The following definitions apply in this Chapter:

(1)        Advanced payments. – All payments made by a tenant in a vacation rental agreement to a landlord or the landlord’s real estate broker prior to occupancy for the purpose of renting a vacation rental property for a future period of time as specified in the vacation rental agreement.

(1a)      Landlord. – An owner of residential property offered for lease as a vacation rental with or without the assistance of a real estate broker.

(1b)      through (1f) Reserved.

(1g)      Real estate broker. – A real estate broker as defined in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 93A-2(a).

(2)        Residential property. – An apartment, condominium, single-family home, townhouse, cottage, or other property that is devoted to residential use or occupancy by one or more persons for a definite or indefinite period.

(3)        Vacation rental. – The rental of residential property for vacation, leisure, or recreation purposes for fewer than 90 days by a person who has a place of permanent residence to which he or she intends to return.

(4)        Vacation rental agreement. – A written agreement between a landlord or the landlord’s real estate broker and a tenant in which the tenant agrees to rent residential property belonging to the landlord for a vacation rental. ?(1999-420, s. 1; 2016-98, s. 1.1; 2017-102, s. 13.1.)