Chatham Short-term Rental Registry Now Available

CHATHAM – The owners of short-term rentals are now required to register with the health department.

Last April, the board of health adopted short-term rental regulations that require property owners who rent their homes for less than 30 days to register with the department and pay a $50 fee. The program’s online registry went live this week.

Property owners have until March 1 to register for next summer’s rental season. The local registry is separate from the short-term rental registration required by the state department of revenue.

Owners registering their properties are required to sign an affidavit attesting that the rentals meet the requirements in the regulations. However, inspections are not currently required prior to the issuance of a rental certificate, according to a press release from the town. The town reserves the right to inspect a property as needed to address concerns raised in the registration process or complaints made by tenants.

Owners must comply with minimum standards set by the Massachusetts Sanitary Code, including basic structural safety and security; installation of working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors; having two means of egress and functional utilities, appliances, fixtures and plumbing; and proper storage and disposal of trash.

A link to the online registry is on the health department web page, www.chatham-ma.gov/320/Health-Division. Contact Health Agent Judith Giorgio at 508-945-5165 or jgiorgio@chatham-ma.gov with questions.