New York takes big steps to curb Airbnbs

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/06/airbnb-new-rental-regulation-nyc-housing

I imagine other Cities will follow suite soon.

Is that the same as Airbnb?

We have the regulation here in the uk. The trouble is it’s regulated by councils who haven’t got the time or money.
It’s known that landlords are evicting tenants to let the properties as Airbnb’s where it’s a different ball game with rules.

MerylStreep

Is that the same as Airbnb?

Yes.

I was told recently in Barcelona that they hate the tourists because no one can buy a house as they are all bought up for Airbnb there were stickers around saying Tourists go home I was surprised

BlueBelle

I was told recently in Barcelona that they hate the tourists because no one can buy a house as they are all bought up for Airbnb there were stickers around saying Tourists go home I was surprised

Locals can't buy a home in Cornwall.

Second homes, holiday cottages, AirBnB
☹

Yes, same all over the world, but with AirBnB, mainly Cities. However, NY is the first to take real steps to curb this.

that's one of the reasons so many local schools have closed down in inner london.

Well it is a no brainer- charge a rent of £1200 for a permanent tenant, or £200 a night for 4 people on AirbnB, and pay someone cheap to clean and wash bed linen and towels.

I have never heard of RbnBs,

MerylStreep

Is that the same as Airbnb?

A typo, sorry.

We have just booked an appartment in Porto- the Portugal rules require us to pay all local taxes before we travel. Many Airbnb pocketed the money but did not pass on local taxes, nor paid business taxes.

They have started cracking down on regulations here as well. This last March there was a fire in a building in Montreal where it was found to be many illegal short-term rentals. Several people died in the fire. Some of the listings showed rooms with no window, so no possible escape.

One of the problems is that city councils do not have the personnel to keep up with all the listings, licenses and inspections. They want to put the onus on Airbnb to make sure the permit numbers are legitimate, but of course Airbnb does not want that responsibility, saying they are just a listing agent, and assume all permits are vetted.

I admit to never checking to see if I have rented a legal listing. I have never asked for a permit, or checked to see if it was legitimate.

Out of curiosity, I checked in my home town, and found a rental just up the street. I did not know it was listed, and do not see anywhere for a permit to be listed or checked. So there is no knowledge of any safety alarms, the legality of the suite, etc. This is concerning.

At least we know hotels have to pass safety inspections, and pay a tourism tax to the local government.

Just returned from Porto and Lisbon. Portugal is cracking down too. Before we could get the kex code for either apartment, we had to go to the direct Council's website to pay for local taxes. That means that our flat were both officially checked for safety, but also that the owners could not charge local taxes and pocket them themselves.

Major clampdown in Scotland too. However, the legislation as it stands means that rural places are hit as hard as tourist town centre ones. Nobody complained about rural ones but Airbnb is a blight in Edinburgh. Anti social behaviour++ and generally making life difficult for residents as well as massively reducing long term homes for local workers. Amsterdam and Barcelona also clamping down. Fair enough.

It makes me so sad when whole houses or cottages are Airbnb. They should be lived in by local families (many are desperate for homes). There are several holiday parks in our area, and that is fine and that's where people should stay, but houses should be homes to keep our communities alive.

I cannot see the attraction of an Air BnB, if I am going away I want a hotel, part of the attraction of not being at home is not having to make beds, cook breakfast etc.

I live in an area where it is possible to get planning on a farm building if it is let as a holiday cottage but you can't let it on a permanent basis to a local who needs accommodation. There is a huge shortage of affordable housing locally. My neighbour has a wooden chalet that was erected to house her aged mother who needed care, her mum is now dead but she's struggling to get the planning changed. Anyone want a very nice log cabin, well maintained and 8 years old, to be moved at buyers cost!

Grannygravy not everyone can afford hotels up to now Airb &bs have been a good way of a family having a holiday
We just had a long weekend city break for 4 which was a fraction of a hotel price and it was a lovely flat
Two bathrooms three bedrooms large living room balcony and nice kitchen with everything possible needed it was very pleasant

BlueBelle

Grannygravy not everyone can afford hotels up to now Airb &bs have been a good way of a family having a holiday
We just had a long weekend city break for 4 which was a fraction of a hotel price and it was a lovely flat
Two bathrooms three bedrooms large living room balcony and nice kitchen with everything possible needed it was very pleasant

Was it a holiday let or someone letting their own home.

I wouldn’t want to stay in someone’s home with their belongings around.

No belongings around, it was an ABnB and immaculate and in a very easy area to get to and from

We often stay in Air B&B's. Ive booked one for my trip to the Olympics in Paris next year. We have stayed in a lovely house on Exmoor which was clearly a family home, lots of family pics etc but nothing personal in the bedrooms or bathrooms. Last year we stayed at an air b&b in Croatia, the owner was delightful and said they used the house when it was not let but lived in a flat in town the rest of the time. She left us a huge supply of wine and spirits but asked us to feed the cats in return. I don't mind in the slightest.

How nice BlueBelle. Could have made a very nice permanent home for a family.

I loathe hotels GrannyGravy so I guess we are all different. I did have to use hotels for years for work and that has possibly coloured my view, but I always find them so restrictive and inconvenient. Mostly gloomy and dark in the bedrooms with poor views and inadequate lighting. Frequently boiling hot with no means of turning heating off or down so I cant sleep, or I have to open the window and then its too noisy. The duvets are usually too hot and I have to remove them entirely and sleep under a bath towel, or take my own light travel blanket. Many have heavy door locking mechanisms which slam loudly as people come and go. Noisy guests march around late at night and I can only sleep wearing ear plugs. I used to quite like a hotel breakfast, but since Covid my enjoyment of buffets has sharply decreased and even before Covid the tea and coffee was usually poor. None of that in a well chosen Air B and B or other self catering rental. Usually they are immaculate, spacious, well equipped and quiet. If you have fruit and cereal for breakfast and go out for all other meals its not much work.

Good heavens! Sounds like your experience is limited to nasty cheap city hotels SunnySusie. There are others!