Landlord Fined $1,000 for Advertising Short-Term Rental on Airbnb

The Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement issued a violation notice to landlord for unlawfully advertising for short-term rentals on Airbnb.com. Landlord objected at a hearing, although she admitted she had advertised for short-term rentals. The ALJ dismissed the violation because it failed to refer to the applicable Administrative Code provision.

The Mayor's Office appealed and won. ECB found that the notice was improperly dismissed since Section 27-297.1 was written next to the caption "violation code." The notice also clearly stated that the charge concerned landlord's advertisements on Airbnb.com, and there was no proof that landlord was confused or prejudiced by omission of the words "Administrative Code" on the notice next to the code section at issue. The notice also gave landlord sufficient information to calculate the maximum penalty that could be imposed. The inspector correctly entered, as the mail-in penalty amount, the actual $1,000 maximum penalty. Landlord also didn't deny that she listed an apartment for a minimum two-night stay on Airbnb.com. Landlord was fined $1,000.

Williams: ECB App. No. 1701183 (2/15/18) [4-pg. doc.]