Advertising your illegal rental could get you burned

From the Daily News:

A couple who crowed online about raking in big bucks by renting out their Central Park West condo to tourists is getting sued for renting out their Central Park West condo to tourists.

“Last year we spent 110 days away from home,” Jodi Samuels wrote in a blog post last year.

“Best of all, we rent our apartment out while we travel and, New York being New York, we make good money.”

The board at the Olmsted at 97th and Central Park West, however, wasn’t impressed by Jodi and Gavin Samuels’ entrepreneurship when it finally got wind of it this year.

The board members say the Samuels’ bed-and-breakfast business violates the building’s bylaws — and they want the couple to pay $500 for each documented rental.

That could add up. The building says it found almost a dozen instances where the couple rented out one or both of their fourth-floor apartments for at least $250 a night, and Jodi’s blog indicates the total number might be much larger.

“As usual, we rented out our New York apartment at a premium, drove 12 hours and it actually pays for us to go away,” says one entry on the couple’s MetroImma website for Jewish mothers.

“Some nights we may as well hang up a sign that says, ‘Camp Samuels,’ ” said another.

She wrote that she has visited almost 70 countries, and that her young son has been to 32 states.

The suit says the couple advertised their apartments on numerous websites and Jodi’s own Facebook page. Their listing on homeaway.com describes one of the apartments as a 900-square-foot one-bedroom, complete with Wi-Fi, a DVD player, a renovated bathroom and kitchen, and “a great balcony facing the gardens.”

“The building has a 24-hour doorman, gym, playroom (and) playground,” it says.