2010 New York Code
RPP - Real Property
Article 12-C - (446-A - 446-J) APARTMENT INFORMATION VENDORS
446-A - Definitions.

§  446-a.  Definitions.  As  used  in this article, unless the context
  otherwise requires: 1. "Person" means any natural  person,  corporation,
  limited liability company, partnership, firm, or association.
    2.  "Apartment information vendor" means any person who engages in the
  business of claiming, demanding,  charging,  receiving,  collecting,  or
  contracting  for the collection of, a fee from a customer for furnishing
  information concerning the location and availability of  real  property,
  including  apartment  housing,  which  may  be leased, rented, shared or
  sublet as  a  private  dwelling,  abode,  or  place  of  residence.  The
  definition  of  apartment  information vendor shall include an apartment
  sharing agent which means any person who, for a fee, arranges, conducts,
  coordinates, handles or causes  meetings  between  a  customer  and  the
  current  owner  or occupant of legally occupied real property, including
  apartment housing, who wishes to share that housing  with  one  or  more
  individuals  as  a private dwelling, abode or place of residence, but it
  shall not apply to any person who for another and for a fee,  commission
  or   other  valuable  consideration,  supervises,  organizes,  arranges,
  coordinates, handles or is otherwise in charge of or responsible for the
  relocation of  commercial  or  residential  tenants  from  buildings  or
  structures  that  are  to  be  demolished,  rehabilitated,  remodeled or
  otherwise structurally altered.
    3. "Advance fee" means any fee claimed, demanded, charged, received or
  collected from a customer before the customer has  leased  or  rented  a
  private  dwelling,  abode  or place of residence through the information
  provided by an apartment information vendor.