Dear Ms. Demeanor: My neighbor is turning her apartment into a hotel

By Jamie Lauren Sutton | December 21, 2011 - 11:39AM

Dear Ms. Demeanor,

I am 100% percent certain that my neighbor rents out her apartment for short stints when she is on vacation. She practically told me herself and suggested I check out the website www.airbnb.com where I found an eerily familiar listing.

I know this is totally illegal but I don't want her to be fined - I just want her to quit it before she accepts a bedbug-ridden backpacker or plain old psychopath in to our lovely Brooklyn Heights building.

Signed,

Help, I don't want to live in a hostel!

Dear Hostel,

Does your neighbor know that she faces not only a fine but an eviction should the city be made aware of her activites? You may want to print out this article and slip it under her door.

I would also advise talking to her--letting her know your thoughts and concerns, and making it very clear that if you see her ad on a website or strangers coming and going that you will be informing the board and/or management company first, the city (via 311) next. We need to have a zero tolerance policy on a practice that makes our homes and buildings less safe and secure.

Shut it down!

Ms. Demeanor

Ms. Demeanor is channeled by a longtime Manhattan vertical dweller and real-estate voyeur who writes under the pen name Jamie Lauren Sutton. She is here to commiserate, calm and correct. Please email your quandaries to [email protected] and put "Dear Ms. Demeanor" in the subject line.

See all of Ms. Demeanor's advice here.

I made $14k on airBnB.com at $99/night

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