8 THE QUEENS COURIER • DECEMBER 28, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
City to seek $36.5 million in fi nes from Major World for deceptive practices
BY ANGELA MATUA
amatua@qns.com
Th e Department of Consumer Aff airs
(DCA) previously announced that they
would seek more than $2 million from car
dealer Major World for deceiving their
customers, but they recently increased
that amount many times over.
DCA is now seeking $36.5 million in
consumer restitution and fi nes from the
dealer’s three locations at 43-40 Northern
Blvd., 50-30 Northern Blvd. and 44-11
Northern Blvd. in Long Island City.
According to Christine Gianakis, press
secretary for DCA, the additional claims
against Major World include deceiving
consumers about the history and condition
Airbnb reports 125% surge in Queens holiday rentals
BY ANGELA MATUA
amatua@qns.com
Th e number of people renting homes
in Queens through Airbnb during the
holiday season jumped 125 percent since
2015, according to data released by the
company.
Between Dec. 22 through Dec. 25,
approximately 41,000 people are projected
to stay with Airbnb hosts throughout
the city. Th ough Manhattan will host the
largest number of guests, the outer boroughs
saw the biggest spike in growth
rates during this time.
Queens had the highest growth rate
this year, with a 125 percent increase
in the number of people staying with
hosts in December 2017 compared to
December 2015. In total, 4,980 guests are
expected to stay in the borough during
the coming week.
According to Airbnb, these visits will
generate $400 for the average host and
more than $6.5 million for hosts citywide.
Th e company was founded in 2008
and allows travelers to rent homes and
apartments worldwide instead of relying
solely on hotels.
New York City offi cials have argued
that the company depletes the aff ordable
housing stock in the area and the hotel
industry has lobbied to restrict Airbnb’s
presence in the city.
Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a
bill last year making it illegal for landlords
to advertise short-term leases for
their apartments. Th e bill makes it illegal
to advertise units in buildings for under
30 days if the landlord isn’t present for
the entire stay.
Mayor Bill de Blasio in April added
16 staff ers to the Offi ce of Special
Enforcement, which inspects and fi nes
landlords who rent apartments out
for fewer than 30 days. In August, a
Bushwick landlord was fi ned $11,000 for
renting out nine rooms in his apartment
to 34 guests. According to the New York
Post, the landlord installed bunk beds
and added mattresses on the fl oors of
bedrooms to maximize capacity.
Currently, travelers can fi nd an entire
apartment or home from Dec. 22
through Dec. 25 ranging from $77 per
night in Jamaica to $213 per night in
Woodside.
of the cars it sells, including terms
in a sales contract that limit the dealer’s
responsibility under NYS VTL 417; using
deceptive print and website advertisements;
and making false statements on
their license applications.
DCA Commissioner Lorelei Salas said in
March that the dealerships have a history of
luring unsuspecting consumers who have
limited English profi ciency and promising
them great deals regardless of credit history,
income or income-to-debt ratios.
Th e DCA charged that Major World
employees regularly submitted false information
on credit applications including
the nature of a customers employment,
income levels and monthly rent obligations.
In one falsifi ed application, Major
World turned the customer from a grocery
store manager to a grocery store
owner, quadrupled his salary and reduced
his rent by 75 percent.
Major World’s advertising also targeted
Spanish-speaking customers and people
with lower income or poor credit.
Th e company used phrases like “Buenos,
Bonitos, Baratos” (Good, Pretty, Cheap)
and slogans like “No credit is no problem”
and “We design solutions for bad
credit car buyers every day.”
Th e DCA further charged that employees
also falsely infl ated the value of cars
by wrongly claiming vehicles had features
like aluminum/alloy wheels, a Bose premium
stereo or rear entertainment system.
Th e company would also add service
repair contracts without the customer’s
knowledge, which added thousands
of dollars to the bill.
DCA also argues that the company sold
“dangerously defective vehicles” that have
broken down shortly aft er being sold and
customers have spent hundreds or thousands
of dollars repairing them.
Opening statements for the trial begin
on Jan. 9.
When a QNS reporter sent an email to
Major World asking for comment, she
received an auto-reply sales pitch stating,
“Th e __ , is available and ready for
test drive! Please keep in mind, what you
see online is a very small representation of
our entire selection. Are you available to
come in later today for a test drive?”
Photo via YouTube/MajorWorld
The city is seeking millions from LIC-based Major World for deceiving customers.
Photo via Wikipedia/Jleon
According to Airbnb, the number of people renting homes in Queens through the service during the holiday season jumped 125 percent.
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