Chapter 42A of the North Carolina General Statutes, which goes by the title of the Vacation Rental Act (VRA), exists to protect visitors from fraud, injury and financial losses by outlining the legal duties of landlords and rental agents. The law also states the duties of tenants to ensure that their interests and rights of property owners are protected.
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The VRA applies to all vacation properties that can be rented for less than 90 days. One its most important provisions is its requirement for renters and landlords to sign written leasing agreements that, according to the state attorney general, spells out
- The rental price, security deposit and possible fees;
- The rights and obligations of the tenant; and
- The rights and obligations of the landlord and/or real estate agent or broker.
The act also places legal duties on the landlord for and owner of a vacation rental “to keep the property safe and habitable.” Failing to meet those duties creates potential statutory liability for personal injuries and wrongful deaths on property owners, landlords and real estate agents or brokers.
EJL