California Codes, Civil Code - CIV, Division 3 — Obligations, Part 4 — Obligations Arising from Particular Transactions, Title 3 — Deposit, Chapter 2 — Deposit for Keeping, Article 4 — Innkeepers, Section 1864

Any person or entity, including a person employed by a real estate broker, who, on behalf of another or others, solicits or arranges, or accepts reservations or money, or both, for transient occupancies described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 1940, in a dwelling unit in a common interest development, as defined in Section 4100, in a dwelling unit in an apartment building or complex, or in a single-family home, shall do each of the following:

(a) Prepare and maintain, in accordance with a written agreement with the owner, complete and accurate records and books of account, kept in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, of all reservations made and money received and spent with respect to each dwelling unit. All money received shall be kept in a trust account maintained for the benefit of owners of the dwelling units.

(b) Render, monthly, to each owner of the dwelling unit, or to that owner’s designee, an accounting for each month in which there are any deposits or disbursements on behalf of that owner, however, in no event shall this accounting be rendered any less frequently than quarterly.

(c) Make all records and books of account with respect to a dwelling unit available, upon reasonable advance notice, for inspection and copying by the dwelling unit’s owner. The records shall be maintained for a period of at least three years.

(d) Comply fully with all collection, payment, and recordkeeping requirements of a transient occupancy tax ordinance, if any, applicable to the occupancy.

(e) In no event shall any activities described in this section subject the person or entity performing those activities in any manner to Part 1 (commencing with Section 10000) of Division 4 of the Business and Professions Code. However, a real estate licensee subject to this section may satisfy the requirements of this section by compliance with the Real Estate Law.