comply with this Regulation.

(c)Records. A business which reserves vehicles for consumers must maintain procedures reasonably calculated to fulfill those reservations. This includes maintaining records of all reservations, and of the scheduled return times of all rented vehicles. These records must be preserved for at least 6 months, and shall be made available for inspection and copying by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.

(d)Required sign. A motor vehicle rental business which rents vehicles to consumers must conspicuously display on the business premises a sign or notice entitled "Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Car Rental Law." The sign shall be not less than twelve (12) inches by eighteen (18) inches in dimension, with letters thereon to be not less than one (1) inch high. The sign must inform consumers of their rights under 6 RCNY § 5-290(a) and it must contain the following words: "To report complaints, contact the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, (Insert the Department's current address), Complaint Phone: (Insert the Department's current complaint telephone number)." The following statement complies with this requirement: If you have made a reservation for a car (or truck), that reservation must be honored at the price originally promised, within one-half hour of the time originally promised, unless you are told when you make the reservation that it is not guaranteed. To report complaints, contact the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, (Insert the Department's current address), Complaint Phone: (Insert the Department's current complaint telephone number). (Added City Record 11/26/2021, eff. 12/26/2021)

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